Map the system, master the code

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Heimdall and how it works.

What is Heimdall?

Heimdall is a desktop code visualization tool that generates interactive architecture maps from source code using static analysis across 16 programming languages. It extracts classes, structs, interfaces, enums, functions, traits, and modules, then renders them as navigable dependency graphs. Built for software engineers who need to understand, navigate, and reason about complex software systems without reading code file by file.

Does Heimdall send my code to the cloud?

No. Heimdall runs 100% offline on your local machine with zero network requests to external services. Your source code never leaves your computer and is never sent to any AI service, analytics platform, or third-party server. Your intellectual property remains fully under your control at all times, making it safe for proprietary and sensitive codebases.

What programming languages are supported?

Heimdall supports 16 languages and frameworks: Rust, Java, Python, Kotlin, TypeScript, Swift, C#, JavaScript, Go, C, C++, PHP, Ruby, Scala, React, and Jetpack Compose. Each language has full architecture extraction with class hierarchies, function call graphs, module boundaries, and dependency resolution. New languages are added regularly based on community demand.

How is Heimdall different from IDE code navigation?

IDEs show code file-by-file, while Heimdall shows the entire system structure as an interactive graph with hundreds or thousands of connected nodes. You can see how components connect across module boundaries, trace complete dependency chains, and discover architectural patterns that are impossible to see when reading code linearly. It works alongside your IDE as a complementary architecture exploration tool.

Is Heimdall free?

Heimdall offers plans starting at 4.99 EUR per month, with an annual plan at 52.99 EUR per year that saves over 10%. All paid plans include a free trial so you can evaluate before committing. It is available completely free to developers who are currently unemployed or studying, with applications reviewed manually within 48 hours.

What platforms does Heimdall run on?

Heimdall is available as a native desktop application for macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), Windows (x64), and Linux (x64). It is a standalone application with no browser, internet connection, or cloud account required after installation. The application uses under 200MB of disk space.

Can Heimdall handle large codebases?

Yes. Heimdall is built for maximum performance and can analyze large monorepos with hundreds of thousands of source files and millions of lines of code. The graph interface supports progressive exploration with level-of-detail rendering, letting you focus on specific areas without loading everything at once while maintaining full system context.

How does Heimdall help with developer onboarding?

Heimdall reduces developer onboarding time from weeks to hours by providing immediate visual context about the entire system architecture. New team members can see the full codebase structure, understand how components relate to each other, and identify key entry points in minutes instead of reading code file by file for weeks. It eliminates the need for extensive shadowing and tribal knowledge transfer.

What are the best use cases for Heimdall?

Heimdall is best for: understanding unfamiliar codebases quickly, onboarding new developers to large projects, planning refactoring by visualizing dependencies, reviewing architecture before and after changes, documenting system structure visually, auditing coupling between modules, and maintaining architectural awareness when using AI code generation tools like GitHub Copilot or Cursor.

Is Heimdall an alternative to Sourcegraph or CodeSee?

Heimdall is a desktop-first, privacy-focused alternative to cloud-based code visualization tools like Sourcegraph or CodeSee. Unlike cloud tools, Heimdall runs entirely offline on your local machine with zero cloud dependency. It focuses specifically on interactive architecture visualization and dependency mapping through navigable graphs, making it ideal for developers and teams who need privacy-first code exploration without sending source code to external servers.

How does Heimdall compare to architecture diagramming tools?

Unlike manual diagramming tools such as Mermaid, PlantUML, or draw.io, Heimdall generates architecture maps directly from source code through static analysis. This means your visualization is always accurate and up to date with the actual codebase. There is no manual maintenance required. Heimdall is the best alternative to manually drawn architecture diagrams for teams that want living, interactive documentation of their system structure.