SYNAPTIC Expert
AI-powered development assistant with protocol enforcement for Visual Studio Code.
SYNAPTIC Expert transforms how you interact with AI models during software development. Instead of unstructured chat, every AI response follows a validated protocol with Decision Gates, graduated enforcement, and persistent learning — ensuring consistent, high-quality outputs across your entire project lifecycle.
Features
Multi-Provider Support
Use your preferred AI provider with your own API keys (BYOK):
| Provider |
Models |
Capabilities |
| Anthropic |
Claude Sonnet, Opus, Haiku |
Full multimodal (images, PDF, text) |
| OpenAI |
GPT-4o, GPT-4o-mini |
Images + text attachments |
| Google Gemini |
Gemini 2.0 Flash |
Full multimodal |
| OpenRouter |
Multiple models |
Images + text |
| Claude Code CLI |
Local Claude installation |
Text-only (no API key needed) |
Protocol Enforcement
Every AI response is automatically validated against the SYNAPTIC protocol:
- Response Validation: Structural checks ensure responses follow the required template
- Graduated Enforcement: Starts informational (cycles 1-5), progresses to soft (6-15), then standard (16+)
- Compliance Scoring: Real-time grade (A-F) displayed per response
- Auto-Regeneration: Non-compliant responses are automatically reformulated
Decision Gates
Architectural decisions are never made silently. When the AI identifies a choice point:
- 3 Options are always presented (A, B, C) with trade-offs
- User approval is required before proceeding
- Decisions are logged for project history and traceability
Two Modes
- Architect Mode: Analysis and planning only — the AI examines your codebase without making changes
- SYNAPTIC Mode: Full protocol with enforcement, Decision Gates, tool execution, and file operations
File Attachments
Attach files directly to your prompts for the AI to analyze:
- Images: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP
- Documents: PDF (native support on Anthropic/Gemini)
- Code/Text: Any text file (.ts, .js, .py, .md, .csv, etc.)
- Limits: 5 MB per file, 10 MB total, up to 10 attachments
Context Panel
The sidebar shows real-time metrics:
- Current cycle number and phase (GENESIS through DEPLOYMENT)
- Active provider and model
- Daily quota usage (25 cycles/day)
- Enforcement score and violations
Status Bar
Three persistent indicators at the bottom of VS Code:
- Cycle: Current cycle number
- Phase: Project phase (GENESIS, SCAFFOLDING, IMPLEMENTATION, VALIDATION, DEPLOYMENT)
- Quota: Remaining cycles for today
Getting Started
- Install the extension from the VS Code Marketplace
- Sign in with your Google account (required for usage tracking)
- Add an API key for your preferred provider (
Ctrl+Shift+P > "SYNAPTIC: Manage API Keys")
- Open the Chat Panel with
Ctrl+Shift+Y (or Cmd+Shift+Y on Mac)
- Send your first prompt and experience protocol enforcement in action
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut |
Action |
Ctrl+Shift+Y / Cmd+Shift+Y |
Open Chat Panel |
Ctrl+Enter |
Submit prompt |
Ctrl+Shift+Enter |
Submit with immediate execution |
Extension Settings
| Setting |
Default |
Description |
synaptic.defaultProvider |
anthropic |
Default LLM provider |
synaptic.defaultModel |
claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929 |
Default model |
synaptic.toolApproval |
selective |
Tool execution approval mode |
synaptic.agentMaxIterations |
15 |
Max tool execution iterations per cycle |
synaptic.enforcementBlocking |
false |
Block non-compliant responses (opt-in) |
Requirements
- VS Code 1.85.0 or later
- Google account for authentication
- API key from at least one supported provider (except Claude Code CLI)
Architecture
SYNAPTIC Expert is built as a monorepo with 4 packages:
- @synaptic-sre/shared: Types, constants, protocol loader (zero dependencies)
- @synaptic-sre/enforcement: Response validation, compliance scoring, regeneration engine (zero dependencies)
- @synaptic-sre/workspace: Director files, session persistence, BITACORA service (zero dependencies)
- vscode-extension: Extension host + React webview
The enforcement and workspace packages have zero external dependencies — pure TypeScript for maximum portability.
Privacy & Data
- API keys are stored locally in VS Code's secure storage (never sent to our servers)
- Authentication uses Google OAuth PKCE (no passwords stored)
- Usage quota is tracked via Firebase Firestore (25 cycles/day)
- No telemetry beyond quota tracking
- All LLM calls go directly from your machine to the provider's API
License
MIT
Publisher
Built by GoLab — Conexiones Sorprendentes.
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