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Rider 2023.3 Roadmap
As we gear up for the beginning of the Early Access Program (EAP) for Rider 2023.3, we wanted to take a moment to share our plans for this upcoming release.
These plans are subject to change, and some features and improvements may need to be pushed to a future version.
Additionally, be sure to check out the ReSharper 2023.3 Roadmap, as some of those features will also be making their way to Rider.
UX/UI improvements
Working on improving the user experience and optimizing various development workflows is always a priority for our team, and the upcoming release will not be an exception. We’ve got a whole host of UX/UI updates in store for you. Here are just a few of them:
Branches on the Welcome screen
The Welcome screen of the IDE will now display all the individual branches of the project you’re working on, allowing you to navigate to the right branch quickly and easily.
Color coding for files inside editor tabs
This handy feature has actually been around for some time, but its discoverability was too low relative to its utility. With our next release, we’re making the option to assign colors to different file types and to see those colors inside editor tabs a default for all users. You’ll be able to distinguish between project files, non-project files, and tests at a glance, both in the Solution Explorer and inside the editor.
Resume button for debugging
The Run button in the main toolbar will be replaced with a Resume button during debugging.
New Solution wizard
The New Solution dialog is finally coming to Rider after an additional cycle of refinement.
Solution filters
Rider 2023.3 will allow you to quickly and easily create solution filters (.slnf files). Using solution filters can help you tailor your IDE’s Project view to match the specific context you’re working in, making it easier to manage large and complex projects.
Debugger
The enhancements mapped out for the debugger form a real constellation of core features for the next major release. Here are just a few:
Data Flow Analysis, aka predictive debugging
Ever since we released the predictive debugger mode in ReSharper 2023.2, we’ve been swarmed with questions about when it is coming to Rider. Rest assured that shipping this feature is a top priority for us.
It’s worth mentioning, however, that the introduction of predictive debugging abilities within Rider is not as straightforward as “cutting and pasting” them from ReSharper, as Rider is also based on the IntelliJ Platform. This means it might take us a bit longer to bring the full feature set over. That complexity of implementation comes with an upside: Rider’s analysis during debugging will go even deeper, evaluating auto-generated code, lambdas, and call methods. The evaluations will also be strictly pure, meaning there won’t be any side-effects.
Stepping time
This highly requested feature is coming to Rider 2023.3. Being able to evaluate the time it takes for the debugger to execute the code between two breakpoints can be a valuable debugging tool. If you find that the stepping time is excessively long, this might indicate performance issues in your code. The new feature will point you to where refactoring is needed.
Data collections visualizer
The data collections visualizer coming to Rider 2023.3 will allow you to visually inspect complex data structures like arrays and lists with the help of interactive tree and table views. You’ll be able to filter, sort, and even edit data on the fly, giving you enhanced insight into your collections during debugging.
Type dependency diagrams
This is another feature from ReSharper that’ll be making its way into Rider with the next release. Type dependency diagrams are graphical representations that show the relationships and dependencies between different types (classes, structs, interfaces, and modules) in a solution. Studying type dependency diagrams can give you an insight into how various types in the codebase interact with each other, facilitating better understanding of the project design, easier maintenance, and an additional level of clarity when debugging.
Decompiler
In addition to the assembly diff functionality introduced in ReSharper 2023.2, Rider 2023.3 will also gain the ability to compare NuGet packages, folders, and ZIP files referenced in the assembly.
Game development
We’re beyond excited to reveal that JetBrains has signed agreements with all major gaming console manufacturers. With some of the devkits already in-house, we are now starting development on console-specific support. While we can’t make any promises for Rider 2023.3, we’re hoping to deliver the first batch of functionality in 2024.
In the meantime, we’d very much like to know what features you’re most interested in seeing from us in addition to console debugging.
Unity
In Rider 2023.2 we delivered a solid update to shader support. The next release is going to offer even more features for working with shaders, including better support for preprocessor branches in HLSL. Moreover, we’ll continue improving support for the UI Toolkit with updates for USS, and code completion for UIElement names in C# queries is coming. Finally, we’re going to implement more features for the debugger, including updates to presenters for Unity-specific types.
Unreal Engine
The lion’s share of our efforts will be dedicated to improving your experience working with Blueprints and enhancing overall performance.
AI Assistant
In addition to the AI Assistant updates we’ve outlined in the ReSharper 2023.3 Roadmap post, Rider will also receive its own specific new features, namely:
- Improvements to AI Assistant’s ability to explain the meaning behind selected code fragments
- The ability to generate documentation
- Full-line completion for C#
Other plans
- A lot of effort will be focused on improving the remote development experience, including performance.
- Major refactoring is underway for Rider’s handling of Roslyn analyzers.
We hope you enjoyed this preview of the features and improvements coming to Rider 2023.3. Let us know which ones you’re most excited about in the comments below.
Another way to give us feedback and help shape the future of your favorite .NET IDE is by participating in the Early Access Program. Keep an eye out for the first 2023.3 EAP build by signing up for our newsletter or following our social media.
UPD: Rider 2023.3 Early Access Program is now active!
You can get your hands on the newest features ahead of the release by installing the EAP builds.
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