Visualizing Java Servlet Inheritance with IntelliJ IDEA Diagrams

01 View Inheritance Chain as a Diagram

Right‑click the class tab and choose Diagrams → Show (or Show … Popup for a floating window). The same option is available from the project tree. IDEA then renders a graphical inheritance diagram, e.g., for a custom Servlet class.

Blue solid arrows indicate class inheritance.

Green dashed arrows indicate interface implementation.

02 Optimize the Diagram to Your Needs

2.1 Remove Unwanted Classes

Select any class you don’t need and press the Delete key. After cleaning, the diagram shows only the relevant Servlet hierarchy.

2.2 Show Detailed Class Information

Right‑click the diagram and select Show Categories to expand properties, methods, constructors, etc. You can also use the toolbar for the same action.

To filter by visibility (e.g., show only protected members), right‑click and choose Change Visibility Level .

2.3 Zoom In for Better Clarity

Press and hold Alt to activate a magnifying glass that enlarges the diagram area.

2.4 Add Other Classes to the Diagram

Choose Add Class to Diagram from the context menu, type the class name, and it will appear in the graph. If the added class has no direct relationship, it will appear without connecting arrows.

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 its implementation.

Alternatively, use IDEA’s Structure view to list all members of the class and navigate directly.

03 Conclusion

IntelliJ IDEA’s diagram, category, visibility, zoom, and structure features make exploring class hierarchies and source code of mainstream frameworks fast and comfortable.