codedocent 0.4.0

Code visualization for non-programmers

codedocent

Code visualization for non-programmers.

A docent is a guide who explains things to people who aren't experts. Codedocent does that for code.

The problem

You're staring at a codebase you didn't write — maybe thousands of files across dozens of directories — and you need to understand what it does. Reading every file isn't realistic. You need a way to visualize the code structure, get a high-level map of what's where, and drill into the parts that matter without losing context.

Codedocent parses the codebase into a navigable, visual block structure and explains each piece in plain English. It's an AI code analysis tool that runs entirely on your machine — no API keys, no cloud, no data leaving your laptop. Point it at any codebase and get a structural overview you can explore interactively, understand quickly, and share as a static HTML file.

Who this is for

• Developers onboarding onto an unfamiliar codebase — get oriented in minutes instead of days
• Non-programmers (managers, designers, PMs) who need to understand what code does without reading it
• Solo developers inheriting legacy code — map out the structure before making changes
• Code reviewers who want a high-level overview before diving into details
• Security reviewers who need a structural map of an application
• Students learning to read and navigate real-world codebases

What you see

Nested, color-coded blocks representing directories, files, classes, and functions — the entire structure of a codebase laid out visually. Each block shows a plain English summary, a pseudocode translation, and quality warnings (green/yellow/red). Click any block to drill down; breadcrumbs navigate you back up. You can export code from any block or paste replacement code back into the source file. All AI runs locally through Ollama — nothing leaves your machine.

Install

pip install codedocent

Requires Python 3.10+ and Ollama running locally for AI features. Works without AI too (--no-ai).

Quick start

codedocent                         # setup wizard — walks you through everything
codedocent /path/to/code           # interactive mode (recommended)
codedocent /path/to/code --full    # full analysis, static HTML output
codedocent --gui                   # graphical launcher

How it works

Parses code structure with tree-sitter, scores quality with static analysis, and sends individual blocks to a local Ollama model for plain English summaries and pseudocode. Interactive mode analyzes on click — typically 1-2 seconds per block. Full mode analyzes everything upfront into a self-contained HTML file you can share.

Why local

All AI processing runs through Ollama on your machine. Your code is never uploaded, transmitted, or stored anywhere external. No API keys, no accounts, no cloud services. This matters when you're working with proprietary code, client projects, or anything you can't share — codedocent works fully air-gapped. The --no-ai mode removes the AI dependency entirely while keeping the structural visualization and quality scoring.

Supported languages

Full AST parsing for Python and JavaScript/TypeScript (functions, classes, methods, imports). File-level detection for 23 extensions including C, C++, Rust, Go, Java, Ruby, PHP, Swift, Kotlin, Scala, HTML, CSS, and config formats.

License

MIT