Why don’t IDEs help us understand code? Building Code Tracker AI to fix that.

I’ve been working on a JetBrains‑native AI tool called Code Tracker AI, built around a simple question:

Why is understanding code still the hardest part of software engineering?

Debugging, onboarding, reading unfamiliar files, tracing logic — these are the moments where engineers lose hours. IDEs give us autocomplete and refactors, but not understanding.

So I’m building something that acts like a code intelligence layer inside JetBrains IDEs:

• Understands code context

• Explains logic and flow

• Helps with debugging

• Tracks reasoning across files

• Reduces onboarding time

• Works directly inside IntelliJ / PyCharm / WebStorm

One part I’m especially excited about is the Code Books editor inside JetBrains. It works like a living engineering notebook built directly into your IDE. Instead of jumping out to Word, Notion, or Google Docs, you can write explanations, notes, tutorials, or full documentation right next to your code. Code Tracker AI automatically fills these Code Books with context — what changed, why it changed, debugging steps, build insights, and reasoning trails. Engineers can document their thought process without breaking flow, and teams finally get a searchable, structured record of how the code evolved. It’s the kind of “IDE-native documentation layer” I always wished existed.

I’m opening early access for engineers who want to try it and shape the direction.
If you’re curious, here’s the waitlist: codetrackerai.com

Mona Hidalgo

Founder & Software Engineer

Mix It Hub, LLC

I’d love to hear:
What’s the biggest “code understanding” pain you deal with in your IDE?
Your feedback will directly influence what we build next.