BrewHand

Production-Ready AI Development Assistant for VS Code

💡 Tips are appreciated to support ongoing development and new features!

BrewHand is a comprehensive VS Code extension that enhances AI-powered development with production-ready code generation, intelligent shell command validation, and quality-first development principles.

🆕 What's New in v1.0.3

🔧 Simplified Settings

• Unified Iterative Mode - Consolidated continuous and iterative modes into a single, intuitive setting
• Streamlined Interface - Removed complex budget and model selection UI for better user experience
• Beer Menu - Clean, friendly interface accessible from the status bar

🍺 Enhanced User Experience

• Beer Menu Status Bar - Click the 🍺 Beer Menu in the status bar for quick access to features
• Simplified Configuration - Focus on core functionality with fewer confusing options
• Better Tooltips - Clear guidance on what each feature does

View Full Changelog

✨ Key Features

🎯 Quality-First AI Development

• Production-ready code generation with comprehensive error handling and best practices
• Architectural guidance for performance, maintainability, security, and scalability
• Multi-language support for JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Java, C#, Go, Rust, and more
• Complexity analysis that adapts AI responses to task difficulty

🐚 Intelligent Shell Command System

• Automatic shell detection (PowerShell, CMD, Bash, Zsh) with platform-specific formatting
• Command syntax validation and correction before execution
• Cross-platform compatibility ensuring commands work on your specific environment
• Error prevention with proactive syntax checking and educational tips

🧠 Smart AI Chat Integration

• @brewhand chat participant integrated directly into VS Code's chat interface
• Iterative workflow support - Maintains context throughout multi-step development processes
• Context-aware conversations that understand your project structure and coding patterns
• Enhanced AI responses with shell-aware command generation and validation
• Educational integration - Learn best practices while you code

🔍 Code Quality & Analysis Tools

• Import path resolution with automatic error detection and intelligent suggestions
• Error parsing system for compilation and runtime errors with actionable fixes
• Code complexity scoring with recommendations for simplification and optimization
• Architectural pattern suggestions based on comprehensive project analysis

🔒 Privacy-First Design

• Local-first data storage with no external data transmission by default
• Anonymized information handling for file paths and sensitive project details
• Complete user control over data collection and sharing preferences
• Transparent telemetry with clear explanations of benefits and opt-in choices

🚀 Installation

From VS Code Marketplace (Recommended)

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)
3. Search for "BrewHand"
4. Click Install

From VSIX File

1. Download the latest brewhand-1.0.3.vsix file
2. Open VS Code
3. Press Ctrl+Shift+P → "Extensions: Install from VSIX..."
4. Select the downloaded .vsix file

🔍 Verifying Installation

Quick Check

code --list-extensions | findstr brewcode

Should return: brewcode.brewhand

Test Core Functionality

1. Open VS Code Chat (Ctrl+Shift+I) and try @brewhand help
2. Check Beer Menu - Look for the 🍺 icon in your status bar
3. Command Palette - Press Ctrl+Shift+P and search "BrewHand" to see available commands

🍺 Getting Started

Open the Beer Menu

Click the 🍺 Beer Menu in your status bar to access:

• Features Panel - Toggle core functionality on/off
• Quick Settings - Configure BrewHand behavior
• Help & Documentation - Learn more about available features

Using @brewhand in Chat

1. Open VS Code Chat panel (Ctrl+Shift+I)
2. Type @brewhand followed by your request
3. Ask for shell commands, code generation, or architectural advice
4. BrewHand will provide validated, production-ready responses

Key Features to Try

• Shell Commands: Ask for platform-specific terminal commands
• Code Generation: Request production-ready code with error handling
• Error Analysis: Get help understanding and fixing compilation errors
• Architecture Advice: Ask about best practices and design patterns

🎛️ Available Commands

BrewHand provides 11 focused commands accessible via Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P):

Core Shell & AI Commands

• BrewHand: Detect Current Shell - Identify your shell environment
• BrewHand: Validate Command Syntax - Check shell command syntax (Ctrl+Shift+Q)
• BrewHand: Toggle Enhanced AI Mode - Enable/disable advanced AI responses
• BrewHand: Show Shell Reference - Display shell syntax reference guide

Workflow Management

• BrewHand: Toggle Iterative Support - Enable continuous workflow assistance (Ctrl+Shift+G)
• BrewHand: Continue Workflow - Resume an active development workflow
• BrewHand: Pause Workflow - Temporarily pause iterative assistance
• BrewHand: Show Workflow Summary - View current workflow context and history
• BrewHand: Clear Workflow History - Reset all workflow memory

Interface & Settings

• BrewHand: Open Features Panel - Access the Beer Menu features panel
• BrewHand: Open Settings - Configure BrewHand behavior and preferences

⚙️ Configuration

BrewHand works great with default settings, but you can customize behavior through:

Settings Options

• Iterative Support - Enable continuous workflow assistance (default: enabled)
• Shell Detection - Automatic or manual shell type selection
• Strict Mode - Enforce production-ready code standards
• Architectural Focus - Prioritize performance, maintainability, security, or balanced approach

Access Settings

1. Click 🍺 Beer Menu in status bar
2. Open Quick Settings panel
3. Toggle features or click settings to modify values

🎯 Best Practices

For New Users

• Start with @brewhand help to learn available features
• Enable Iterative Support for multi-step development workflows
• Use the Beer Menu to familiarize yourself with available features

For Development Workflows

• Use @brewhand for shell commands to ensure platform compatibility
• Ask for architectural advice before starting complex features
• Request code reviews and suggestions for optimization

For Team Adoption

• Share BrewHand commands and workflows with your team
• Use consistent architectural focus settings across projects
• Leverage educational tips to improve team coding practices

🤝 Support & Feedback

• Issues & Feature Requests: GitHub Repository
• Support the Project: Ko-fi
• Documentation: Check the Beer Menu for built-in help and references

Made with ❤️ for developers who value quality and reliability