[Preview] OpenROAD web server as new GUI by openroad-ci · Pull Request #9753 · The-OpenROAD-Project/OpenROAD

openroad-ci · 2026-03-13T22:13:41Z

This is initial work toward replacing the Qt gui with OpenROAD acting as a web server and using a standard browser as the display. It is known to be incomplete but is far enough along for feedback on the general approach.

Especially I'd like feedback on

The bazel handling of javascript and npm dependencies and tests (@hzeller @QuantamHD )
Does it work for other people (portability), particularly on MacOS.

To run it you load a design as usual and then

web_server -dir <prefix>/src/web/src

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

Don't draw right/top highlight borders when the instance extends beyond the tile, which was causing yellow lines at every tile seam. Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

Add a menu bar (File, View, Tools, Windows, Help) matching the GUI's menu structure. File > Open DB opens a server-side file browser dialog (LIST_DIR WebSocket request) instead of a bare text input. File > Save DB uses the same browser. Menu items are dynamically enabled/disabled based on whether a design is loaded. Allow the web server to start without a loaded design by removing the WEB-0099 error and adding null-chip/null-block guards throughout TileGenerator, Search, and WebSocketSession. The client detects empty bounds and skips map setup, letting the user load a design via the menu. After read_db, the client reloads to run the full init flow. Add shapes_ready to the BOUNDS response so the client can skip the loading overlay on browser reload when shapes are already built. Add keyboard shortcuts for zoom in (z) and zoom out (Shift+Z), with an input field guard to avoid triggering shortcuts while typing. Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

maliberty · 2026-03-21T02:11:39Z

/gemini review

gemini-code-assist

Code Review

This pull request introduces a significant new feature: a web-based GUI for OpenROAD, intended as a modern replacement for the Qt-based GUI. The changes are extensive and well-structured, primarily consisting of two major parts: a substantial refactoring of the gui module to decouple it from Qt, and the implementation of a new web module that provides the server backend and frontend assets.

The refactoring of the gui module is impressive, introducing patterns like a DescriptorRegistry and a factory system for HeatMapDataSource which greatly improve modularity and enable the new web viewer to reuse core visualization logic. The new web module itself is well-architected, using standard and robust technologies like Boost.Asio/Beast for the C++ backend and Leaflet/GoldenLayout for the JavaScript frontend.

My feedback focuses on improving the robustness of the server's request handling and enhancing configuration flexibility for better portability and deployment options. Overall, this is an excellent preview of a major new capability for OpenROAD.

gemini-code-assist · 2026-03-21T02:14:17Z

src/pad/test/rdl_route_45.tcl

 set def_file [make_result_file "rdl_route_45.def"]
 write_def $def_file
 diff_files $def_file "rdl_route_45.defok"
+web_server -dir /workspace/w6/tools/OpenROAD/src/web/src


The path /workspace/w6/tools/OpenROAD/src/web/src is hardcoded. This will likely cause the test to fail on machines with different directory structures. It would be more portable to use a path relative to the test file or the project root, or to use an environment variable. This also applies to src/pad/test/rdl_route_bump_to_bump_only.tcl.

References

Define tunable parameters as named constants instead of using hardcoded magic numbers. This principle extends to hardcoded paths which should be configurable or relative for portability.

gemini-code-assist · 2026-03-21T02:14:17Z

src/web/src/request_handler.cpp

+#include <vector>
+
+#include "clock_tree_report.h"
+#include "color.h"
+#include "gui/descriptor_registry.h"
+#include "gui/gui.h"
+#include "gui/heatMap.h"
+#include "hierarchy_report.h"
+#include "json_builder.h"
+#include "odb/db.h"
+#include "odb/geom.h"
+#include "tile_generator.h"
+#include "timing_report.h"
+#include "utl/Logger.h"
+
+namespace web {
+
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// ShapeCollector — a gui::Painter that collects rectangles from
+// descriptor->highlight() calls for use in tile rendering.
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class ShapeCollector : public gui::Painter
+{
+ public:
+  ShapeCollector() : Painter(nullptr, odb::Rect(), 1.0) {}
+
+  std::vector<odb::Rect> rects;
+  std::vector<odb::Polygon> polys;
+
+  void drawRect(const odb::Rect& rect, int, int) override
+  {
+    rects.push_back(rect);
+  }


The extract_string function is a hand-rolled JSON string parser. It handles common escape sequences but misses some from the JSON standard, such as \b (backspace) and \f (form feed). The default case for an unknown escape sequence is also incorrect, as it just appends the character following the backslash.

While this may work for the current client implementation, it's not fully compliant and could lead to parsing errors with other clients or future changes. Consider using a lightweight JSON library for more robust and maintainable JSON parsing. This would also simplify the request parsing logic in web.cpp.

gemini-code-assist · 2026-03-21T02:14:17Z

src/web/src/request_handler.cpp

+  try {
+    fs::path dir_path
+        = req.dir_path.empty() ? fs::current_path() : fs::path(req.dir_path);
+    dir_path = fs::canonical(dir_path);
+
+    struct Entry
+    {
+      std::string name;
+      bool is_dir;
+      std::uintmax_t size;
+    };
+    std::vector<Entry> entries;
+
+    for (const auto& entry : fs::directory_iterator(
+             dir_path, fs::directory_options::skip_permission_denied)) {
+      const auto& name = entry.path().filename().string();
+      // Skip hidden files/directories.
+      if (!name.empty() && name[0] == '.') {
+        continue;
+      }
+      bool is_dir = entry.is_directory();
+      std::uintmax_t size = 0;
+      if (!is_dir) {
+        std::error_code ec;
+        size = entry.file_size(ec);
+        if (ec) {
+          size = 0;
+        }
+      }
+      entries.push_back({name, is_dir, size});
+    }
+
+    // Sort: directories first, then alphabetical within each group.
+    std::ranges::sort(entries, [](const Entry& a, const Entry& b) {
+      if (a.is_dir != b.is_dir) {
+        return a.is_dir > b.is_dir;
+      }
+      return a.name < b.name;
+    });
+
+    JsonBuilder builder;
+    builder.beginObject();
+    builder.field("path", dir_path.string());
+    builder.field("parent", dir_path.parent_path().string());
+    builder.beginArray("entries");
+    for (const auto& entry : entries) {
+      builder.beginObject();
+      builder.field("name", entry.name);
+      builder.field("is_dir", entry.is_dir);
+      if (!entry.is_dir) {
+        builder.field("size", static_cast<int>(entry.size));
+      }
+      builder.endObject();
+    }
+    builder.endArray();
+    builder.endObject();
+
+    const std::string& json = builder.str();
+    resp.payload.assign(json.begin(), json.end());
+  } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+    resp.type = 2;
+    std::string err = std::string("list_dir error: ") + e.what();
+    resp.payload.assign(err.begin(), err.end());
+  }
+  return resp;
+}


The list_dir handler allows browsing the server's filesystem starting from the current working directory. While this is convenient for a local desktop tool, it could become a security concern if OpenROAD is ever run as a shared or remote service, as it might expose more of the filesystem than intended. For future hardening, you might consider adding an option to restrict file browsing to a specific root directory or a set of allowed directories.

gemini-code-assist · 2026-03-21T02:14:17Z

src/web/src/web.cpp

+    auto const address = net::ip::make_address("127.0.0.1");
+    uint16_t const port = 8080;
+    int const num_threads = 32;


The server address, port, and number of threads are hardcoded. It would be beneficial to make these configurable, for example, through arguments to the web_server Tcl command or environment variables. This would improve flexibility, allowing users to avoid port conflicts or bind to different interfaces (e.g., 0.0.0.0 to allow remote access).

References

Define tunable parameters as named constants instead of using hardcoded magic numbers. Server address, port, and number of threads are tunable parameters that should not be hardcoded.

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

maliberty · 2026-03-21T02:30:20Z

I'm going to merge this to keep this PR from getting bigger but the module remains not feature complete. I'm glad to have people try it and give feedback, issues, or PRs.

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

…t-staging/web [Preview] OpenROAD web server as new GUI

maliberty added 30 commits March 8, 2026 03:22

web: initial

be2a93d

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

Move flipping to server; get fitBounds working

c5556a1

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: minor

dd361f1

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: progress on search

127b84f

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: make server MT

f3b682d

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: add integrity checks for leaflet

f5cc908

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: zoom snap & caching

4959764

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: switch to websockets for more bandwidth

2c01a26

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: simplistic layer colors (fix later)

b623990

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: draw all layers with coloring

e9b8fef

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: add f hotkey for fit

32bf940

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: fix race

f29a5cf

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

fix zoom not redrawing error

febeb54

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: zoomsnap 0

d8cbb45

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: add skeleton layout

929e92c

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: split tcl input from output

96f52e3

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: start visibility controls

ccab9d9

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: better display controls

71f465d

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: add net vis controls

8107054

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: fix the draw order (instaces before wires)

23ed97a

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: start with fill cells not visible

76f57cd

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: draw cell borders once not per layer

52c697a

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: add TileGenerator tests

028183a

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: add tile gen test to cmake

c42e874

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: add tile debug, avoid pixelation, add retry

b9faf06

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: basic selection

1f6ed34

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: fix check boxes

28912f6

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: refactor checkboxes

f2e1832

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: initial inspector

3f409e6

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: use shortname in inspector

0f6adfb

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

maliberty added 15 commits March 16, 2026 20:49

web: clang-format

f211c93

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: clang-format test

9ef0142

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

grt: clang-format

5a56a65

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

psm: clang-format

e889790

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: highlight 45s correctly

e5627e2

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: add right-click rubberband zoom

31ddae0

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: clang-format test

cef4e79

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: fix highlight border artifacts at tile boundaries

ec374cc

Don't draw right/top highlight borders when the instance extends beyond the tile, which was causing yellow lines at every tile seam. Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: add show routing guide to inspector

d6d0dc4

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: cycle on selection

738e9e0

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: speed up initial loading

f786c5c

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: tidy

3580d16

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/master' into web

2710cc2

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

update MODULE.bazel.lock

2c3bba9

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

gemini-code-assist bot reviewed Mar 21, 2026

View reviewed changes

maliberty added 2 commits March 21, 2026 02:18

pad: rm testing code

ec7b4ec

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: update for sta changes

bc821af

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: downgrade std::latch for debian 11

c8e50b5

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

maliberty approved these changes Mar 22, 2026

View reviewed changes

maliberty added 4 commits March 22, 2026 04:33

test: skip web_server in commands_without_load.tcl

a6ae100

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: fix tcl path

3583d41

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

web: fix non-gui build error

4900dbe

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/master' into web

4ddc3d3

Signed-off-by: Matt Liberty <mliberty@precisioninno.com>

maliberty approved these changes Mar 23, 2026

View reviewed changes

maliberty merged commit 07be495 into The-OpenROAD-Project:master Mar 23, 2026
14 of 15 checks passed

maliberty deleted the web branch March 23, 2026 02:46

gudeh pushed a commit to gudeh/OpenROAD that referenced this pull request Apr 3, 2026

Merge pull request The-OpenROAD-Project#9753 from The-OpenROAD-Projec…

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…t-staging/web [Preview] OpenROAD web server as new GUI

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maliberty merged 129 commits intoThe-OpenROAD-Project:masterfrom
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openroad-ci commented Mar 13, 2026 •

edited by maliberty

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openroad-ci commented Mar 13, 2026 •

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