First Codebase Map Best Practices

Here are some tips to get you started on your first Codebase map!

Tip 1: One Topic, One Map

We recommend one topic per Codebase Map. Annotating a key flow or explaining a new feature is a great way to start. Need some inspiration on example topics? Check out our Demos page

Tip 2: Remove everything that isn't relevant.

Sometimes you only want to focus on files and folders relevant to a specific flow. There are a number of ways to drill down quickly.

Quickest of the quick

Use the file browser to hide all
Use the File Browser to find where you would like to start
Use the floaty tool bar change visibility option to select show connected files

Other quick options

Tip 3: Labels, notes, colors, and code

Start adding Labels and Colors to your map to explain your onboarding concepts. As your code changes, these labels and colors will persist as the code is updated. Double-click a file or folder or select View Code in the toolbar to view the code for that file.

Tip 4: Create a tour

A tour is a step-by-step walkthrough of the map. They are great at explaining flows through the code. Click on the Tour icon in the toolbar and click Create a Tour to create a tour.

Tip 5: Share your map with others

You can click the share button at the top right corner or you can click the download an image button and drop it in documentation, slack or anywhere. You can also leave a comment on a node for a team member to invite them to collaborate.