This plugin replaces collapsible settings panel in Cura 4.x with a sidebar like the previous versions. This results in a more settings-centric UX, for those who prefer it. The sidebar can be closed and even opened in a seperate window. It also adds a legend to the Prepare stage and makes X-Ray view part of this legend. Some of the UX improvements spearheaded in this plugin trickle down to the default Cura interface.
The continued development of this plugin can be sponsored via Github Sponsors or Paypal.
When a new release of Cura is available, the Sidebar GUI plugin always needs to be updated.
In order for the Sidebar GUI plugin to work, it does quite a bit of "nasty" patching of the original interface. These patches may break the interface when the original interface is changed. So, as a security measure, the plugin checks to see if it has been "approved" for the version of Cura you are using it with.
An updated version of the plugin is usually created during the beta period, so when a new stable release of Cura is available, the plugin update is available in the Marketplace. Because updates to plugins need to be checked and approved by Ultimaker developers, there is always a bit of a delay.