A visuospatial programming environment for Java
Visuocode is a visuospatial programming environment for Java. It implements the method-flow software visualisation technique (formally called code-flow). Method-flow allows a programmer to display each method involved in a call-graph branch within adjacent source code editor columns. This is achieved by allowing the programmer to click hyper-link enabled method-calls that cause a corresponding source code editor column to appear adjacent to the current method, while existing columns are scrolled to the left. As the placement of new columns only displaces existing columns to the left it is thought that method-flow will allow programmers to better leverage their visuospatial memory during programmig tasks.
In Visuocode, non-resolving methods (coloured red) may also be clicked to cause a new code editor column to appear populated with an appropriate method skeleton. It is hypothosised that providing this functionality in a programming environment will reduce the cognitive load associated with creating new methods and classes, and lead to better structured software.
Visuocode is a re-implementation of the original CodeFlow software exploration tool that also supports software development.