SmartCodeDocs: An AI-Powered Code Documentation Generator

SmartCodeDocs is a web application designed to automatically generate clear and concise documentation for source code snippets. By leveraging a powerful AI model, this tool assists developers in creating high-quality documentation with minimal effort.

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Project Overview, Setup, and Usage

Key Features

• AI-Powered Analysis: Utilizes an advanced large language model to provide human-like explanations of your code's functionality.
• Multi-Language Support: Provides tailored parsing for Python and offers robust documentation for other languages including C++, C, Java, and JavaScript.
• Customizable Documentation Styles: Users can select from various output formats, including a simple, direct explanation or professional styles like Google Style and JSDoc.
• Professional User Interface: Features a clean, dark-themed interface designed for developer productivity and comfort.
• Persistent History: Allows users to save generated documents to their browser's local storage for future reference.
• Downloadable Output: Any generated documentation can be downloaded as a standard Markdown (.md) file.
• Responsive Design: Built as a single-page application (SPA) for a smooth and consistent experience across all devices.

Tech Stack

• Backend:
  • Framework: Flask
  • Language: Python
  • AI Service: Google AI Platform
  • Libraries: google-generativeai, Flask-Cors, python-dotenv
• Frontend:
  • Core Technologies: HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript (ES6+)
  • Development Server: VS Code Live Server

Getting Started & Prerequisites

• Python 3.9+
• Visual Studio Code with the "Live Server" extension
• A Google AI Platform API Key (obtainable from Google AI Studio)

Backend Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone [https://github.com/vaishnavi7106/SmartCodeDocs.git](https://github.com/vaishnavi7106/SmartCodeDocs.git)
   cd SmartCodeDocs/backend

2. Create and activate a virtual environment:

   # Create the environment
   python -m venv venv
   # Activate on Windows
   venv\Scripts\activate
   # Activate on macOS/Linux
   source venv/bin/activate

3. Install the required packages:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Configure your environment file:
   • Create a new file named .env in the backend directory.
   • Add your API key to this file: GOOGLE_API_KEY="YOUR_SECRET_API_KEY_HERE"
5. Run the Flask server:

   python app.py

   The backend will now be running on http://127.0.0.1:5000.

Frontend Setup

1. Open the project's root folder in Visual Studio Code.
2. Navigate to the frontend directory.
3. Right-click on index.html and select "Open with Live Server".

Usage

1. Input Code: Paste a code snippet into the text area.
2. Select Options: Choose the source language and documentation style.
3. Generate: Click the "Generate" button.
4. View & Save: The application will display the generated documentation. You can then download it or save it to your local history.
5. Review History: Click the "History" link in the navigation bar to access all previously saved documents.