Local-first project memory system for software development. Preserve the "why" behind your code.
Git records how your codebase changed. DevContext records why.
DevContext is a local-first, privacy-by-default developer memory extension. It preserves developer-authored notes, Architectural Decision Records (ADRs), milestones, references, and a unified chronological timeline combining Git commit history with engineering rationale.
Key Features
Architectural Decision Records (ADRs): Document technical decisions, proposed alternatives, and consequences. Track superseding relationships without rewriting history (Ctrl+Alt+D A / Cmd+Alt+D A).
Developer Notes: Capture debugging findings, architectural notes, and project context with Markdown and tags (Ctrl+Alt+D N / Cmd+Alt+D N).
Full-Text Search (SQLite FTS5): Blazing-fast BM25 full-text search with Turkish & Unicode normalization. Find any note or decision in milliseconds (Ctrl+Alt+D S / Cmd+Alt+D S).
Unified Chronological Timeline: Interleaves Git commit history with authored notes and milestones. Filter by commits, notes, or decisions.
Typed References: Link notes to files, line selections, Git commits, and URLs. Open files or Git commit diffs directly from tree views.
Durable Export & Import: Export to versioned JSON (export-v1.json), clean Markdown hierarchies, or portable ZIP archives. Includes automatic pre-import safety backups and path redaction.
Zero Telemetry & 100% Offline: Operates entirely on your local machine. No accounts, no hosted services, no network dependencies, no tracking.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Command
Windows / Linux
macOS
DevContext: Full-Text Search
Ctrl+Alt+D S
Cmd+Alt+D S
DevContext: New Note
Ctrl+Alt+D N
Cmd+Alt+D N
DevContext: New Decision (ADR)
Ctrl+Alt+D A
Cmd+Alt+D A
Core Binary Resolution
The DevContext extension connects to the native devcontext CLI binary using structured, typed JSON IPC. It locates the binary in the following priority order:
Configured Path:devcontext.core.executablePath in VS Code settings.
Bundled Binary: Platform-specific binary bundled in the extension package (if using a platform VSIX).
System PATH: Standard system executable resolution.
To test your core binary connection, run DevContext: Run Doctor Diagnostic from the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P).
Privacy Policy & Security
Local-first: All databases reside in <workspace>/.devcontext/.
Zero data collection: No telemetry, analytics, or remote API calls.
Untrusted data protection: Imported bundles are checked against Zip Slip attacks and path traversals.
Saved commands safety: Saved commands are stored as passive documentation and never executed automatically.
