Bringing Clarity to Undocumented OutSystems Code with AI
- Natasha De Guzman
- Aug 19
- 5 min read
Leveraging generative AI to fill in documentation gaps and improve maintainability.
Houston, We Have a Documentation Problem!
Picture this: It's your first day on a new project, and your boss drops a bombshell. "Here's an OutSystems app that nobody understands. The original developer left for a startup that makes apps for cats. Good luck!" No documentation, no handover notes, just you and a mysterious digital labyrinth that somehow powers critical business functions. We've all been there, staring at the screen like it's written in ancient hieroglyphics!
The good news? You don't need to decipher this alone anymore. AI is here to be your code translator, documentation generator, and sanity preserver all rolled into one!
Operation: Code Detective - Getting Your Hands on the Evidence
Before we can play detective, we need access to the source code. Here's how to get that elusive OutSystems source:
For the Office-Dwellers (On-Prem Edition)
If you're lucky enough to have an on-premises installation, it's as easy as finding that last chocolate cookie in the break room. Just navigate to:
<PlatformInstallationFolder>\Platform Server\share\<ModuleName>\
Boom! Code acquired. Achievement unlocked! 🏆
For the Cloud Surfers
Working with a cloud environment? No worries! You'll just need to befriend the Lifetime API v2. Think of it as the cool hacker character in every tech movie who can get you access to anything - The Secret Passage to Code Kingdom
Pro Tip for the Data Hoarders: Hit a 150MB limit? That's OutSystems saying "whoa there, big spender!" But fear not! There's a workaround that's like ordering items separately to avoid the shipping fee - download modules individually and you're golden. The "I Can't Believe It's Not Breaking The Rules" Workaround
Setting Up Your AI Documentation Factory
Now that you've secured the source code:
Fire up VS Code (or whatever IDE floats your boat)
Open that folder faster than you open social media during work hours
Summon your AI sidekick, Amazon Q Developer (no pentagram or candles required)
"Dear AI, What Is This Code Soup?" - The Magic Questions
Time to make Amazon Q Developer earn its keep with some carefully crafted prompts that turn confusion into clarity.
The "I'm Lost and Need a Map" Approach
Start with the digital equivalent of asking for directions:
"I need to understand what this OutSystems application does. There's no documentation, and I need to maintain and enhance it. Can you analyze the code structure and explain the main functionality?"
The "Explain It Like I'm the New Guy" Maneuver
Get the big picture first:
"Create a comprehensive overview of this application's features from both a technical and business perspective. What problems does it solve, and how does it solve them?"
The "Make Me Look Smart in Meetings" Strategy
Generate professional documentation:
"Based on this code, create detailed technical documentation including:
Application architecture overview
Key business processes and workflows
Data models and relationships
Integration points and dependencies
Maintenance considerations"
The "Future Me Will Thank Me" Documentation Blitz
Create maintainable documentation:
"Generate user stories and technical specifications for each major feature in this application. Include acceptance criteria and technical implementation notes that would help a new developer understand and modify this code."
"Look Ma, No More Sleepless Nights!" - The Results
Congratulations! You've just compressed weeks of head-scratching and coffee-fueled detective work into a few well-crafted prompts. Your colleagues will think you're either a genius or practicing some form of digital sorcery. Either way, you win!
What you'll get:
- Clear, readable documentation that actually makes sense
- Business context for technical decisions
- Maintenance roadmaps and enhancement opportunities
- Code comments that don't just say "// this does stuff"
- Architecture diagrams (if you ask nicely)
Bonus Round: "The Living Documentation Experiment"
Here's where it gets really interesting - use AI to create documentation that evolves with your code:
Set up regular AI-powered code reviews that update documentation
Generate onboarding guides for new team members
Create troubleshooting guides based on common issues
Build knowledge bases that capture tribal knowledge before it walks out the door
The "Keep It Fresh" Maintenance Strategy
Don't let your shiny new documentation become tomorrow's mystery code:
Schedule regular AI-powered documentation reviews
Use AI to identify undocumented changes
Generate release notes automatically
Create code quality reports that highlight documentation gaps
"That's All Folks!" - The Grand Finale
The marriage of OutSystems and AI tools like Amazon Q Developer isn't just powerful—it's practically a superhero origin story for documentation! You went from clueless inheritor to application whisperer in record time, and more importantly, you've created a sustainable way to keep your code understandable for the next person (who might be future you).
AI + OutSystems + Good Documentation = Happy Developers++ (That's programmer humor for "really happy developers" 🤓)
Now go forth and amaze your colleagues with your newfound powers of code comprehension and documentation generation! Just remember us little people when you're promoted to Chief Documentation Wizard.
The Real MVP Move: Building a Documentation Culture
The best part about using AI for documentation isn't just solving today's mystery code problem - it's preventing tomorrow's. When your team sees how easy it is to generate and maintain good documentation, they'll actually start doing it. Revolutionary concept, right?
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Footnote: "Choose Your AI Companion Wisely"
While this article features Amazon Q Developer as our AI sidekick of choice, feel free to substitute with your preferred LLM tool! Here are some equally capable alternatives for your code-documentation adventures:
OpenAI's ChatGPT/Codex - The popular kid on the block that everyone wants to sit with at lunch
GitHub Copilot - Like having a really smart pair programmer who never needs coffee breaks
Google's Bard/Gemini - The search giant's answer to "what if Google could document?"
Anthropic's Claude - The thoughtful philosopher of the AI coding world
Codeium - The free alternative that punches above its weight class
Tabnine - The AI that finishes your documentation sentences before you do
JetBrains AI Assistant - For those who live and breathe in the JetBrains ecosystem
Remember, the best AI tool is the one you have access to and enjoy working with! They each have their own "personality" and strengths, so don't be afraid to play the field before settling down with your perfect AI documentation match.
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