Naiad Lens

Product Introduction

1. Naiad Lens is an IDE plugin integrated with JetBrains environments that automatically generates interactive architecture, sequence, and file-level diagrams directly within the developer’s coding interface. It enables users to visualize code relationships dynamically, with clickable nodes that directly link to specific lines of code. The tool syncs with the latest code changes to ensure diagrams reflect real-time updates.
2. The core value of Naiad Lens lies in reducing cognitive load during code navigation and accelerating project comprehension for both new and experienced developers. It eliminates manual diagramming by providing AI-generated visualizations that scale from file-level details to full-system architecture, enabling faster debugging, onboarding, and codebase exploration.

Main Features

1. Naiad Lens generates live, interactive diagrams within JetBrains IDEs, allowing users to visualize code flows through 12 preset diagram types (6 file-scoped and 6 architecture-scoped). Diagrams update automatically with code changes, ensuring alignment with the latest commits.
2. Every diagram node is clickable, enabling direct navigation to the corresponding line of code in the IDE, which eliminates manual file hopping. Users can trace execution paths across services or modules visually, reducing mental mapping of complex dependencies.
3. The AI-assisted diagramming engine creates on-demand visualizations in seconds by analyzing code structure, supporting Java, Kotlin, Python, Go, JavaScript, and TypeScript. Developers can request custom diagrams via natural language queries without leaving their IDE.

Problems Solved

1. Naiad Lens addresses the inefficiency of manually tracing code relationships in large or legacy projects, where developers waste hours navigating files to understand workflows. It mitigates the risk of missed edge cases by exposing hidden code paths through visual exploration.
2. The tool targets software engineers, technical leads, and onboarding team members working with multi-service systems or complex monoliths. It is particularly valuable for distributed teams maintaining poorly documented codebases.
3. Typical use cases include accelerating onboarding by visualizing system architecture for new hires, debugging cross-service issues via sequence diagrams, and auditing code impacts before deployment to prevent regressions.

Unique Advantages

1. Unlike static diagramming tools, Naiad Lens integrates directly into the IDE with bidirectional interactivity, enabling code-to-diagram and diagram-to-code navigation. Competitors lack real-time synchronization with codebases or granular node-to-code linking.
2. The AI engine combines preset diagram templates with dynamic query-based generation, offering flexibility unmatched by manual tools like draw.io or limited architecture viewers.
3. Competitive advantages include JetBrains-native performance, support for six programming languages, and actionable diagrams that reduce context-switching between documentation and code.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Which JetBrains IDEs does Naiad Lens support? Naiad Lens is compatible with all JetBrains IDEs, including IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, and GoLand, with consistent functionality across platforms.
2. How does Naiad Lens stay synchronized with code changes? The plugin monitors Git commits and local file modifications, updating diagrams in real time to reflect the latest code state without manual refreshes.
3. Can Naiad Lens visualize legacy projects with minimal documentation? Yes, the AI engine reverse-engineers code structure to generate diagrams even in poorly documented repositories, identifying class relationships and service boundaries automatically.
4. What languages are supported for AI-generated diagrams? The tool currently supports Java, Kotlin, Python, Go, JavaScript, and TypeScript, with plans to expand to C# and Ruby in future updates.
5. Is offline functionality available? Naiad Lens processes code locally within the IDE for diagram generation, ensuring data privacy and enabling use in air-gapped development environments.