I built a zero-code-execution visual architecture & route tracer for Python and TypeScript

Anas — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 23:52:40 +0000

Every time I clone an unfamiliar open-source repository or onboard onto a new project, I find myself clicking through dozens of folders, hunting down route handlers, and mentally mapping how components connect.

I got tired of doing that manually, so I built RepoDNA — a free, open-source tool that turns a repository into an interactive structural architecture map in seconds.

Key capabilities

Zero runtime code execution: RepoDNA reads source code statically. It never runs npm install, pip install, repository code, or untrusted scripts. Local folders and .zip uploads are parsed inside your browser.
Route and dependency tracing: It follows supported HTTP handlers in Next.js App Router, Express, NestJS, and FastAPI through imports and calls toward database models such as Prisma, SQLAlchemy, and SQLModel.
Interactive canvas + Mermaid export: A React Flow canvas groups the codebase into conceptual layers, with one-click Mermaid flowchart export for documentation and pull requests.
Private repositories (beta): GitHub OAuth can be used to inspect private repositories transiently in memory.

RepoDNA is MIT-licensed and available on GitHub.

Try dropping in one of your own projects or a public repository you know well. Does the generated architecture map match how you picture the codebase in your head?

I’d love to hear feedback on the UI, parser edge cases, and frameworks you’d like supported next!

DEV Community: Anas

I built a zero-code-execution visual architecture & route tracer for Python and TypeScript

Key capabilities