Transform your data into compelling stories with AI assistance. This VS Code extension helps you explore datasets, generate insights, and create beautiful visualizations - all without leaving your editor.
What You Can Do
📊 Generate Data Stories: Describe what you want to explore and get a complete analysis with multiple charts and insights
🔍 Write SQL Queries: Get AI help writing and testing database queries
📈 Create Custom Charts: Build interactive visualizations with Plotly.js
🔌 Connect to Data Sources: Access databases and files through secure connections
📤 Export Everything: Share your analysis as HTML reports, JSON data, or PDF-ready documents
🚫 Stay in Control: Cancel AI generation anytime if it's not going where you want
Getting Started
Quick Start
Open the Extension:
Press Cmd+Shift+P (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux)
Type "Open Analysis View Playground" and press Enter
Or click the chart icon in the VS Code sidebar
Point to Your Data:
Enter the path to your data file (CSV, JSON, database, etc.)
Describe What You Want:
Tell the AI what you want to explore (e.g., "Show me sales patterns over time and identify the best performing products")
Generate Your Story:
Click "Generate Data Story" and watch as the AI creates multiple analysis steps with charts
Explore and Export:
Navigate through the generated insights
Export as HTML to share with others
Sharing Your Work
Export as HTML for interactive reports
Tips for Better Results
Be Specific: Instead of "analyze my data", try "compare monthly revenue by product category and highlight seasonal trends"
Mention Chart Types: Ask for "bar charts showing..." or "time series plots of..."
Use Real Column Names: If you know your data structure, mention actual column names
Start Simple: Begin with basic exploration, then ask for deeper analysis
Setup Requirements
What You Need
VS Code: Version 1.74.0 or newer
AI Model Access: The extension works with Claude, GPT, or other AI models available in VS Code
Your Data: CSV files, databases, or other data sources you want to analyze
Optional: Connect to Databases
For advanced users who want to connect to databases or external data sources:
Configure data connections through VS Code settings
The extension supports secure data access protocols
Examples of What You Can Create
Sales Analysis Story
Ask: "Analyze quarterly sales performance and identify top products by region"
Get: Multi-step analysis with revenue trends, product rankings, regional comparisons, and actionable insights
Customer Behavior Analysis
Ask: "Explore user engagement patterns and conversion funnels"
Get: User journey visualizations, drop-off analysis, and retention insights
Financial Performance Dashboard
Ask: "Show financial health metrics and compare against industry benchmarks"
Get: KPI dashboards, trend analysis, and comparative charts
Operational Efficiency Review
Ask: "Analyze process performance and identify bottlenecks"
Get: Process flow charts, performance metrics, and improvement recommendations
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
"No AI model available"
Make sure you have Claude Code or another AI extension installed in VS Code
Check that your AI service is properly configured
"Cannot read data file"
Verify the file path is correct
Ensure the file format is supported (CSV, JSON, etc.)
Check file permissions
"MCP connection failed"
This is optional - basic features work without MCP
For database connections, verify your connection settings
Getting Help
Check the VS Code output panel for detailed error messages
Report issues on our GitHub repository
Ready to turn your data into insights? Install the extension and start exploring!
