The Problem
If you've written any serious C# code, you know the pain. Your /// doc comments
are packed with useful information — but reading them in the editor looks like this:
/// <summary>
/// Calculates the total price including <paramref name="taxRate"/> for a given
/// <see cref="Order"/>. Returns <c>0</c> if the order has no items.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="order">The order to calculate.</param>
/// <param name="taxRate">The tax rate as a decimal, e.g. <c>0.2</c> for 20%.</param>
/// <returns>The total price as a <see cref="decimal"/>.</returns>
/// <exception cref="ArgumentNullException">Thrown when <paramref name="order"/> is null.</exception>
Raw XML noise everywhere. Every single method.
I tried PrettyDocComments. The concept was right but the aesthetics drove me
crazy — it looked out of place in a modern IDE. So I built Render Doc Comments.
What It Does
Render Doc Comments transforms those cluttered /// tags into clean, formatted
documentation blocks — rendered inline in your editor, not in a separate window
or hover popup.
Before: Raw XML tags cluttering your view
After: Clean, readable documentation with proper formatting, styled parameters,
and clickable cref links
The Interaction Model
Caret-Based Mode (Default — Free)
Click into a comment and it reverts to raw XML for editing. Move your cursor away
and the polished render returns. Zero friction.
Margin Glyph Mode (Premium)
A glyph in the editor margin lets you toggle between raw and rendered manually,
regardless of cursor position.
Language Support
C# —///XML doc comments
F# —///XML doc comments
C++ — Doxygen-style///comments
VB.NET —'''XML doc comments
Free vs Premium
| Feature | Free Edition | Premium License |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-Language Support (C#, F#, C++, VB.NET) | ✅ | ✅ |
| High-Fidelity Rendering | ✅ | ✅ |
Interactive cref Links | ✅ | ✅ |
| Caret-Based Auto-Hide | ✅ (Always On) | 🔘 Selectable |
| Margin Glyph Toggle | ❌ | 🔘 Selectable |
| Theme Synchronization | Manual (Reopen) | Instant Auto-Sync |
| Typography | Segoe UI (Fixed) | Fully Custom |
| Accent Bars | Left Side Only | Multi-side Layout |
| Color Profiles | Default | Full Customization |
The core rendering engine is free and open source (GNU GPL v3). Premium features
fund continued development.
Why I Built This
Documentation should aid readability — not add to the noise. Every other part of
the modern IDE has been polished. Doc comments were stuck in 2005. This is my
attempt to fix that.
Get It
Search "Render Doc Comments" in the Visual Studio Marketplace, or go to
Extensions → Manage Extensions inside VS.
Direct Links
Github
Visual Studio Marketplace
Would love feedback — especially from C#, F#, C++ and VB.NET users!