[ilovecaching]

You’ve been able to do this with ctags for a long time, which is also the only way you’re ever going to get goto def and dec in a large project like the Linux kernel. Vim even has built in goto, search, etc for ctags.

But really, if an IDE is allowing you to write code you can’t understand without the IDE that’s a bad thing. Forcing yourself into a situation where you have to compartmentalize is going to make you a better programmer and lead to better code.

[haimez]

Strong disagree with your thesis here. Most navigators of code are looking for something, and that something is not the most elegant refactor to make to cut some particular Gordian knot.

Navigation tools are essential especially because the (vastly) larger audience is uninitiated.