GitThings - Version Control for Designers Concept

A concept for a macOS-native application designed to bring Git-like version control to graphic designers, eliminating the “final_final_v3” file naming chaos without requiring command-line knowledge.

The problems

Designers are inherently iterative. We don’t save once; we save fifty times. This leads to directory clutter where identifying the actual latest file relies on timestamps or guessing which file name implies “truth.” Standard version control (Git) is great for text-based code, but it lacks the visual immediacy designers need for binary files like .psd or .af.

The solution

I designed a file explorer wrapper that abstracts the file system.

• The Logic: As shown in the structure diagram, the app treats a folder of iterations as a single “Group.” It scans the directory for filename-v1, filename-v2, etc., but in the main explorer view, it presents a single, clean entry.
• The UI: I stuck strictly to macOS Human Interface Guidelines. The goal was for this to feel like a system utility, not a branded tool.
  • Left Pane: Standard file navigation.
  • Center Pane: Large visual preview with a toggleable metadata overlay (Resolution, Color Space, File Size).
  • Right Pane: This is the core feature. A vertical timeline of versions. Clicking a timestamp instantly updates the center preview, allowing for rapid visual comparison between V1 and V8.

The Challenge

While the UI solves the workflow issue, the engineering reality is the blocker. The primary challenge in building this for real is proprietary rendering.

Tools like Photoshop, Affinity, or Illustrator use proprietary file structures. To render a high-fidelity preview of a specific version without actually opening the native application is incredibly difficult. Unless macOS QuickLook APIs grant deeper access to these third-party file types, or the app includes specific rendering engines for every format, generating these instant previews remains the biggest technical hurdle.