Codebase Navigation Techniques

Discussions center on methods for effectively reading, navigating, and comprehending large codebases, such as code folding, printing code for overview, and IDE features, often debating their benefits over direct linear reading.

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Keywords

MS ide.aspx e.g StackOverflow AST JS DO geekswithblogs.net HealthComponent WP code read code codebase screen file folding read editors files way write

Sample Comments

udev4096 Nov 27, 2025 View on HN

It's a better navigation and overall quicker way to read code

bobfunk Apr 26, 2013 View on HN

Had the same experience, found it easier to just read the code .

omaranto Aug 2, 2014 View on HN

I don't understand: surely with pencil and paper you are able to see the code you are editing?

mseepgood Mar 21, 2014 View on HN

How is more code on the same screen a good thing?

yogi12 Feb 4, 2020 View on HN

I could see this being helpful for potentially navigating a large codebase, especially for newer employees. could help integrate them into the team / project much faster.

bombcar Oct 12, 2023 View on HN

Code folding is phenomenal for understanding a codebase and I'm really surprised it wasn't utilized more.

rjzzleep Dec 25, 2025 View on HN

From my experience, it's just good enough to give you a code overview of a codebase you don't know and give you enough implementation suggests to work from there.

spacecowboy_lon Sep 18, 2015 View on HN

If you have a lot of code printing it all out and laying it out on a spare desk - so you can look at all the code in one go is still useful.

cedws Oct 30, 2024 View on HN

Does it make much difference for looking at code?

kasey_junk Oct 7, 2014 View on HN

"In my IDE I'd have no trouble"But if you were reading the code on github, on a blog post, or in a chat you wouldn't have that advantage.