FirstLook

Verified Meaning. Exactly where you need it.

FirstLook adds a persistent meaning layer to your codebase — making understanding available at the point of interaction, without modifying your code.

No more hunting through docs, tribal knowledge, or outdated comments.

Context may vary. Meaning should not.

✨ What FirstLook Does

• Attach structured meaning to files, modules, and artifacts
• View meaning instantly via hover, explorer, or panel
• Maintain baseline (governed) meaning and local insights
• Track coverage and identify gaps
• Enable AI-assisted meaning generation (bring your own AI)

💡 Quick Start

1. Right-click any file in Explorer
2. Select FirstLook: Add / Edit Local Meaning
3. Look for ✓ or L indicators
4. Click the file to open the meaning panel

👉 Even without loading baseline data, FirstLook works immediately.

🧠 Core Concepts

Baseline Meaning

Central, governed meaning loaded via CSV/Excel. Acts as the system of record.

Local Meaning

User-defined meaning applied to specific files. Overrides or supplements baseline.

Local Insights

Contextual notes tied to actual file paths — capturing real understanding over time.

⚙️ How It Works

1. Load baseline meaning from a file (CSV/XLSX)
2. Explore files via FirstLook view
3. Add or refine local meaning
4. Capture insights as you work
5. Track coverage and gaps

✨ AI-assisted Meaning (Preview)

Use the AI Draft feature to generate structured meaning:

1. Click AI-assisted meaning draft
2. Copy the generated prompt
3. Paste it into your AI assistant (Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, etc.)
4. Paste the JSON output back into FirstLook
5. Apply — fields auto-populate

Full native AI integration coming soon.

🔐 Enterprise-friendly by Design

• No external API calls
• No telemetry
• No code modification
• Local-first data handling

Safe to use in restricted or sensitive environments.

📂 Data Format

Baseline meaning can be loaded via:

• CSV
• Excel (XLSX)

Typical fields include:

• artifact_name
• descriptor
• type
• domain
• purpose
• insights

🚀 Current Capabilities

• Explorer integration with indicators (✓ / L)
• Hover-based quick meaning preview
• Dedicated meaning panel
• Local insights tracking
• Coverage visibility
• AI-assisted ingestion (manual)

🛠️ Roadmap (Early Signals)

• Native AI integration (multi-provider)
• Governed meaning workflows (SME validation)
• Team-level sharing & sync
• Desktop-level meaning overlays

⚠️ Early Version

This is an early release (v0.1.x). Feedback is highly encouraged and will directly shape the product.

👤 Author

Built as part of the Meaning Control™ vision — bringing structured, governed meaning into everyday developer workflows.

Enjoy using FirstLook 🚀