A lightweight VS Code extension that helps you extract all function/method headers (signatures) from selected files in your workspace. Perfect for quickly reviewing, documenting, or copying the functional structure of your code.
✨ Features
- ✅ Extracts function headers (names and parameters) from open files or selected files in the workspace.
- 📂 Select multiple files from your workspace
- 🔍 Automatically parses and lists all function/method signatures
- 🧠 Supports nested functions and class methods
- 📋 Supports language filtering (e.g., Python, JavaScript)
- 🖱️ Displays results in a web panel with clean formatting
- ✅ "Select All" and individual selection checkboxes for copying
- 📋 Easily copy selected or all signatures for documentation or refactoring
📸 Example
⚙️ Requirements
No special requirements — works out of the box with VS Code’s built-in language server and document symbol provider.
Make sure files have the correct language mode (e.g., Python, JavaScript).
Manual Installation (Without Marketplace)
If you install the extension manually from the .vsix package file, follow the following steps.
How to install from a .vsix file:
Download the .vsix file from the Releases page or wherever you host it.
Open Visual Studio Code.
Press Ctrl+Shift+P (or Cmd+Shift+P on Mac) to open the Command Palette.
Type and select:
Extensions: Install from VSIX...
Browse to the downloaded .vsix file and select it.
VS Code will install the extension. Reload or restart VS Code if prompted.
Extension Usage
- Open the Command Palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P).
- Run the command "Outline My Code".
- Select the type of files (e.g., .py, .js, etc.).
- Select one or more files from the workspace.
- A side panel will open displaying all function headers grouped by file.
- Check the boxes next to functions you want to copy, or use Copy All.
- Paste the copied signatures anywhere you want (documentation, notes, etc.).
🛠 Extension Settings
This extension currently does not introduce custom settings. Future updates may add:
- Signature formatting options
- Output destination preferences
🐞 Known Issues
- Signature extraction relies on VS Code's built-in symbol providers, which may vary in accuracy between languages.
- Currently optimized for Python and JavaScript. Other languages may need more customization for full support.
- Large files with many functions might slow down extraction slightly.
🚀 Release Notes
1.0.0
- Initial release of Code Outline: Function Signature Extractor
- Supports multi-file selection
- Extracts function headers using VS Code’s document symbol API
- Responsive UI with multi-column function cards and selection.
- Lists functions in a user-friendly WebView with copy options
Future Work / Planned Features
Integration with Free GPT API for Automated Documentation
An upcoming enhancement is integrating a free GPT-based API to automatically generate meaningful documentation based solely on extracted function headers (signatures). This feature will help users:
- Quickly generate human-readable summaries and explanations of the functions and methods found in their code files.
- Save time writing documentation by leveraging AI-generated text.
- Improve code understanding.
Stay tuned for this feature in upcoming releases to enhance your documentation workflow with AI-powered assistance!
Feedback
Feedback is welcome! Please contact us on rowan00omar@gmail.com.
Enjoy with code-outline!
