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Usage Guide

This guide focuses on effective day-to-day use of BackLens.

Core Workflows

1) Analyze a Project

Extension mode:

  1. Run BackLens: Analyze Folder.
  2. Wait for parse, graph build, and DB save completion.
  3. Open graph view.

Standalone mode:

  1. Parse project with parser package.
  2. Build graph JSON.
  3. Save SQLite.
  4. Start API and web UI.

2) Search Nodes

Use search in the left panel to find functions, methods, classes, or files and add them to the graph.

3) Open Hotspots

In Hotspots tab:

  1. Click Load.
  2. Choose a hotspot to open centered context.

Hotspots help you find highly connected nodes quickly.

4) Inspect Classes and Methods

In Classes tab:

  1. Load classes.
  2. Expand a class to lazy-load methods.
  3. Click class/method to add it to graph.

5) Expand Callers

From inspector:

  • Expand Callers shows who depends on the selected node.

Use this to trace impact radius.

6) Expand Callees

From inspector:

  • Expand Callees shows what the selected node depends on.

Use this to trace dependencies.

7) Follow Call Chains

Use path operations (available in provider/API contracts) to inspect shortest or full path chains between two nodes.

8) Jump to Source

In extension mode:

  • Double-click a graph node to navigate to source location.
  • Or use BackLens: Go to Source command path.

9) Close or Reload Project Context

Use BackLens explorer actions:

  • Re-analyze Folder to refresh graph from latest code.
  • Close Project to unload current context.

How to Read the Graph

Node Types

  • Function: standalone callable code unit.
  • Method: callable member of a class.
  • Class: object-oriented container for methods.
  • File: source file container node.
  • External: dependency outside your codebase.
  • Placeholder: unresolved or intermediate call target.

Caller vs Callee

  • Caller edge direction means source node invokes target node.
  • Expand Callers moves upstream to dependents.
  • Expand Callees moves downstream to dependencies.

Hotspots

Hotspots are nodes with high fan-in and fan-out score. These often indicate coordination-heavy or risky change points.

External Nodes

External nodes represent modules/framework calls not modeled as local source nodes.

Unresolved Edges

Unresolved edges can appear due to:

  • dynamic dispatch
  • runtime-generated behavior
  • framework indirection
  • alias-heavy patterns

This is expected in static analysis workflows.