Path Trace is a VS Code extension that helps you trace execution paths between functions by leveraging VS Code's call hierarchy feature. It allows you to set a source function and a destination function, then searches through the call hierarchy to find a path from the source to the destination.
Features
Set Source Function: Mark any function as the starting point for path tracing
Set Destination Function: Mark any function as the target for path tracing
Find Path: Search for a call path between the source and destination functions
Interactive Path Display: View the complete path with file locations and line numbers
Performance Optimized: Uses efficient BFS algorithm with optimized queue operations
Configurable: Customizable search depth and progress notifications
How to Use
Quick Start
Set Source Function:
Place your cursor on any function name or inside a function body
Use Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) → "Path Trace: Set Source"
Or right-click → "Path Trace" → "Set Source"
Set Destination Function:
Place your cursor on the target function
Use Command Palette → "Path Trace: Set Destination"
Or right-click → "Path Trace" → "Set Destination"
Find Path:
Use Command Palette → "Path Trace: Find Path"
Or right-click → "Path Trace" → "Find Path"
The extension will search for the shortest path and display results
Example
function main() {
processUserData();
}
function processUserData() {
validateInput();
}
function validateInput() {
authenticateUser();
}
function authenticateUser() {
// Target function
}
Set main as source and authenticateUser as destination to see the path: main → processUserData → validateInput → authenticateUser
Configuration
Access settings via VS Code preferences:
Path Trace: Max Search Depth (default: 50): Maximum depth to search to prevent infinite loops
Path Trace: Show Progress Notifications (default: true): Display progress during path search
Requirements
VS Code 1.102.0 or higher
TypeScript/JavaScript language support for optimal results
Works with any language that supports VS Code's call hierarchy
Known Issues
Call hierarchy availability depends on the language server
Some dynamic function calls may not be detected
Performance may vary with very large codebases
Release Notes
0.0.1
Initial release
Basic path tracing functionality
BFS algorithm implementation
Configurable search depth
Progress notifications
Contributing
Found a bug or have a feature request? Please create an issue on GitHub.
