API Explorer is an Eclipse plugin that extends the content-assist (aka code completion) feature of the Eclipse IDE. It is intended to assist software developers discover relevant convenience methods on other classes, create objects from factories, subtypes, or public methods, and explore and understand the relationships between the classes and methods of a Java API.

Analyze Jar files: Right-click on the Jar file to be analyzed to reveal the context menu; select "API Explorer" and select "Analyze Jar File".
Ensure the Jar file to be analyzed, with all its dependent jars, are on the build-path of the project.

PS. API Explorer is activated by invoking content-assist (i.e., Ctrl+Space)

Feature #1: Method Recommendation

This feature helps a developer discover methods on other objects that may be relevant to the use of a given API class.
For instance, a developer looking for a “send” method on a Message class of the JavaMail API would be shown the Transport.send(Message) method.



Convenience methods on other classes can also be seen by looking through the methods of an object using Eclipse code completion, such as below. Our tool appends other relevant methods on other classes after the methods of the object on which code completion is requested.




Feature #2: Object Construction:

This feature provides support for creating objects from factories classes, public methods, subtypes, and constructors.

An API class may have more than one object construction pattern. In this case, API Explorer shows the developer all the possible object construction patterns, and lets the developer select the most relevant option in the given context. For instance, below, the developer is informed that there are two ways of creating an instance of javax.mail.Message.

Feature #3: Exploration of Relationships between API classes

This feature allows a developer to easily explore the relationships between the classes of an API.
The API Explorer view must be open to use this feature: Window > Show View > Other > Other.