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LaraLens - Visualize Your Laravel Architecture

July 11, 2026
image
Tech stack
Laravel
React
Linux
Next.js

LaraLens

LaraLens is a free, open-source desktop app that scans Laravel projects on your machine and turns them into an interactive architecture graph. Browse routes, trace call chains, inspect models, and ask context-aware questions via OpenCode — all without uploading your code or installing PHP. Visit the live site at laralens.ryder.pro or explore the source on GitHub.

Why I Built It

Understanding a Laravel codebase usually means grepping through routes, jumping between controllers, and mentally reconstructing how everything connects. That works for small projects, but it breaks down when you are onboarding to an unfamiliar codebase or trying to trace a feature across services, jobs, and events. LaraLens gives you a living map of your entire Laravel architecture before you hit a single endpoint.

Core Features

  • Interactive architecture graph — Pan and zoom through routes, controllers, services, models, jobs, and events in one view
  • Route browser — Card or folder tree views with middleware and call chains per route
  • Model relationship view — ER-style Eloquent map with migration-aware columns
  • Inline code viewer — Read-only, sandboxed to the scanned project
  • Call-chain tracing — Follow a request from route to controller to service to model in seconds
  • OpenCode integration — Context-aware AI chat from the graph (route, folder, or selected node)

How Scanning Works

LaraLens uses deep static analysis in Node.js via php-parser and fast-glob inside an Electron shell. No PHP runtime is required on the user's machine. It parses routes, controllers, models, middleware, jobs, events, commands, schedules, channels, and providers — then builds the graph from that analysis.

Privacy

Your code stays on your machine. Always.
  • No cloud upload or accounts required
  • Offline core features
  • Local SQLite for chat thread persistence
  • Sandboxed code viewer scoped to the scanned project

Technical Stack

  • Electron for cross-platform desktop delivery
  • Node.js static analysis (php-parser, fast-glob)
  • React renderer UI
  • SQLite for local chat threads
  • OpenCode CLI integration for context-aware AI
  • Cross-platform releases for Windows, macOS, and Linux

Impact

LaraLens turns Laravel architecture exploration from a grep-and-guess workflow into an interactive map. It complements runtime tools like Telescope and Debugbar by showing the full static picture before you run the app.