DotNet Prune

DotNetPrune analyzes candidate unused code (methods, parameters, fields, properties, types) in .NET solutions using Roslyn and displays the results in VS Code through an integrated hierarchical tree view.

Features

• Hierarchical Tree View: Displays findings organized by Solution → Project → File → Unused Items
• Smart File Filtering: Only processes .NET-related files (.cs, .sln, .slnx, .csproj)
• Direct Analysis Integration: Runs the FindUnused analyzer directly from VS Code
• Interactive Navigation: Click on findings to open source files and highlight relevant lines
• Solution-Aware Organization: Automatically discovers and organizes findings by solution structure
• Copy File Path: Right-click context menu on file nodes to copy file paths to clipboard

How It Works

1. Automatic Solution Discovery: The extension finds all .sln and .slnx files in your workspace
2. Integrated Analysis: Runs the bundled FindUnused analyzer tool directly
3. Hierarchical Display: Organizes findings in a logical tree structure:

   📁 MySolution.sln
     📁 MyProject
       📁 Program.cs (right-click to copy path)
         ⚠️ unused method: CalculateSum
         ⚠️ unused field: _cachedData
       📁 Utils.cs (right-click to copy path)
         ⚠️ unused class: HelperClass
   

4. File Navigation: Direct navigation to unused code locations

Usage

Running Analysis

1. Open a .NET workspace with solutions or projects
2. Use the DotNetPrune: Run Analysis command from the command palette
3. Select a solution or project file when prompted
4. View results in the DotNetPrune Activity Bar panel

Tree View Navigation

• Level 1: Solutions (.sln/.slnx files)
• Level 2: Projects within each solution
• Level 3: Source files (.cs) within each project - right-click to copy file path
• Level 4: Individual unused code findings

Commands

• DotNetPrune: Refresh Findings: Re-run analysis to refresh the tree view
• DotNetPrune: Run Analysis: Execute the FindUnused analyzer
• DotNetPrune: Clear Findings: Clear all displayed findings
• DotNetPrune: Open Finding: Navigate to the finding location in source code
• Copy File Path: Right-click on file nodes in the tree view to copy file paths to clipboard

Setup

1. Install Extension: Install the DotNetPrune VS Code extension
2. Open .NET Workspace: Open a workspace containing .NET solutions or projects
3. Run Analysis: Use the command palette to run "DotNetPrune: Run Analysis"
4. Browse Findings: View results in the DotNetPrune Activity Bar panel

Report Format

The FindUnused analyzer produces a JSON array of findings. Each finding includes:

• Project (string): Project name containing the unused code
• FilePath (string): Absolute path to the source file
• Line (number): 1-based line number of the finding
• SymbolKind (string): Type of code element ("Method", "Parameter", "Type", etc.)
• ContainingType (string): Class or type containing the unused element
• SymbolName (string): Name of the unused element
• Accessibility (string): Access modifier ("public", "private", etc.)
• Remarks (string): Additional information about the finding

Technical Details

• File Type Filtering: Only processes .NET file types (.cs, .sln, .slnx, .csproj)
• Solution Association: Automatically associates projects with their parent solutions
• Direct Integration: Uses bundled FindUnused.dll tool for analysis
• Real-time Processing: Processes analyzer output directly without intermediate files

Development

Building the Extension

npm install
npm run compile
npm run package

Running the Analyzer Directly

dotnet run --project FindUnused/FindUnused.csproj -- /path/to/YourSolution.sln

Benefits

• Clean Codebase Visualization: Easily identify and remove unused code
• Solution-Level Overview: Understand unused code distribution across entire solutions
• Efficient Navigation: Quick access to unused code locations
• Integrated Workflow: No need to run external tools or manage report files
• Smart Organization: Findings are organized exactly as they appear in your solution structure

Next Steps

• Add code actions to mark findings as ignored or suppressed
• Add confidence scoring and filtering options
• Support for additional .NET project types