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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication system for augmenting a software development environment, the system comprising one or more processers configured to perform the operations of:
 generating a communication panel in conjunction with a code editing panel, wherein the communication panel is configured to display a message stream of user based communication associated with code displayed in the code editing panel;   displaying a communication interface providing a text input section for receiving text input for the user based communication, wherein the user based communication accepted by the communication interface is associated with a codeblock and a reference to the codeblock is embedded into the user based communication;   receiving a modification of the code in the code editing panel, wherein the modification comprises the addition of code, deletion of code, renumbering of code, and/or moving of code; and   in response to receiving the modification, storing metadata for preserving communication thread linkage between modified code and the message stream associated with the code in the code editing panel, wherein the metadata comprises information associated with the location of the code file, location of the code line, position of the code line, number of code lines, message streams and/or user based communications.   
     
     
         2 - 20 . (canceled)