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. This page explains the steps you will see and what the progress figures mean.
The steps of a run
- Fetching your codeThe repository is downloaded from its host, or your uploaded zip file is received.
- UnpackingThe archive is unpacked so the files can be read. Binary files, build output and dependency folders are skipped.
- Detecting modulesdev-doc finds the parts your project is made of — applications, libraries, services, tests — and which languages and frameworks each uses.
- Reading the code structureClasses, functions and the calls between them are mapped, so diagrams can show real relationships rather than guesses.
- Explaining the code (optional)Each file, class and function gets a plain-language explanation. Only runs when you included codebase analysis.
- Writing the documentationThe overview, architecture diagrams and the other sections are written from what the previous steps found.
- GovernanceThe inception and communication canvases and the decision-record starting points are prepared. Then the run is complete.
The steps run one after another. If one fails, the run stops there and the project shows Failed together with a plain explanation and what to do — see Troubleshooting.
Project status
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Waiting… (or Queued) | The run is waiting for its turn. It starts automatically. |
| Processing… (or Running) | The run is in progress. Progress rings update live. |
| Stopping | You asked to stop the run; it is finishing its current step. |
| Revoked | The run was stopped before it finished. Re-analyse to start it again. |
| Completed | Everything finished. All tabs are ready to read. |
| Failed | A step could not finish. The card explains why and how to fix it. |
The four progress dimensions
Every project tracks its documentation along four dimensions, shown as progress rings on My Projects and as cards at the top of the Overview tab:
| Dimension | What it measures | Where to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | Modules detected and described. | Overview tab |
| Architecture | Architecture diagrams and documentation sections written. | Architecture tab |
| Governance | Canvases and architecture decision records captured. | Governance tab |
| Codebase | Source files and functions explained. | Codebase tab |
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 explains every file, so it adds the most time), and the pricing model. You do not need to keep the page open — you get a message when the run is done, and the card on My Projects shows the run duration afterwards.
What happens to my code?
Your code is used only to produce your documentation. The confirmation dialog shown before every import explains how it is processed. You can delete a project at any time from My Projects.