Context & Agents · Applications
Applications
See the code bases Next can read, check whether each is ready, and add or delete one.
An application is a code base Next can read, such as the backend and frontend of one of your products. You upload the source code as a zip file, and Next reads it to build a code graph: a map of every file, the definitions inside each file (such as functions and classes) and how they connect to each other.
Once an application is ready, you and Next’s agents can explore how the software is built without needing a developer to walk you through it. Agent packs use this understanding when they draft plans and review work that touches the code.
Before you start
- Open Context & Agents → Applications from the sidebar.
- You need permission to change applications to see New application and the delete button. Without it, you can still browse every application.
- Settings such as an application’s name, the files it skips and whether summaries are written are managed in Governance → Applications. See Governance: Applications.
Understanding the list
Each row is one application. Applications that have versions show an arrow on the left; open it to see the versions underneath.
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Name | The application’s name. Select the row to open it on its default version. |
| Description | A short description of the application. A dash (—) means it has none. |
| Status | Whether the default version has been processed and is ready to use. See the table below. |
| Contents | How many versions it has, then the number of files, nodes and edges in the default version’s code graph, and the programming languages found. It says 0 versions · nothing parsed yet until a version has finished processing. |
In Contents, a node is one definition found in the code, such as a function or a class, and an edge is a connection between two of them, such as one function calling another. The counts describe the default version, not every version added together.
Statuses
| Status | Colour | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Ready | Green | The source has been read and the code graph is ready to explore. |
| Queued | Amber | The source is waiting to be processed. |
| Processing | Amber | Next is reading the source now. |
| Failed | Red | Processing did not finish. Open the application to see what happened and retry. |
| Empty | Grey | Nothing has been uploaded yet. |
Versions
Each upload of source becomes part of a version of the application. A version is one complete snapshot of the code, such as a release, with its own status and counts. Versions never replace each other. The one marked default is simply the one the application opens on.
- Select the arrow beside an application to show its versions.
- Select a version’s row to open the application on that version.
- Select the arrow beside a version to see what is attached to it.
Under a version, attached items are grouped by type:
| Type | What it is |
|---|---|
| Code Graph | The map Next built from that version’s source. |
| Knowledge Base | A collection of documents linked to the application. |
| Document Centre | Not available yet. |
Select an attached item to go straight to it. If an item is marked not in effect for the version shown, it is linked to a different version.
Add an application
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Select New application in the top-right corner.
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Enter a Name, such as the name of the service or product.
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Enter a Description so others know what the code base is. This is optional.
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Leave Summarise uploads ticked unless you have a reason to turn it off. See About file summaries.
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Select Create.
The new application opens. It is empty until you add source to it.
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Upload your source as a zip file from the application’s page. See Add source to an application.
About file summaries
When Summarise uploads is on, Next writes a short note on what each file is for after it has read the source. Agent packs need these summaries: they use them to decide which files to read.
Summaries are the slow and costly part of processing. As an example, an application of around 3,500 files took about two and a half hours to summarise. Summaries are reused wherever a file has not changed, so later uploads of the same code are much quicker.
Find an application
- Enter part of an application’s name in the search box.
- Choose a Status filter: Ready, Processing, Queued, Failed or Empty.
- Sort by Name or Status.
- Select Clear to remove your filters.
Delete an application
Deleting an application removes it and every version’s files, code graph and stored zip. It cannot be undone.
- Select the bin icon at the end of the application’s row.
- Read the confirmation, which says how many versions will be deleted.
- Select Delete application to confirm, or Cancel to keep it.
What to expect
- After you upload source, processing happens in the background. You can leave the page and come back.
- The status moves from Queued to Processing to Ready. Large code bases take longer, especially with summaries on.
- If the page says The AI service does not serve applications yet, so there is nothing to show. Nothing is wrong with this workspace., applications are not yet available for your workspace. You do not need to do anything.
- If no applications exist yet, the list says No applications yet. Create one, then upload a zip of source into a version.
Good to know
- Knowledge bases that belong to an application are found on that application’s page, not in the Knowledge Bases list.
- Take the tour. The first time you open this page, it offers a short guided tour. You can replay it from the help (?) menu in the top bar.