Product Introduction

1. Gitlantis is a Visual Studio Code extension that gamifies codebase navigation by transforming project files and folders into an interactive underwater environment. It replaces traditional file trees with a 3D ocean-themed interface where users explore code structures by interacting with floating visual elements. The extension integrates directly with the editor, enabling real-time navigation without disrupting workflow efficiency.
2. The core value of Gitlantis lies in enhancing developer engagement and reducing cognitive fatigue through immersive visualization. By converting abstract file hierarchies into spatial, game-like environments, it simplifies navigation in large or unfamiliar projects. This approach fosters creativity while maintaining functional precision for technical users.

Main Features

1. The extension renders directories and files as customizable underwater elements like shipwrecks, treasure chests, or marine life, with visual depth and spatial relationships. Users click or hover over objects to reveal metadata like file size, last modified dates, or contributor activity.
2. Dynamic filtering allows users to adjust visibility thresholds for file types, commit histories, or code complexity metrics, represented as environmental changes like water clarity or lighting. Search functionality is mapped to sonar-like pulses that highlight target objects.
3. Integrated performance metrics display code health indicators through coral reef vitality—thriving reefs indicate high test coverage, while bleached areas reveal technical debt hotspots. Users can dive deeper into specific files via submarine-style viewports.

Problems Solved

1. Gitlantis addresses the disconnect between linear file structures and human spatial reasoning, which often causes inefficiency in navigating complex codebases. Traditional folder trees struggle to scale visually beyond 200+ files, whereas Gitlantis uses depth perception and object clustering.
2. The primary target users are developers working on monorepos, legacy systems, or open-source projects with deep nested structures. It also benefits technical leads onboarding junior engineers or conducting architecture reviews.
3. Typical scenarios include auditing unfamiliar modules in a microservices ecosystem, identifying rarely modified components in legacy systems, or visualizing test coverage distribution across a monolithic codebase.

Unique Advantages

1. Unlike standard code visualization tools that use abstract graphs, Gitlantis employs universally intuitive underwater metaphors requiring no diagramming expertise. Competitors like CodeMaps or CodeFlower lack real-time interactivity with the working editor instance.
2. The extension innovates by mapping Git histories to environmental changes—recent commits create ripples, while stale branches appear as drifting seaweed. File modification dates correlate with object buoyancy levels.
3. Competitive advantages include sub-50ms rendering latency for projects under 10,000 files, OpenVSX store compatibility for non-Marketplace environments, and zero dependency on external GPUs through WebGL optimizations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Does Gitlantis support collaborative navigation in live-shared sessions? Gitlantis currently operates as a local extension but exports 3D snapshots as WebGL scenes for team sharing. Multi-user exploration is planned for Q2 2024 via Live Share integration.
2. How does the extension handle projects with 50,000+ files? The engine implements Level of Detail (LOD) optimizations, clustering files beyond 2,000 items into schools of fish or coral colonies. Users can adjust aggregation thresholds in settings to balance detail and performance.
3. Can I customize the ocean theme for accessibility or personal preference? Yes, users modify color schemes for color blindness support, replace water with lava/space themes, and adjust motion sensitivity to prevent vertigo. Configurations are stored in .gitlantisrc files for project-specific theming.