This is our first public changelog entry. We wanted users to see our progress as a story, not just a list of bullet points.
Version Summary
- Current release: v0.5.0
- Starting point: v0.1.0
- Platform: Windows 10 (1903+) and Windows 11, x64 + ARM64
Timeline
2026-01 · v0.1.0 — Foundation: Fences + Auto-Sort Basics
- Introduced foldable and resizable desktop fences
- Added drag-and-drop icon management inside and across fences
- Shipped initial rule engine with extension/name/path matching
User impact: You could finally stop manual icon cleanup and keep a clear desktop structure.
2026-01 → 2026-02 · v0.1.x — Smarter Rule Matching
- Expanded support for regex-based matching
- Added DSL expressions for advanced conditions
- Improved rule priority handling for conflict resolution
User impact: Power users gained precise control over where files go, even in complex workflows.
2026-02 · v0.1.x — Reliability and Recovery
- Strengthened SQLite-backed layout persistence
- Improved Windows Explorer restart recovery
- Enhanced multi-monitor and DPI-aware coordinate handling
User impact: Layouts stayed stable across restarts, crashes, scaling changes, and monitor reconfiguration.
2026-03 · v0.1.x — Everyday UX Polish
- Refined fence interactions: pin/lock, collapse, transparency controls
- Improved backup and restore workflows for configuration portability
- Polished docs and onboarding guidance for faster setup
User impact: Day-to-day usage became smoother and safer, especially for long-term desktop setups.
2026-03-20 · v0.2.0 — Native Win32 Fences & Layout Modes
- Migrated fences to native Win32 windows, solving click-through issues when fences overlay desktop icons, eliminating rendering artifacts, and significantly improving performance and stability
- Added three fence layout modes: Grid, List, and Compact — each fence can independently choose its preferred layout algorithm
- Introduced i18n multi-language framework with hot-swappable JSON language packs
- Auto-restore historical layout positions when switching screen resolution; falls back to proportional geometric scaling when no match exists
- Enhanced multi-monitor awareness: fences now bind to monitor IDs with persistent storage for precise multi-screen layout management
User impact: Fences become truly click-through transparent, layout flexibility greatly improved with multiple arrangement modes, and multi-monitor setups are handled more reliably.
2026-03-22 · v0.5.0 (Current) — Full Desktop Takeover Mode
- Introduced full desktop takeover mode: hides native desktop icons and manages all icons through fences and the virtual desktop layer for a truly organized desktop experience
- Added Virtual Desktop Layer — icons not assigned to any fence automatically appear on the virtual desktop layer, ensuring all icons remain visible and accessible
- Added Smart Icon Allocator that automatically distributes desktop icons to matching fences based on configured rules
- Fences now support dragging icons in from the desktop for direct classification
- Fixed mouse pass-through issue on transparent fence backgrounds
- Fence management page now features hover highlight and inline delete buttons for more intuitive operation
User impact: RuleDock now offers complete desktop management — every icon is accounted for, either in a fence or on the virtual desktop layer, with automatic rule-based sorting and crash recovery built in.
What's Next
In upcoming updates, we will continue focusing on: richer rule authoring experience, theme and appearance customization, and cross-device configuration sync.
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