Understand a piece of code

How often does a new developer join a project and strive to decipher how it functions to start crafting fresh features? This frequently encountered situation often finds new developers making substantial efforts to grasp legacy code. Scanyp is equipped with valuable features that facilitate the developer's comprehension of legacy code.

Step 1: Formulate a Working Set

Understanding a specific piece of code is easier when concentration is narrowed to that particular section. A working set enables focus on a targeted code segment, and the My View page connected to this set displays various intriguing metrics about the relevant code. It also monitors code modifications over time.

Navigate to the My View page and select "Edit Working Sets" to create a new working set by clicking on the "New Working Set" button.

The new working set is created.

You can add a code element to the new working set by going to the code insight page, choosing a code element, and clicking on the "Add to working set" button.

Return to the My View page and switch to the new working set to concentrate solely on the monitored code base.

Multiple code elements can be included in a working set, giving the developer access to metrics, issues, and changes related to the tracked code elements through the My View page.

Step 2: Establish an Understanding Task

Having fashioned a working set to zoom in on the code of interest, an understanding task can be formed. Select the class from My View -> My Code of the created working set and click the "Add to My tasks" button to do so.

The task will be created and can be overseen from the My Workspace page.

Step 3: Attach required Data to the Task for Code Understanding

Understanding a code base may necessitate access to source code, dependency graphs, matrices, metrics, or even external resources. Scanyp allows you to link various types of data to the task, ensuring the developer has everything necessary for comprehending the code base.

For instance, the DataLabel dependency graph, accessible from the code insight page, can be added by clicking on the "Add to my tasks" button.

The dependency graph will then be included in the associated task data.

Initiate a Dialogue with Fellow Developers for Insights

Following the creation of the task, the developer may begin a conversation with colleagues to inquire about how a specific class operates. This can be done by clicking on the "Add Message" button.

By engaging with other team members, the developer can glean insights and deeper understanding of how the code functions.