PyTree

PyTree is a Visual Studio Code extension that renders interactive class inheritance trees for Python projects. For every class in the hierarchy it shows typed attributes, method signatures with parameter types and gives reference to all definitions — giving you an instant, accurate picture of any object model without leaving your editor.

Features

Simple Tree

Open a tree focused on the class under your cursor, showing all ancestor layers above it.

Trigger: Ctrl + Alt + Space · Command Palette: PyTree: Class Tree · Hover link

Complete Tree

Same as the Simple Tree, but also scans the entire workspace to find every subclass and renders descendant layers below the focus class.

Trigger: Ctrl + Alt + T · Command Palette: PyTree: Complete Class Tree · Hover link

Project Tree

Renders all Python classes in the workspace at once, grouped by their connected inheritance component and laid out in a grid. Useful for getting an overview of the full object model of a project.

Trigger: Ctrl + Alt + P · Command Palette: PyTree: Project Tree

Pick Classes

Lets you hand-pick one or more classes from a searchable list and render them side by side in a single view. You choose the tree type (Simple or Complete) upfront, then select any number of classes from a multi-select quick-pick.

Trigger: Command Palette: PyTree: Pick Classes...

Show All File Paths

A checkbox in the webview header toggles file-path labels on every class box. By default, paths are hidden and only appear on hover; enabling the checkbox keeps them permanently visible — handy when navigating a large workspace with classes spread across many files.

Hover Integration

Hovering over any class name in a Python file shows a small card with two clickable links — Show Class Tree and Show Complete Tree — that open the corresponding view for that class without moving your cursor to the Command Palette.

Webview Interaction

Every tree view is fully interactive:

Pan position, zoom level, and the file-paths checkbox state are persisted per webview session.

Color Key

Commands & Shortcuts

Requirements

• Python extension (for language support)
• Pylance (recommended) — PyTree uses VSCode's Language Server API (DocumentSymbolProvider and DefinitionProvider) to extract class structure and follow base class definitions across files. Pylance provides the richest symbol data, including inferred attribute types.

No additional configuration is needed. The extension activates automatically when you open a Python file.

Limitations

Only annotated class-level attributes are shown. PyTree collects attributes declared with a type annotation at class body level (name: Type or name: Type = value). Attributes assigned only inside methods (self.x = 42 in __init__, for example) without a corresponding class-level annotation are not displayed at all.

To have an attribute appear in the tree, declare it at class level:

# Not shown — assignment only, no class-level annotation:
class MyClass:
    def __init__(self):
        self.value = 42

# Shown — class-level annotation present:
class MyClass:
    value: int

    def __init__(self):
        self.value = 42

This is intentional: it encourages explicit, typed class design and keeps the tree uncluttered.

Non-Python base classes are shown by name only. If a base class is not resolvable within the workspace (e.g. a third-party library class), PyTree displays the name without expanding its members.