Codo AI - Your AI Coding Assistant

A powerful AI-powered coding assistant for VS Code. Chat with ChatGPT or DeepSeek directly in your editor to get coding help, explanations, code reviews, and more.

Overview

Codo AI brings advanced artificial intelligence directly into your VS Code workspace. Whether you need help debugging code, understanding complex algorithms, or generating new code snippets, Codo AI provides instant assistance from industry-leading AI models.

Features

Multiple AI Providers - Choose between ChatGPT (OpenAI) or DeepSeek. Both providers offer unlimited usage and are completely free to use with your API key.

Secure API Key Storage - Your API keys are stored securely in VS Code's built-in secret storage system. Keys are encrypted and never exposed in plain text.

Integrated Sidebar Chat - Access AI assistance directly from the activity bar. No need to switch windows or open external applications.

Modern Chat Interface - Clean, professional chat interface designed for developers. Syntax highlighting for code blocks, proper formatting, and intuitive message flow.

Real-time AI Responses - Direct communication with AI providers' APIs. Fast response times and reliable connections.

Code Formatting Support - Automatic syntax highlighting for code blocks in responses. Properly formatted code snippets for easy reading and copying.

Supported AI Providers

Both providers offer unlimited usage and are free to use:

Important: Both ChatGPT and DeepSeek are unlimited and completely free to use. Simply obtain your API key from the respective provider and start using the service without any usage restrictions.

Getting Started

Step 1: Install the Extension

1. Open the Extensions sidebar in VS Code (View → Extensions or press Ctrl+Shift+X)
2. Search for Codo AI
3. Click the Install button
4. Reload VS Code if prompted

Step 2: Obtain Your API Key

For ChatGPT (OpenAI):

1. Visit the OpenAI Platform
2. Sign up for a free account or log in to your existing account
3. Navigate to the API Keys section in your account settings
4. Click "Create new secret key" to generate your API key
5. Copy the API key immediately (it will only be shown once)

For DeepSeek:

1. Visit the DeepSeek Platform
2. Sign up for a free account or log in to your existing account
3. Navigate to the API Keys section in your account dashboard
4. Generate a new API key
5. Copy the API key for use in Codo AI

Step 3: Configure Codo AI

1. Click the Codo AI icon in the activity bar (left sidebar)
2. Click the "Provider" button to select your preferred AI provider (ChatGPT or DeepSeek)
3. Click the "API Key" button and paste your API key when prompted
4. Start chatting with your AI assistant

Usage Guide

Opening the Chat Panel

You can access Codo AI in two ways:

1. Sidebar View: Click the Codo AI icon in the activity bar to open the chat in the sidebar
2. Dedicated Panel: Use the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) and search for "Codo AI: Open Chat" to open a dedicated chat panel

Available Commands

Access commands via the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P):

• Codo AI: Open Chat - Opens the AI chat panel in a new editor tab
• Codo AI: Set API Key - Set or update your API key for the current provider
• Codo AI: Select Provider - Switch between ChatGPT and DeepSeek
• Codo AI: Clear Chat History - Clear the current conversation history

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Enter - Send your message
• Shift + Enter - Insert a new line in your message (useful for multi-line prompts)

Example Use Cases

Here are some common ways to use Codo AI:

• "Explain what this code does and how it works"
• "How do I fix this error: [paste error message]"
• "Write a function that [describe functionality]"
• "Optimize this code for better performance"
• "Add comprehensive comments to this code"
• "Convert this JavaScript code to TypeScript"
• "Review this code and suggest improvements"
• "What are the best practices for [programming concept]"

Configuration

You can customize Codo AI settings in VS Code's settings.json file:

{
  "codoai.provider": "chatgpt",  // Options: "chatgpt" or "deepseek"
  "codoai.model": "gpt-3.5-turbo"  // Options: "gpt-4", "gpt-3.5-turbo", "deepseek-chat", "deepseek-coder"
}

Provider Options

• chatgpt: Uses OpenAI's API with access to GPT-4 and GPT-3.5-turbo models
• deepseek: Uses DeepSeek's API with access to DeepSeek Chat and DeepSeek Coder models

Model Selection

• GPT-4: Most advanced model, best for complex reasoning tasks
• GPT-3.5-turbo: Faster responses, excellent for most coding tasks
• DeepSeek Chat: General-purpose AI assistant
• DeepSeek Coder: Specialized for code generation and understanding

Privacy and Security

Secure Key Storage: API keys are stored using VS Code's secure secret storage API. Keys are encrypted at rest and never stored in plain text files.

Direct API Communication: Messages are sent directly from your VS Code instance to the AI provider's API. No intermediate servers or third-party services are involved.

No Data Collection: Codo AI does not collect, store, or transmit any personal data or conversation history to external servers. All chat history remains local to your machine.

Local Chat History: Conversation history is stored only in your VS Code workspace memory. You can clear it at any time using the "Clear Chat History" command.

Troubleshooting

"No API key set" Error

If you see this error message:

1. Click the Codo AI icon in the sidebar
2. Click the "API Key" button
3. Enter your valid API key for the currently selected provider
4. Ensure you've selected the correct provider that matches your API key

"API Error" Messages

If you encounter API errors:

1. Verify that your API key is correct and hasn't expired
2. Check that you have sufficient API credits or quota (though both providers are free)
3. Ensure your internet connection is stable
4. Try switching to a different model (e.g., from GPT-4 to GPT-3.5-turbo)
5. Check the AI provider's status page for any service outages

Provider Not Responding

If your selected provider isn't responding:

1. Try switching to the other provider temporarily
2. Check your internet connection
3. Verify your API key is valid by testing it on the provider's website
4. Try switching to a different model within the same provider

Extension Not Appearing

If you don't see Codo AI in the activity bar:

1. Reload VS Code window (Ctrl+R or Cmd+R)
2. Check that the extension is installed and enabled
3. Open the Extensions view and verify Codo AI is listed as installed

Technical Details

Codo AI communicates directly with the official APIs of OpenAI and DeepSeek. The extension uses HTTPS for all API communications, ensuring secure data transmission. API keys are managed through VS Code's secret storage system, which provides encryption and secure key management.

Changelog

Version 1.0.0

• Initial release of Codo AI
• Support for ChatGPT (OpenAI) and DeepSeek providers
• Integrated sidebar chat panel
• Secure API key storage using VS Code secrets
• Modern, professional chat interface
• Code syntax highlighting in responses
• Multiple model support (GPT-4, GPT-3.5-turbo, DeepSeek Chat, DeepSeek Coder)

License

MIT License - See the LICENSE file for details.

Support

For issues, feature requests, or questions:

• Open an issue on the GitHub repository
• Check the troubleshooting section above
• Review the VS Code extension documentation

Codo AI - Empowering developers with AI assistance directly in VS Code.