How do I get a new developer up to speed on our codebase quickly?

To get a new developer up to speed quickly, let them ask the codebase questions instead of reading the file tree. With DiffGuardian they set up in a few minutes, then talk to the repository and hear how auth, billing or any other part works while a graph builds on screen.

#A plan for the first day

1. Set up (a few minutes). Install the app, connect the repository and choose a voice in Voice.
2. Ask the big questions. "How does authentication work?" "What happens when a user pays?" They hear the walkthrough and follow the graph.
3. Follow one real PR. Open a recent pull request and ask what it does. The code it explains is highlighted as it talks.
4. Ask a teammate the rest. What is left is the why behind decisions, which only people know.

#Why it works

• They do not need to know where to look. They ask the question they actually have.
• They listen while they look. The graph builds as the answer is spoken.
• The team is not interrupted for every "where does this live?"

DiffGuardian is a desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux, and works with pull requests on GitHub, GitLab and Bitbucket.

#Limits

• Voice and talking to your codebase are Pro features.
• It explains what the code does today. It cannot tell a new developer why a decision was made.

See also Learn an unfamiliar codebase quickly.