Systems and methods for providing an instant communication channel within integrated development environments

Abstract

A method and system may be provided for recording discussions about computer code in an integrated development environment (IDE). In some aspects, a communication channel is integrated with an IDE. Communications and discussions may be tracked and linked with specific code sections. In some aspects, a predefined graphical interface may be used in forming the communications for the communication channel.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for augmenting a software development environment, the method comprising:
 managing access to a code repository and version control application;   generating a communication interface integrated into a code editor and code navigation display, wherein the communication interface is configured to display a message stream of user based communication associated with code displayed in the code editor;   receiving, via the code navigation display, a request to generate a message associated with code being edited in the code editor, the request identifying a type of the message to generate;   generating a predefined form for generating the message, wherein the predefined form comprises one or more fields associated with the type of the message, a system posting field indicating a channel of a communication system to transmit to, the message generated by the predefined form, and a field indicating a marker selection for the message;   displaying the predefined form in the communication interface including displaying, via the predefined form, a portion of the code being edited in the code editor; receiving, via the predefined form, data to be included in the message;   generating the message based on the data received in the predefined form based on a selection received in the predefined form, wherein the message is associated with a codeblock and a reference to the codeblock is embedded into the message;   providing the message to the channel of the communication system identified in the system posting field;   monitoring one or more message streams;   determining whether the one or more message streams relate to the codeblock;   identifying the codeblock based on text of a message in the one or more message streams; and   visually distinguishing the one or more message streams in the communication interface to indicate a relationship to the user.