Penify (formerly Snorkell.ai) vs tldrdev.ai

Penify (formerly Snorkell.ai) is a GitHub and Bitbucket app that generates and updates code documentation when pull requests merge. It handles docstrings, API docs, and architecture documentation for Python, Java, TypeScript, JavaScript, and Kotlin repositories so teams spend less time writing docs by hand.

The app installs directly on your repository and tracks code changes after each merged PR. It identifies new classes and functions, refreshes existing documentation, and can analyze pull requests before they ship. A knowledge base and chat agent let product managers, analysts, and QA staff query the codebase in plain language.

Penify is built for development teams that want documentation to stay current without slowing down shipping. It suits backend engineers, platform teams, and technical leads who need accurate reference material that reflects the latest code.

TLDR is a JetBrains IDE plugin that sends selected code to an AI backend and returns a plain English explanation. You highlight a method, SQL query, or regular expression inside IntelliJ, PhpStorm, WebStorm, or another JetBrains editor, then trigger TLDR via shortcut or right-click to get a readable summary of what the code does.

Unlike browser-based code explainers, TLDR lives inside the IDE where you already read code. It targets the specific pain points the team calls out on tldrdev.ai: regex you inherited, SQL joins you did not write, and unfamiliar methods in a new codebase. The free tier caps you at 3 explanations per day; paid Individual and Organization plans raise those limits through the JetBrains Marketplace.

Developers who work primarily in JetBrains IDEs and regularly hit unfamiliar code blocks are the core audience. The plugin supports most programming languages, though the team notes HTML and markup explanations are less useful. Beyond Code GmbH built TLDR and sells it alongside their other developer tools.