# Hierarchy tool window

`View | Tool Windows | Hierarchy`

> **Note:**
> The Hierarchy tool window becomes available after you call one of the [hierarchy actions](analyzing-applications.html).

You can update the previously built hierarchy by clicking the Refresh icon ![the Refresh button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.actions.refresh.svg) in the Hierarchy tool window. Alternatively, the results are updated when you run the next hierarchy command (unless you pinned ![the Pin button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.general.pin_tab.svg) the tab with one of the previously built hierarchies).

## Toolbar buttons

| Item | Description | Available In |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ![Hierarchy](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.toolwindows.toolWindowHierarchy.svg) | Shows both the parent and child classes  of the selected class , which is marked with an arrow in the tree of results.                                | Type hierarchies |
| ![the Supertypes Hierarchy button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.hierarchy.supertypes.svg) |  Depending on the hierarchy type:     * Class hierarchies: shows the hierarchy of each supertype of the current class.    * Call hierarchies: shows the callers of the selected method.      |  All hierarchies |
| ![the Subtypes Hierarchy button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.hierarchy.subtypes.svg) |  Depending on the hierarchy type:     * Class hierarchies: shows all classes that extend the selected class.    * Call hierarchies: shows the callees of the selected method.      |  All hierarchies |
| ![the Sort Alphabetically button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.objectBrowser.sorted.svg) | Sorts all elements within a tree alphabetically. | All hierarchies |
| Scope |    Use this list to limit the scope of the current hierarchy:       * Project: traces usages of the method across the project.    * Test: traces usages of the method across the test classes.    * All: traces usages of the method across the project and the libraries.    * This class: limits the scope to the current class.     In addition to the preconfigured scopes, you can define your own one. To define a scope, select Configure from the list, and define the required scope in the [Scopes](configuring-scopes-and-file-colors.html) dialog.    | Call hierarchies |
|    In a method hierarchy, the tree views of the following classes are available:       * ![the Plus icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.add.svg): the method is defined.    * ![the Minus icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.remove.svg): the method is defined only in the superclass.    * ![the Exclamation mark icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.general.exclMark.svg): the method must be defined because the class is not abstract.    |
| ![the Refresh button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.actions.refresh.svg) | Shows all updated classes or class structures. | All hierarchies |
| ![the Navigate with Single Click button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.general.autoscrollToSource.svg) | Moves to a file and a section in a source code that corresponds to the selected node in the hierarchy tree. | All hierarchies |
| ![the Expand All button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.expandAll.svg) | Expands all nodes. | All hierarchies |
| ![the Pin button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.general.pin_tab.svg) | Locks the current tab from closing and reusing. Results of the next command are displayed in a new tab.  | All hierarchies |
| ![the Export to Text File](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.export.svg) | Exports a hierarchy into a text file. You can specify a location for this file. | All hierarchies |
| ![the Close button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.windows.closeActive.svg) | Closes the tool window. | All hierarchies |

## See also

### Getting Started

[Tool windows](tool-windows.html)

### External Links

[JetBrains CLion Blog](http://blog.jetbrains.com/clion/)