Read and review .msgflow / .subflow message flows without leaving VS Code.
FlowScope turns a message-flow file into an interactive node graph you can pan, zoom, and click through — with a no-checkout PR review flow and a clear, model-aware diff. Reviewing an integration change becomes a normal VS Code task.
What's a
.msgflowfile? An XML document describing a message flow — nodes (MQ, HTTP, Compute, Filter, SubFlow, …) wired together. Common in enterprise integration platforms.
Features
Five views of every flow
| Tab | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Diagram | Interactive node graph. Click a node to inspect its properties; hover for a quick summary. Failure paths show as dashed red lines. |
| Connections | Every external endpoint the flow touches — queues, HTTP, files, databases, JMS, Kafka — grouped by direction. |
| Dependencies | Every file the flow references — subflows, ESQL, Java, mappings, schemas — with one-click open. |
| Settings | Flow-level configuration, editable inline. |
| Glossary | Every identifier the flow uses, searchable, with click-to-jump. |
Compare & review
- Compare any two branches, refs, or files — or auto-diff against your last commit.
- Review a PR without checking it out: pick the branches and step through every changed flow, with A / M / D badges in the Explorer.
- Changed nodes show before / after values; removed nodes stay visible as ghosts so deletions are never missed. Drop to the raw XML with changes highlighted inline.
Share
- Export a flow to Markdown — embedded diagram, connections, dependencies, and settings — that renders on GitHub, Confluence, or Notion.
Catch problems early (optional)
- Flags broken references, disconnected nodes, and unhandled failure paths in the Problems panel. Off by default; severities are configurable.
Getting started
Open any .msgflow or .subflow file — it opens in FlowScope automatically.
| Supported file | |
|---|---|
.msgflow |
Message flow |
.subflow |
Reusable subflow |
Commands
Everything else lives in the Command Palette under FlowScope:.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| Open in FlowScope | Open the active file in the viewer |
| Compare with Branch / Ref… | Diff the flow against another branch or ref |
| Compare with File… | Diff against another file on disk |
| Clear Compare Overlay | Drop the active diff |
| Review a PR… | Step through every flow a PR changes, no checkout |
| End PR Review | Exit review and restore your working copy |
| Open Current File at PR Source Ref | Open the current file at the PR's source ref |
| Export as Markdown… | Save the flow as a portable Markdown spec |
| View XML Diff (side-by-side) | Open a side-by-side XML diff |
Trust
- Works fully offline — no network calls, no telemetry.
- Read-only: FlowScope never runs or deploys your flows, and property edits are scoped and explicit.
- Suitable for regulated and air-gapped environments.
FlowScope is a third-party viewer for an open standard, with no affiliation to any tool vendor.
License
PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 — free for personal, research, educational, and other noncommercial use. Commercial use requires a separate commercial license.