You've been working on your task for two weeks, fixing bugs, adding features, writing hundreds and maybe even thousands of lines of code π¨βπ»π©βπ», having fun , and then it comes - the documentation phase.βοΈπ€
Now you have to transfer your thoughts to T-E-X-T.
It's boring, it's long, it's difficult but necessary!
I discovered a new tool last week that will help you make this annoying process much simpler and faster.π
Unlike all the tools available today - finally, you have everything integrated into the IDE. π¨βπ»π©βπ»
This tool gives you a screen recorder that opens from the IDE and with few clicks your screen will be recorded (you can even add a camera! π·).
You will be able to explain everything you have done, in your own words and the video will be saved in the cloud.
Your video will be attached directly to the lines of code you have written, so anyone who will struggle to understand your code will be able to watch the video directly from the IDE.
If you are a video fan like me and you want to try something new, go to the Jetbrains marketplace and install SpeaCode, you wonβt be disappointed, I promise! π
Link to the plugin:
https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/15672-speacode-video-screen-recorder-for-code--python-java-js-php-etc/
Top comments (15)
Sounds like a good idea, except I think there are some flaws here.
The first is that the company has a pricing page (nothing wrong with that, developers have to eat). But this immediately makes me think the video files will be hosted on their server.
Now as the company seems brand new what happens if it folds in 2 years (highly likely as video hosting is costly unless they use some hacky solution on YT)?
The whole point of documentation is when you come back to a stale piece of code the comment is to remind yourself what the hell you were thinking at the time. If the videos are not there then there is a big problem.
The second flaw is that a video is not always ideal, do the videos support SRT files (or are they generated automatically) so that deaf users can access the same information via captions?
The last point I think is the biggest point, it won't be any quicker if people are having to add captions / edit captions manually.
Oh and what happens if I am working on closed-source software? Will the videos be behind an authentication wall as they could expose key information if they are public?
Hi,
Nice to e-meet you, my name is Liad I'm a co-founder of Speacode. Thank you for your feedback, I would love to address your concerns.
Super, great responses and information you should get out to people as many will have the same concerns.
Knowing I can self host the videos takes away most of the risk!
When you solve the captions part I will be a customer!
Good luck with the project, with responses like that I am sure you will do great!
Look forward to hearing more as the product progresses! β€
Thank you very much for the warm wishes. I'm happy that I can assist you with your concerns. I will differently keep you and others updated on our progress! π
Sounds like the best way to code in 2022! Good luck guysπ
Sincere opinion: Unless I can do Ctrl+F into a video, that's not gonna happen...
I record informative tach sessions with Q&A for the Juniors and newcommers on my team, tha rest is defined in the project itself and they can set up a meeting to clarify whatever is needed.
My only concern, I don't think that most of the people will watch every single video you've uploaded from every modification you've done to the code, kinda easier to go to the spot you really need and read it. Don't misunderstand me, it's a good approach but not suitable for everyone.
I can see how this might work (for those who like to consume video content, and for recording decisions about internal code structure), but for the bigger picture, I find there is nothing quite so useful as ..... a picture π
Often it's the design process, the drivers and decisions taken to reach a conclusion (the hopefully working code) that really matter. Over several years of communicating this stuff to others, I found there was nothing more effective than drawing on a whiteboard, taking pictures as things changed and writing up the thinking process (ie: explaining the series of pictures), usually in written word, and sometimes presented to teams, so they can interact, ask questions, clarify understanding and subsequently improve the words and pictures.
Brilliant.
There is so much in the verbal and live explanation that no text can pass.
The fact that it is so easy to trigger, and yet provide value from the first integration day makes me realize that is here the next unicorn.
Good luck!
Wow! Sounds great!π€©
Good luck ππΌ
Great invention!! Good luck
Sounds like a useful tool, will definitely try that one with my team!
I prefer to use a tool called "smeagol" it connects to your git repos and turns your comments into a Wiki-Site.
It also pulls the differences in your Git Code and Updates it into your Wiki.
It's hosted in a Docker Container, so it's also for private use or can be hosted in a cloud enviorment.
If you're interested, check it out:
cloudogu.com/en/glossary/smeagol/
Finally, thank god !
Cool!
Iβll definitely give it a chance.