Multi-Window Function Call Graph Visualizer for Code Navigation

dev tool real project •• multiple requests

Developers working on complex codebases want to click a function call and see the callee definition appear in a side panel, with the full call chain visible across multiple windows simultaneously. Think Source Insight's call graph but free, cross-platform, and integrated with modern editors.

builder note

Build this as a VSCode extension, not a standalone app. The LSP already provides call hierarchy data. The hard part is the multi-panel UX: how to show 3-4 levels of call depth without overwhelming the screen. Look at how Sourcegraph's code intelligence works for inspiration on the rendering side.

landscape (3 existing solutions)

LSP provides the data layer for this (call hierarchies, symbol resolution), but no free editor or plugin renders it as a persistent multi-window call graph. Source Insight proved the UX 20 years ago but nobody has rebuilt it for modern cross-platform development. This is a VSCode extension opportunity.

VSCode Peek Definition Shows inline peek but only one at a time. No persistent multi-window call chain visualization. Loses context when you peek deeper.

Source Insight Does exactly what users want but is Windows-only, proprietary, and expensive. Not viable for Linux developers or open source workflows.

ctags/cscope CLI-based symbol indexing. Powerful but no visual graph. Requires terminal-native workflow that breaks the visual context developers want.

sources (1)

hn https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46345827 "click on any function call then the callee shows up in a new window with proper highlighting" 2025-12-28

developer-toolscode-navigationvisualizationVSCodeLSP