Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats Supper Club × Steve Ruiz Building a Drawing App
Sep 2, 2022
In this conversation, designer-turned-developer Steve Ruiz shares the journey of creating the drawing app tldraw, focusing on its unique features and user experience. He discusses the challenges of state management, why he chose not to use canvas, and the innovative algorithms behind the app's drawing capabilities. Steve also highlights the importance of mobile optimization and offline access, making tldraw versatile. Listeners get an inside look at the blend of creativity and coding that brought this app to life.
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TLDraw Inspiration
- Steve Ruiz's inspiration for TLDraw came from developing a variable-width line algorithm and working on Globs.
- This experience, combined with contributing to Excalidraw, led him to create a React-based drawing tool.
DOM over Canvas
- TLDraw uses DOM elements and SVG instead of canvas, allowing for complex React components like calendars and to-do lists.
- This approach leverages browser optimizations for performance and simplifies development.
Perfect Freehand Origins
- Steve Ruiz's background in fine art influenced the development of Perfect Freehand.
- He learned necessary math concepts to create the algorithm, simulating pressure sensitivity based on speed.