If you are a developer who frequently works with large code repositories, you know how challenging it can be to understand and navigate complex codebases. Sometimes, we have to spend hours reading through documentation or trying to decipher code written by others. This may lead to delays in project timelines and increased frustration. In this times of AI, being productive and efficient is more important than ever.
Google has recently introduced a new tool called Code Wiki. This new tool is designed to keep code documentation up to date and make it easier for developers to understand code repositories. This service curates a original wiki for each code repository and generates insights, summaries, and diagrams, so devs can easily understand the codebase. Code repositories are not static, they evolve with each commit, and Code Wiki updates the wiki accordingly. It also provides a chat interface, that undersands the codebase so developers can ask questions and get answers about the code. Currently this service is in public preview and only provide support for some open source repositories.
Instead of keeping the static documentation that often gets outdated, Code Wiki check the codebase with each change and updates the wiki to match the current state of the code. It also create links to related code files and symbols, making it easier to navigate the codebase. The diagrams generated by Code Wiki help visualize the architecture and relationships within the code. If something is unclear, developers can use the Gemini powered chat interface to ask questions about the codebase and get relevant answers.
You can visit the Google Code Wiki website and in the search bar, enter the URL of a public code repository (for example, a GitHub repository). If the repository is already indexed, you can access its wiki directly. If not, you can request indexing for that repository. I have tried several popular open source repositories like Laravel and React, and the generated wikis were pretty impressive. The summaries were concise, and the diagrams provided a clear overview of the code structure.
As Google says, the goal of Code Wiki is to help new contributors understand codebases quickly and reduce the time spent on onboarding. When I try some repos on Code Wiki like React, I even found a video, generated by NotebookLLM, that explains the codebase in a more engaging way. I wish this service could support all other repositories as well.
Google is also working on bringing Code Wiki to private code repositories using Gemini CLI. They plan to introduce a Gemini CLI extension that will allow developers to generate and maintain wikis for their private repositories. This will be very useful for teams and companies that have to work with legacy codebases or large projects with multiple contributors.
In social media, many developers have expressed their excitement about Code Wiki. They see it as a valuable tool that can save time and effort when working with unfamiliar codebases.
Ever tried Google's Code Wiki?
— Daniel San (@dani_avila7) December 27, 2025
Just ran my Claude Code Templates repo through it and honestly impressed with how well it parsed the component system, CLI architecture, and GitHub Actions workflows.
For those building in the open-source ecosystem, this could be a solid way to… pic.twitter.com/r1KwbWvN3C
Overall, Google Code Wiki is a promising tool that leverages AI to enhance developer productivity and collaboration. By providing up-to-date documentation, visualizations, and a chat interface, it makes it easier for developers to understand and work with complex codebases. If you are a developer looking for ways to improve your workflow, I highly recommend giving Code Wiki a try.