Getting Started
How your documentation is made
When you import or re-analyse a project, Dev-Doc runs an analysis: it reads your source code, works out how the software is organised, and writes the documentation with the help of AI.
The steps of a run
- Fetching your code — the repository is downloaded, or your zip file is received.
- Unpacking — binary files, build output and dependency folders are skipped.
- Detecting modules — applications, libraries, services and tests, with the languages and frameworks each uses.
- Reading the code structure — classes, functions and the calls between them are mapped, so diagrams show real relationships rather than guesses.
- Explaining the code (optional) — each file, class and function gets a plain-language explanation. Runs only when codebase analysis is included.
- Writing the documentation — the overview, architecture diagrams and other sections, from what the previous steps found.
- Governance — the inception and communication canvases and decision-record starting points.
The steps run one after another. If one fails, the run stops there and the project shows Failed with a plain explanation and what to do.
Project status
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Waiting | Queued; starts automatically. |
| Processing | In progress; progress rings update live. |
| Stopping / Revoked | You stopped the run. Work already finished is kept. |
| Completed | All tabs are ready to read. |
| Failed | A step could not finish; the card explains why. |
The four progress dimensions
| Dimension | Measures |
|---|---|
| Overview | Modules detected and described |
| Architecture | Diagrams and documentation sections written |
| Governance | Canvases and decision records captured |
| Codebase | Source files and functions explained |
Codebase at 0% on a completed project is normal when you did not include codebase analysis — overall progress is then the average of the other three. Governance often stays below 100%: decision records are meant to be completed by your team.
How long does a run take?
From a few minutes for a small project to considerably longer for a large codebase. The main factors are the amount of source code, whether codebase analysis is included (it adds the most time), and the pricing model.
What happens to my code?
Your code is used only to produce your documentation. Downloads and share links never contain source code, and you can delete a project at any time.