Dependinator visualizes code structure and dependencies as an interactive, navigable map, making complex architectures easier to understand, analyze, and refactor.
Installation
Launch VS Code Quick Open (Ctrl+P), paste the following command, and press enter.
Dependinator visualizes the structure and dependencies of your C#/.NET
codebase as an interactive, navigable map, making complex architectures easier
to understand, analyze, and refactor — without leaving VS Code.
⚠️ Beta — Dependinator is under active development and published as an
early preview for a small group of testers. Expect rough edges, missing
features, and breaking changes between versions. It is not yet a finished
product.
Features
Interactive dependency map — explore your codebase as a zoomable,
navigable diagram instead of scrolling through files.
Drill down and back up — open nodes to see their internals
(namespaces, types, members) and follow dependencies between components.
Jump to code — navigate from a node or dependency straight to the
corresponding source location in the editor.
Automatic refresh — the map updates automatically when you change
source files (configurable).
Runs inside VS Code — opens in an editor tab; no separate app to launch.
Optional cloud sync — sign in to sync your customized views across
devices.
Requirements
A workspace containing a .NET solution (.sln) with C# projects —
Dependinator parses the solution to build the dependency map.
No local dotnet installation is needed; the extension bundles a
self-contained language server.
Getting started
Install the extension and open a folder containing a .sln file.
Open the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) and run
Dependinator: Open, or click the Dependinator icon
in the editor title bar.
The dependency map opens in a new tab. Click nodes to drill in, and drag /
zoom to navigate.
Need more guidance? Click the Help button in the Dependinator app bar —
it opens a page with detailed usage instructions, navigation tips, and
keyboard/mouse controls.
Commands
Command
Description
Dependinator: Open
Open the Dependinator dependency map.
Dependinator: Install in Dev Container
Jump to the Extensions view to install the extension inside a dev container.
Settings
Setting
Description
dependinator.autoRefresh.enabled
Automatically refresh the diagram when workspace source files change (default: true).
dependinator.autoRefresh.delaySeconds
Delay after the last source file change before the diagram is refreshed (default: 3).
Cloud sync
Cloud sync is optional. When you sign in (from the Dependinator app bar),
your customized diagram layouts and views are synced across devices via the
Dependinator cloud service. Without signing in, everything works locally.
in the editor title bar.