Codify Overview
Codify is a code generation add-in for Visual Studio .NET that was designed to increase developer productivity on nearly any C#, VB .NET or C++ project.
As long-time users of code generation on our own project, we found that many existing code generation tools were inflexible, expensive, or too difficult to integrate into our development process. We created Codify to be a product that would fulfill our own desire to have a better code generation tool.
We hope that Codify helps to dispel some of the common myths and misconceptions about code generation tools.
Key Features
Micro Patterns
This is one area where Codify is completely unique among code generation tools. Codify allows you to embed code generators (called CodeBuilders) at any point in your C#, VB .NET or C++ source code. Due to their embedded nature, CodeBuilders allow you to inject code generation technology in places that are typically not even possible with other tools. Micro Patterns are small but pervasive idioms that occur in nearly every development project. Some Micro Patterns that ship with Codify are: the Simple Property Builder, the Simple Event Member Builder and the Simple Event Type Builder.
Visual Template Editor
We feel that Codify's template editor is unmatched among code generation tools. We put a lot of effort into making template creation a visual process. Templates in Codiy can be built using either XSLT or C# (similar to ASP.NET). With advanced template authoring features like syntax highlighting, visual parameter editing, and self-documenting templates, Codify makes it easy to create and manage templates.
Flexible Workflow
Codify runs as an add-in to VS for the most integrated and productive code generation experience possible. However, Codify also supports command line code generation for GUI adverse developers and build systems.
Template Gallery
Codify 1.3 ships with many production quality templates that can be used as-is or can be completely customized. New templates are regularly made available for download, free from our site. Every Codify template includes the ability to contain its own documentation, which increases reusability across developers and teams.
See Codify in Action
To see Codify in action, read Getting Started with Codify in 5 Minutes or Less next.
