VS Code Extension

The RE-cue VS Code extension provides in-editor reverse engineering analysis capabilities, allowing developers to analyze and document codebases directly from their IDE.

Overview

The VS Code extension integrates RE-cue’s powerful analysis capabilities directly into Visual Studio Code, providing:

• Right-Click Context Menu: Analyze files and folders with a single click
• Side Panel Results: View analysis results in a dedicated sidebar
• Navigate to Definitions: Click to jump to source code locations
• Inline Documentation Preview: Hover over elements for documentation
• Auto-Update on Save: Keep documentation synchronized with code changes

Installation

Prerequisites

1. Python 3.6+: Required for running RE-cue analysis
2. RE-cue Python Package: Install via pip:

   pip install -e /path/to/re-cue/reverse-engineer-python/
   

Install from VSIX

1. Download the .vsix file from the Releases
2. Install using VS Code:

   code --install-extension re-cue-1.0.0.vsix
   

Install from Source

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/cue-3/re-cue.git
   cd re-cue/vscode-extension
   

2. Install dependencies and compile:

   npm install
   npm run compile
   

3. Launch in Extension Development Host:

   • Open the vscode-extension folder in VS Code
   • Press F5 to launch

Features

Context Menu Analysis

Analyze File

Right-click on any supported file in the Explorer or Editor to analyze it:

• Supported languages: Java, Python, TypeScript, JavaScript, Ruby, C#
• The file’s containing folder is analyzed for context

Analyze Folder

Right-click on any folder to analyze all files within:

• Recursively analyzes all supported files
• Generates comprehensive documentation

Side Panel Views

The extension adds a new “RE-cue” view container to the Activity Bar with five views:

Analysis Results

Overview of discovered components:

• API Endpoints
• Data Models
• Services
• Views

Use Cases

Extracted use cases showing:

• Use case ID and name
• Primary actor
• System boundary
• Preconditions, scenario steps, postconditions

Actors

Discovered system actors:

• Human actors (users, administrators)
• System actors (internal services)
• External actors (third-party systems)

System Boundaries

Architectural boundaries:

• Presentation layer
• Business logic layer
• Data access layer
• External integrations

API Endpoints

REST API endpoints:

• HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
• Endpoint paths
• Handler functions
• Parameters and responses

Inline Documentation

Hover Information

Hover over code elements to see rich documentation:

• Endpoints: Method, path, handler, parameters
• Models: Fields, types, relationships
• Services: Methods, dependencies
• Actors: Type, roles, description
• Use Cases: Summary and scenario

CodeLens

See use case references directly in your code:

• Shows which use cases reference an endpoint
• Links to endpoint and service definitions
• Click to navigate to related items

Document Links

Navigate to definitions:

• Click model names to go to definition
• Click service references to navigate
• API path references link to handlers

Auto-Update on Save

Enable automatic analysis when files are saved:

1. Open Settings (Ctrl+,)
2. Search for “recue.autoAnalyzeOnSave”
3. Enable the setting

This keeps your documentation synchronized as you make code changes.

Commands

Access commands via the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P):

Configuration

Configure the extension via VS Code Settings:

Python Path

{
  "recue.pythonPath": "python3"
}

Path to the Python executable used for analysis.

Auto-Analyze on Save

{
  "recue.autoAnalyzeOnSave": false
}

Enable to automatically analyze files when saved.

Output Directory

{
  "recue.outputDirectory": ""
}

Custom directory for generated documentation (empty = default).

Default Framework

{
  "recue.defaultFramework": "auto"
}

Framework to use for analysis. Options:

• auto (recommended)
• java_spring
• nodejs_express
• nodejs_nestjs
• python_django
• python_flask
• python_fastapi
• ruby_rails
• dotnet

Enable Features

{
  "recue.enableDiagnostics": true,
  "recue.enableHover": true,
  "recue.enableCodeLens": true
}

Toggle individual features on/off.

Performance Options

{
  "recue.enableCache": true,
  "recue.enableParallelProcessing": true,
  "recue.verboseOutput": false
}

Optimize for large codebases.

Output Files

Generated documentation is saved to re-<project-name>/:

your-project/
└── re-your-project/
    ├── spec.md                    # Feature specification
    ├── plan.md                    # Implementation plan
    ├── data-model.md              # Data model documentation
    ├── diagrams.md                # Visual diagrams (Mermaid)
    ├── phase1-structure.md        # Project structure
    ├── phase2-actors.md           # Actor discovery
    ├── phase3-boundaries.md       # System boundaries
    ├── phase4-use-cases.md        # Use case analysis
    └── contracts/
        └── api-spec.json          # OpenAPI specification

Troubleshooting

Python Not Found

Problem: “Python not found” or “Module not found” error

Solution: Set the correct Python path:

{
  "recue.pythonPath": "/usr/local/bin/python3"
}

RE-cue Module Not Found

Problem: “No module named ‘reverse_engineer’” error

Solution: Install the RE-cue package:

pip install -e /path/to/re-cue/reverse-engineer-python/

No Results After Analysis

Problem: Analysis completes but no results show

Solutions:

1. Check the Output panel (View > Output > RE-cue)
2. Ensure your project has a recognized framework
3. Verify files use standard patterns for the framework

Slow Analysis

Problem: Analysis takes too long

Solutions:

1. Enable caching: "recue.enableCache": true
2. Enable parallel processing: "recue.enableParallelProcessing": true
3. For very large projects, use command-line RE-cue with --incremental

Features Not Working

Problem: Hover, CodeLens, or links not appearing

Solutions:

1. Verify features are enabled in settings
2. Run an analysis first (features require analysis results)
3. Reload VS Code window

Development

Build from Source

cd vscode-extension
npm install
npm run compile

Watch Mode

npm run watch

Run Tests

npm run test

Package Extension

npm run package

Publish Extension

npm run publish

Architecture

vscode-extension/
├── src/
│   ├── extension.ts           # Entry point
│   ├── analysisManager.ts     # Core analysis logic
│   └── providers/
│       ├── resultsTreeProvider.ts     # Results view
│       ├── useCasesTreeProvider.ts    # Use cases view
│       ├── actorsTreeProvider.ts      # Actors view
│       ├── boundariesTreeProvider.ts  # Boundaries view
│       ├── endpointsTreeProvider.ts   # Endpoints view
│       ├── hoverProvider.ts           # Hover documentation
│       ├── codeLensProvider.ts        # CodeLens references
│       └── documentLinkProvider.ts    # Navigation links
├── resources/
│   └── icon.svg               # Extension icon
├── package.json               # Extension manifest
├── tsconfig.json              # TypeScript config
└── README.md                  # Documentation

Related Documentation

• Getting Started Guide
• Complete User Guide
• Configuration Wizard
• Python Package Documentation

Feedback

Report issues or request features on GitHub Issues.