Comp X-Ray
See the whole structure of an After Effects project on one screen.
Working Available to download. Below, a browser demo on sample data.
The problem
To understand an After Effects project you inherited, you click through one nested comp after another.
What I built
A script that maps the whole project in one view: every layer, effect, expression and link, plus a list of what is broken.
- The whole layer tree in one view
- Finds missing files and broken links
- Hides text before you share it
Download for After EffectsTry the browser demo
Features and limits
Built and tested
- Shows the full layer tree, with nested comps opening in place.
- For each layer: type, on or off, parent, matte, effects, keyframe count, expressions, text and source.
- A summary: how deep the nesting goes, layers by type, effects used, keyframes, expressions, mattes, footage and fonts.
- Finds problems: missing footage, expressions pointing to items that are not in the project, switched-off layers that still carry effects or keyframes, and precomps that loop back on themselves.
- Checks any snapshot you load and names the exact field that is wrong.
- A redact option replaces on-screen text and file paths before you share the report. The structure and counts stay the same.
- Export the snapshot as JSON, the report as Markdown and every layer as CSV.
Limits
- Tested in After Effects 26.5.0 on macOS 27.0.1 on a sample project. Not tested on Windows or on very large projects yet.
- Keyframes are counted per property. Their values and easing are not exported.
- Very large projects are not split into pages yet.
- The matte type is shown as After Effects' internal number, for example 5013 for alpha. A readable name is planned.
Planned
Readable matte names, keyframe values, and support for very large projects.
How to use
- Open and close nested comps in the tree on the left. The report on the right covers everything inside.
- Tick Redact to see what a shareable snapshot looks like.
- Load your own snapshot JSON to inspect it. It is read in this browser tab only.
- Export JSON, Markdown or CSV.
How it works
- The script reads the comp and every nested comp into one snapshot, without changing the project.
- The page validates the snapshot against a schema before showing it.
- Findings come from rules over the snapshot, so the same snapshot always gives the same report.
Tested versions & limits
- Pass Unit: snapshot validation names the exact broken field Node 22, Linux
- Pass Unit: nested traversal and loop detection Node 22, Linux
- Pass Unit: report counts, dependencies and findings Node 22, Linux
- Pass Unit: CSV, Markdown and redaction Node 22, Linux
- Pass Host script: compiles; no project-changing calls (static scan) Node 22, Linux
- Pass Host script on a mock After Effects object model writes a valid snapshot Node 22 mock, not After Effects
- Pass Browser: tree, report, redaction, CSV export, invalid snapshot rejected Chromium (Playwright), 1280px
- Pass Host: export a real project inside After Effects, project unchanged After Effects 26.5.0, macOS 27.0.1
Last verified 2026-10-31.
Viewer and report tested on snapshots. The read-only exporter ran in After Effects 26.5.0 on macOS 27.0.1 on a fictional project; its snapshot passed all structural checks and the project was unchanged. Evidence: labs/host-tests/results/2026-10-31.
Details
- Input
- A comp in After Effects
- Output
- A structure report as JSON, Markdown and CSV
- Runs in
- An After Effects script, tested in After Effects 26.5.0 on macOS 27.0.1. The viewer and report on this page run in your browser.
- Source
- Original, rebuilt from scratch