GIMP 3.0, the venerable open-source Photoshop alternative, continues its march to 3.0 with a string freeze being the latest development.

GIMP is one of the most powerful alternatives to Photoshop, with the added benefit of being free and open-source software (FOSS). The current 2.x version series has been around for more than two decades, with the initial 2.0 release in March 2004.

The team has been hard at work on GIMP 3.0, bringing a number of features that help close the gap with Photoshop. GIMP 3, as well as the GIMP 3.x series will bring more powerful layers, improved font handling, and (finally) non-destructive editing, non-destructive filters, animation and multi-page support, macros, extensions, and more.

The announced via X that GIMP 3 has entered string freeze.

String freeze refers to the stage of software development where user-facing text, or strings, used in dialogs, labels, and other interface elements, is frozen and will no longer be changed. This gives translators the time they need to translate the strings into other languages prior to the final release date.

It remains unclear when GIMP 3 will make its appearance, with the original tentative May release date obviously not happening. Nonetheless, a string freeze is an important step toward release and indicates that date is certainly drawing close.