How to Visualize Java Servlet Inheritance Using IntelliJ IDEA Diagrams

1. View the Inheritance Diagram

Right‑click the tab of the class you want to inspect, choose Diagrams and select either Show (embedded) or Show ... Popup (floating). The same option is also available from the project tree by right‑clicking the class name.

The resulting diagram displays the inheritance chain for the selected class, e.g., a custom Servlet implementation.

Blue solid arrows indicate inheritance.

Green dashed arrows indicate interface implementation.

2. Optimize the Diagram

2.1 Remove Unwanted Classes

Select any class you do not need and press the Delete key. After cleaning up, the diagram shows only the relevant Servlet hierarchy.

2.2 Show Detailed Member Information

Right‑click the diagram and choose Show categories to expand fields, methods, constructors, etc. You can also use the toolbar button for the same action.

To filter members by visibility, right‑click a class, select Change Visibility Level , and choose the desired level (e.g., protected and above).

2.3 Zoom In for Better Visibility

Hold the Alt key to activate a magnifier that enlarges the diagram area.

2.4 Add Additional Classes to the Diagram

Right‑click the diagram, choose Add Class to Diagram , and type the fully‑qualified name of the class you want to include.

After adding, the new class appears without any connecting arrows if it does not share inheritance or interface relationships with the existing nodes.

2.5 Jump to Source Code

Double‑click a class in the diagram, then right‑click a method and select Jump to Source to open the corresponding source file.

Alternatively, use the Structure view (via the left‑hand pane) to list all members of the class and navigate directly.

3. Final Thoughts

Using IntelliJ IDEA's diagram and structure tools makes exploring class hierarchies, inspecting framework source code, and understanding inheritance relationships much more efficient and visually clear.