Extensibility is at the heart of SketchUp, and has been since we decided to launch the first Ruby-based API over a dozen years ago in SketchUp 4.0. Since then, we’ve expanded and extended it multiple times, adding new methods and capabilities and guided by the wants and needs of our developer community. We will always maintain the openest possible APIs inside and outside of the the tools we make.
Given the way web browsers execute code, it hasn’t been possible for us to transparently port the Ruby API from our desktop application to the web. The security model is different and raw performance just isn’t where it needs to be yet. So we’re still working on it, nothing new to announce at this time. If you’ve been tracking our progress through the my.SketchUp beta you’ve seen we’re launching new features more or less continuously over time. We don’t have to wait for an annual release to make improvements. But this is a hard one, and I’m not prepared to predict how long it will take us to nail it.
We recognize the value folks place on extensions they use every day, even those working on personal (not professional) projects for fun. And for that reason (among others) we’re keeping SketchUp Make available to you while we work on alternative end-user development environments that will be able to work in the browser. Every extension you had installed in SketchUp Make yesterday still works in SketchUp Make today. You’re missing nothing by keeping Make 2017 running on your desktop side-by side with SketchUp Free.
john
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