Development Environment

KB Editor

Professional VS Code editor built specifically for GeneXus developers.

IntelliSense, visual editing, AI-assisted development, and offline licensing — all in one.

The problem

Why KB Editor?

GeneXus is a powerful low-code platform for enterprise applications, but its native IDE hasn't evolved at the pace of modern development tools.

Closed IDE

Forced to use the proprietary GeneXus IDE to edit code.

Limited IntelliSense

Basic autocomplete that doesn't understand code context.

No real-time validation

Errors are only detected at compile time.

Poor navigation

No Go-to-Definition, Go-Back, or reliable symbol search.

No AI integration

Generic AI tools don't understand GeneXus syntax.

Isolated workflow

No Git, terminals, extensions, or integrated team tools.

KB Editor solves all of this by bringing the GeneXus development experience to VS Code — the editor used by over 50% of professional developers worldwide.

Architecture

What is KB Editor?

KB Editor is a professional VS Code editor with integrated GeneXus extensions and AI-powered documentation search. It's not a generic plugin — it's a complete editor built specifically for GeneXus development.

VS Code Foundation

File Explorer, Terminal, Git, Themes, Extensions, Remote Development, Live Share, Debugging

GeneXus Language Suite (8 Extensions)

IntelliSense · Syntax Analysis · Code Validation · Controller · Visual Pattern Editor · Properties Panel · Icon Theme · Sync Status

AI Knowledge Base

46,750 doc sections · 8 GeneXus versions (v9-v18) · 24,864 image descriptions · Works 100% offline · Semantic search

Full Compatibility

Use any AI as your development engine

KB Editor is compatible with all LLMs and AI coding tools on the market. Install the plugin of your choice and start developing with artificial intelligence — directly inside the editor.

Claude

Anthropic

ChatGPT / Copilot

OpenAI

Cursor

Cursor AI

Gemini

Google

Plugin & Play

Install any LLM plugin from the extensions marketplace. No extra configuration needed.

AI + GeneXus Docs

Combine the power of any LLM with the local GeneXus knowledge base — precise answers, no hallucinations.

No vendor lock-in

Switch AI providers whenever you want. Your editor, your extensions, your choice.

Features

Main Features

Every feature was designed so GeneXus developers work faster, with fewer errors, and with modern tools.

1. Intelligent Autocomplete (IntelliSense)

KB Editor understands GeneXus at a deep level. Its Language Server provides context-aware suggestions.

Context	What you get
You type &	All variables declared in the current file
You type an object name	All KB objects: Procedures, Transactions, WebPanels, DataProviders, SDTs, External Objects
You type Object.	.Call(), .Udp(), .Create(), .Link(), .Submit() with complete parameter signatures
You type &variable.	Type-specific methods (e.g., .ToUpper(), .Trim() for Character)
You type &sdt.	SDT fields with level navigation and collection methods (.Add(), .Count(), .Remove())
You type Domain.	Enumerated values first, then domain methods
You type Module.	Object search within the module

Parameter signature help: When calling procedures, KB Editor shows the expected parameters with direction (in:, out:, inout:) and types — extracted directly from the target object's Parm() rule.

2. Go to Definition & Navigation

Go to Definition (F12)

Jump to the definition of any object, attribute, or domain with a single click. Support for module-qualified names.

Go Back (Ctrl+Shift+←)

Reliable backward navigation with a 50-position history. Never lose your place.

Quick Search (Ctrl+Shift+Space)

Fuzzy search across all objects, attributes, and domains — with results showing type and module path.

3. Real-Time Code Validation

Three complementary systems detect errors as you type:

System	What it detects	Technology
Syntax Analyzer	Misspelled keywords, invalid grammar, unclosed blocks	ANTLR 4 Parser
Semantic Validator	Non-existent methods, incorrect parameter count, invalid types, undeclared variables	Type resolution engine
Section Validator	Commands used in incorrect sections (e.g., If in #Variables)	Per-section rules

All validation runs in real time with configurable debounce — no need to compile to find errors.

4. Visual Pattern Editor

Interactive tree

Expand/collapse pattern nodes in a visual view. Click any node to view and edit its properties.

Inline editing

Double-click to edit embedded GeneXus code with full IntelliSense. Escape to return to the visual view.

Full synchronization

Visual changes are written back to the underlying XML. No data loss between modes.

Extensible

Third-party pattern plugins (e.g., PXTools) can register custom property types and editors.

5. Properties Panel

A dedicated side panel that shows contextual properties of the selected element:

Variables

DataType, Length, Decimals, Collection, Description

Domains

Enumerated values, base types, parameters

Attributes

Descriptions, types, default values

SDT Fields

Level navigation, property editing

Pattern Nodes

Specific properties with custom editors

6. Professional Icon Theme

Instant visual identification of GeneXus object types in the Explorer:

Icon	Object Type
TR	Transaction
PR	Procedure
WP	WebPanel
WC	WebComponent
DP	DataProvider
DS	DataSelector
SD	Structured Data Type
A	Attribute
D	Domain
M	Module

7. KB Sync Status

Visual panel

Side view showing sync status (imported, pending, error).

Developer tracking

Identify which developer made each change.

Reconciliation

Manual reconciliation for changes made outside the editor.

Configurable

Configurable retention rules and automatic cleanup.

8 Extensions

Extension Modules

KB Editor includes 8 custom-built extensions that work together as a unified development environment.

GeneXus Language Core

The intelligent foundation that powers every other module.

✦Instant Knowledge Base indexing at startup — O(1) lookups by name
✦Go to Definition (F12) — jump to any object, attribute, domain, or external object
✦Go Back navigation — 50-position history (Ctrl+Shift+←)
✦Quick Search — fuzzy search across all objects (Ctrl+Shift+Space)
✦Find All References — see every file that references a given object
✦Hover information — type, module, parameter signature, and file location
✦GeneXus keyword filtering — ignores language keywords in lookups
✦Built-in function recognition — iif, Str, Trim, Today, etc.
✦Cache re-index command available from the command palette

GeneXus Language Analyzer

Real-time syntax analysis — detect errors instantly.

✦ANTLR 4 Parser — complete GeneXus grammar (200+ rules) with configurable debounce
✦Instant feedback — red underlines appear under syntax errors without compiling
✦Protected section detection — auto-generated code decorated and protected
✦Full language coverage — control flow, events, rules, databases, native code
✦Configurable limits — maximum diagnostics per file (default: 100)

GeneXus Language Validator

Semantic intelligence — knows what's valid before you compile.

✦Method validation — verifies methods exist on the target type
✦Parameter validation — count, types, and direction (in:, out:, inout:)
✦Built-in function validation — 40+ native functions with type checking
✦Undeclared variable detection — with Quick Fix to add the declaration
✦Data type validation — mismatches in assignments and calls
✦Deep SDT validation — methods and properties on nested levels
✦Incremental validation — only re-validates changed lines

GeneXus Language Controller

Automatic change propagation — edit once, sync everywhere.

✦Attribute property sync — propagates changes to all objects using the attribute
✦Auto-sorting of variables — the #Variables section is sorted alphabetically on save
✦Safe propagation — only syncs properties that actually changed
✦Team consistency — eliminates the manual overhead of updating definitions in dozens of files

GeneXus Language Server (LSP)

IntelliSense that understands GeneXus — 3,000+ methods at your fingertips.

✦Context-aware autocomplete — different suggestions based on what you type
✦Parameter signature help — floating panel with names, types, and direction
✦Hover documentation — signature, return type, and description
✦3,000+ built-in method definitions — every GeneXus type documented
✦External Object support — full IntelliSense parsed from .gxExternalObject files
✦Collection intelligence — recognizes Collection<T> patterns
✦Client/server architecture — the Language Server runs in a separate process

GeneXus Visual Editor

Edit patterns visually — no XML needed.

✦Interactive visual tree for .gxPattern files
✦Dedicated Properties Panel with type-appropriate editors
✦Inline code editing with full IntelliSense
✦Wizard to create new GeneXus objects (Ctrl+Shift+N)
✦Save Object As — clone any object with a new name
✦Toggle to text/XML view at any time
✦Extensibility — third-party plugins can register custom editors

GeneXus Sync Status

Team awareness — know who is editing what, in real time.

✦Multi-developer tracking — side panel organized by tabs
✦Real-time file watching — detects changes even from external tools
✦Reconciliation — on-demand or periodic scan of external changes
✦Conflict detection — warns when there are merge conflicts in tracked files
✦Configurable retention — automatic cleanup (default: 7 days or 500 entries)

GeneXus Icons

Professional Explorer — recognize object types at a glance.

✦13+ custom icons covering every GeneXus object type
✦File type icons — .gxSource, .gxProperties, .gxPattern, etc.
✦Activates automatically when opening a GeneXus workspace
✦Minimalist design with transparent backgrounds and colored vectors

Artificial Intelligence

AI-Assisted Development

Generic AI tools know almost nothing about GeneXus. They invent syntax, non-existent methods, and give advice that doesn't work. KB Editor solves this with a local knowledge base.

The Solution: Integrated AI Knowledge Base

KB Editor includes a local MCP server with the complete GeneXus documentation (versions 9 to 18) as a vector database. Any AI tool that supports MCP can query it for accurate GeneXus information.

search_docs

Semantic Search

Ask anything about GeneXus in natural language. Filter by version, object type, and language.

lookup_method

Method Reference

Look up methods and properties of any GeneXus type instantly. 1,080+ method definitions.

list_topics

Explore Content

Browse what's in the knowledge base: counts by version, type distribution, languages.

What it makes possible

Accurate answers

AI that gives correct answers about GeneXus — no invented syntax

Version-specific

Answers specific to your GeneXus version

Code generation

AI generates valid GeneXus code because it can query the correct methods

Accelerated learning

New developers ask questions and receive documentation-backed answers

100% offline

Works without internet, without API keys, without cloud dependency

Assisted testing

Ask AI to help write test procedures with correct syntax

Database Statistics

Metric	Value
Total documentation chunks	46,750
Image descriptions (vision model)	24,864
GeneXus versions covered	8 (v9, v11, v12, v13, v15, v16, v17, v18)
Object types indexed	19
Languages	English, Spanish
Embeddings model	all-MiniLM-L6-v2 (384-dim, ONNX, offline)
Database engine	LanceDB (embedded, serverless)

Comparisons

KB Editor vs Alternatives

See how KB Editor compares to the alternatives.

KB Editor vs GeneXus Native IDE

Feature	GeneXus IDE	KB Editor
IntelliSense	Basic autocomplete	Full context-aware: variables, objects, methods, SDTs, domains
Go to Definition	Basic navigation	F12 with recursive type resolution
Code validation	Errors at compile time	Real-time ANTLR Parser + semantic validation
Navigation	Limited	Go-Back stack, fuzzy search, breadcrumbs
Pattern editing	Text/XML	Visual editor with properties panel
AI assistance	None	Integrated MCP with complete GeneXus docs
Version control	External tools	Integrated Git (stage, commit, diff, blame, PR)
Terminal	External	Integrated terminal with multiple tabs
Themes	Fixed	Hundreds of themes (dark, light, high contrast)
Extensions	Limited ecosystem	Full VS Code/Open VSX marketplace
Remote development	Not supported	VS Code Remote, SSH, WSL, containers
Collaboration	Manual	Live Share, Pull Requests, code review
Platform	Windows only	Windows, macOS, Linux

KB Editor vs generic VS Code

Feature	VS Code (base)	KB Editor
GeneXus syntax highlighting	No	Yes — all file types
GeneXus IntelliSense	No	Yes — variables, objects, methods, SDTs, domains
GeneXus code validation	No	Yes — ANTLR parser + semantic analysis
Visual pattern editor	No	Yes — visual tree with properties panel
GeneXus icon theme	No	Yes — 13 icons per object type
GeneXus AI knowledge base	No	Yes — 46,750 chunks across 8 versions
GeneXus method lookup	No	Yes — 1,080+ structured methods
KB sync tracking	No	Yes — per-developer tracking
Pre-configured and ready	No (requires finding/installing extensions)	Yes — works out of the box

Compatibility

GeneXus File Format Support

KB Editor recognizes and provides full language support for all GeneXus file types.

File Type	Extension	KB Editor Support
Source Code	.gxSource	Syntax highlighting, IntelliSense, validation, outline
Child Objects	.gxChilds	Auto-reveal of hidden folders, navigation
Forms	.gxForm	XML form visualization
Domains	.gxDomain	Enumeration editing, type resolution
Attributes	.gxAttribute	Description and type editing
Patterns	.gxPattern	Visual editor, properties panel
Code Blocks	.gxCode	Full language support

Parser

Language Support

KB Editor's ANTLR parser supports the complete GeneXus language.

Control Flow

If/Else/EndIf, For/EndFor, While/EndDo, Case/EndCase, Do/EndDo

Events

Event/EndEvent, Start, AfterTrn, BeforeValidate, AfterValidate

Database

For Each, New/EndNew, Insert, Update, Delete, Commit, Rollback

Communication

Call, Msg, Error, Confirm, Return, Exit

Rules

Parm, Default, Error, Msg, Prompt, NoPrompt

Sections

#Source, #Rules, #Events, #Conditions, #Variables, #Parameters

Operators

Arithmetic, Logical, Comparison, Assignment, Concatenation

Native Code

JAVA, CSHARP, DBASE embedded blocks

Testing

UnitTest, RestTest, WebUITest, UITest, TestSuite

Specs

Technical Specifications

Component	Detail
Base Editor	VS Code (latest stable version, automatic tracking)
Build System	VSCodium (open-source VS Code build)
Platforms	Windows (x64), macOS, Linux
Installer Size	~121 MB (Windows user setup)
Extensions	8 proprietary built-in + unlimited from Open VSX
Language Server	TypeScript LSP with client/server architecture
Parser	ANTLR 4 Grammar (200+ rules)
Type Resolution	Recursive: Variable → Attribute → Domain → Base Type
AI Database	46,750 chunks, 165 MB, LanceDB
Embeddings Model	all-MiniLM-L6-v2, 384-dim, ONNX/WASM
Encryption	AES-256-GCM (NIST approved)
Key Derivation	HKDF-SHA256 (NIST SP 800-56C)
License Signing	Ed25519 (deterministic, 128-bit security)
CI/CD	GitHub Actions (automated cross-platform builds)

Where GeneXus meets modern development

For developers

Faster code with IntelliSense, errors before compiling, effortless navigation, and AI that truly understands GeneXus.

For teams

Integrated Git, code review, remote development, and collaboration tools the GeneXus ecosystem never had.

For organizations

Offline capability, a modern platform that attracts and retains talent, and tools that scale with your team.

For the ecosystem

A bridge between GeneXus's powerful 4GL platform and the modern tools today's developers expect.

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