Aestra

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

FAQ

Common questions and answers for contributors, developers, and users of Aestra.

📋 Table of Contents

🌍 General Questions

What is Aestra?

Aestra is a modern digital audio workstation built with C++17, featuring:

Who develops Aestra?

Aestra is developed by Dylan Makori in Kenya, with contributions from the open-source community. While the source code is publicly visible for transparency, Aestra is proprietary commercial software.

Is Aestra free to use?

Yes! Aestra Core is free forever. The hybrid model:

What platforms does Aestra support?

Current support:

Is Aestra open-source?

No. Aestra uses the ASSAL (Aestra Studios Source-Available License) - a source-available license, not open-source. This means:

See License Reference for complete details.

🔨 Building and Setup

How do I build Aestra from source?

Follow our comprehensive Building Guide:

Quick start (Windows):

git clone https://github.com/currentsuspect/Aestra.git
cd Aestra
cmake -S . -B build -DAestra_CORE_MODE=ON -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
cmake --build build --config Release --parallel

What are the build requirements?

All platforms:

Windows:

Linux:

What is Aestra_CORE_MODE?

Aestra_CORE_MODE=ON builds only the public core without premium features. This is required for community contributors since premium modules are in private repositories.

# Public build (community contributors)
cmake -S . -B build -DAestra_CORE_MODE=ON

# Full build (requires private repos - internal only)
cmake -S . -B build

Build fails with “private folder present” error?

This is expected in public CI. Use Aestra_CORE_MODE=ON to skip private folders:

cmake -S . -B build -DAestra_CORE_MODE=ON -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

How do I set up my development environment?

  1. Install prerequisites - See Building Guide
  2. Clone the repository - Fork and clone from GitHub
  3. Install Git hooks - pwsh -File scripts/install-hooks.ps1
  4. Build the project - Follow build instructions
  5. Configure your IDE - Use .clang-format for code formatting

See Contributing Guide for detailed setup.

🤝 Contributing

How can I contribute to Aestra?

Several ways to contribute:

  1. Report bugs - Open issues on GitHub
  2. Suggest features - Share your ideas in discussions
  3. Submit pull requests - Contribute code improvements
  4. Improve documentation - Help make docs better
  5. Test and provide feedback - Try new features and report issues

See Contributing Guide for details.

Do I need to sign a CLA?

Yes. By submitting a pull request, you agree that:

This is necessary because Aestra is commercial software. See Contributing Guide for details.

What kind of contributions are accepted?

Public contributions (in Aestra-core/):

Private modules (not in public repo):

How do I report a bug?

  1. Search existing issues - Check if it’s already reported
  2. Create a new issue - Use the bug report template
  3. Provide details:
    • Operating system and version
    • Steps to reproduce
    • Expected vs actual behavior
    • Screenshots or error messages
    • Aestra version

What code style should I follow?

Follow our Coding Style Guide:

How long do PR reviews take?

Reviews depend on maintainer availability and PR complexity.

💻 Technical Questions

What audio drivers does Aestra support?

Windows:

Linux:

What’s the typical audio latency?

Latency depends on buffer size, sample rate, and hardware.

Does Aestra support plugins?

Not yet. Plugin support is planned:

How does the UI rendering work?

AestraUI uses a custom batched rendering system:

See Architecture Overview for details.

What’s the threading model?

Aestra uses multiple threads:

See Architecture Overview for threading details.

Can I use Aestra in my commercial projects?

Yes! Aestra Core is free for all commercial use. This includes:

Only premium add-ons (Muse AI, premium plugins - future releases) will require paid licenses.

Note: The source code itself is proprietary and cannot be reused in other software projects.

⚖️ Licensing

What license is Aestra under?

Aestra is proprietary commercial software. The source code is visible but not open-source. See License Reference for complete terms.

Can I fork Aestra?

No. You cannot create forks, derivative works, or distribute modified versions. However:

Can I use Aestra code in my project?

No. The code is proprietary and cannot be used in other projects. Any use requires explicit written permission from Dylan Makori.

Why is Aestra not open-source?

We chose a proprietary model to:

Source code transparency allows educational use and community contributions while maintaining a viable business.

🔧 Troubleshooting

Audio is cutting out or glitching

Possible causes:

  1. Buffer size too small - Increase in audio settings
  2. CPU overload - Close other applications
  3. Wrong driver mode - Try WASAPI Exclusive mode
  4. Sample rate mismatch - Check audio settings

Solutions:

Build fails with missing dependencies

Windows:

# Ensure Visual Studio 2022 with C++ workload is installed
# Check CMake version
cmake --version  # Should be 3.15+

Linux:

# Install all development libraries
sudo apt install build-essential cmake git \
                 libasound2-dev libx11-dev libxrandr-dev \
                 libxinerama-dev libgl1-mesa-dev

Git hooks installation fails

Solution:

# Ensure PowerShell 7+ is installed
$PSVersionTable.PSVersion

# Install hooks manually
Copy-Item -Path .githooks\* -Destination .git\hooks\ -Force

UI is slow or laggy

Possible causes:

  1. Low-end GPU - Integrated graphics may struggle
  2. High resolution - 4K displays require more GPU power
  3. Driver issues - Update graphics drivers

Solutions:

Cannot find audio device

Solutions:

  1. Check device manager - Ensure audio device is enabled
  2. Update drivers - Get latest audio drivers
  3. Try different driver - Switch between WASAPI modes
  4. Restart audio service - Windows Audio service

Sample playback position is wrong

This was a known bug (fixed). Ensure you’re using the latest version:

git pull origin main
cmake --build build --config Release

📚 Additional Resources

Still have questions? Check these resources:

💬 Getting Help

Can’t find your answer?

  1. Search GitHub Issues - Someone may have asked already
  2. Open a new issue - Describe your problem clearly
  3. Email support - makoridylan@gmail.com
  4. Community discussions - GitHub Discussions (coming soon)

← Return to Aestra Docs Index

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