FlowScope
Read and review .msgflow / .subflow message flows without leaving VS Code.
FlowScope turns a message-flow file into an interactive node graph you can pan,
zoom, and click through — with a no-checkout PR review flow and a clear,
model-aware diff. Reviewing an integration change becomes a normal VS Code task.
What's a .msgflow file? An XML document describing a message flow — nodes
(MQ, HTTP, Compute, Filter, SubFlow, …) wired together. Common in enterprise
integration platforms.
Features
Five views of every flow
| Tab |
What it shows |
| Diagram |
Interactive node graph. Click a node to inspect its properties; hover for a quick summary. Failure paths show as dashed red lines. |
| Connections |
Every external endpoint the flow touches — queues, HTTP, files, databases, JMS, Kafka — grouped by direction. |
| Dependencies |
Every file the flow references — subflows, ESQL, Java, mappings, schemas — with one-click open. |
| Settings |
Flow-level configuration, editable inline. |
| Glossary |
Every identifier the flow uses, searchable, with click-to-jump. |
Compare & review
- Compare any two branches, refs, or files — or auto-diff against your last commit.
- Review a PR without checking it out: pick the branches and step through every
changed flow, with A / M / D badges in the Explorer.
- Changed nodes show before / after values; removed nodes stay visible as ghosts
so deletions are never missed. Drop to the raw XML with changes highlighted inline.
Share
- Export a flow to Markdown — embedded diagram, connections, dependencies, and
settings — that renders on GitHub, Confluence, or Notion.
Catch problems early (optional)
- Flags broken references, disconnected nodes, and unhandled failure paths in the
Problems panel. Off by default; severities are configurable.
Getting started
Open any .msgflow or .subflow file — it opens in FlowScope automatically.
| Supported file |
|
.msgflow |
Message flow |
.subflow |
Reusable subflow |
Commands
Everything else lives in the Command Palette under FlowScope:.
| Command |
What it does |
| Open in FlowScope |
Open the active file in the viewer |
| Compare with Branch / Ref… |
Diff the flow against another branch or ref |
| Compare with File… |
Diff against another file on disk |
| Clear Compare Overlay |
Drop the active diff |
| Review a PR… |
Step through every flow a PR changes, no checkout |
| End PR Review |
Exit review and restore your working copy |
| Open Current File at PR Source Ref |
Open the current file at the PR's source ref |
| Export as Markdown… |
Save the flow as a portable Markdown spec |
| View XML Diff (side-by-side) |
Open a side-by-side XML diff |
Trust
- Works fully offline — no network calls, no telemetry.
- Read-only: FlowScope never runs or deploys your flows, and property edits are
scoped and explicit.
- Suitable for regulated and air-gapped environments.
FlowScope is a third-party viewer for an open standard, with no affiliation to any
tool vendor.
License
PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 — free for personal, research,
educational, and other noncommercial use. Commercial use requires a separate
commercial license.
| |
