Code Lens AI
Understand unfamiliar code without leaving VS Code.
简体中文 · Report a bug · Request a feature
Code Lens AI turns a selected code fragment into a clear explanation: the conclusion first, then the logic, inputs and outputs, risks, and a place to ask the next question.
Why Code Lens AI?
Reading an unfamiliar codebase is rarely a one-shot question. You want a quick answer when scanning, a patient walkthrough when learning, and risks called out when reviewing. Code Lens AI keeps those paths in one lightweight sidebar.
- Explain the current selection, or the current line when nothing is selected.
- Choose the explanation depth: Quick read, Beginner-friendly, Deep dive, or Review.
- Ask follow-up questions in a continuous thread that keeps the selected fragment, initial explanation, and recent conversation context.
- Connect any OpenAI-compatible
/chat/completions API, including DeepSeek.
- Keep API keys in VS Code SecretStorage; they are never written to workspace settings, and can be explicitly deleted from the connection panel.
- Use a clearly labeled local preview before configuring a model provider.
Quick start
- Download a release
.vsix file, then run Extensions: Install from VSIX... in VS Code.
- Reload the VS Code window.
- Open the Code Lens AI icon in the Activity Bar.
- Under AI Connection & Privacy, add your API key, API base URL, and model name.
- Select code and press
Ctrl+Alt+E (Cmd+Alt+E on macOS), or choose Explain current code from the editor context menu.
DeepSeek preset
| Setting |
Value |
| API base URL |
https://api.deepseek.com |
| Model |
deepseek-chat |
| API key |
Your DeepSeek key (sk-...) |
Do not append /chat/completions; Code Lens AI adds that endpoint automatically.
Privacy
Your selected code is sent only after you choose Explain or ask a follow-up, and only to the API provider you configure. The optional surrounding context is limited to 40 lines and can be disabled in VS Code Settings with Code Lens AI: Send Surrounding Context.
Read the full privacy note.
Development
npm install
npm run compile
Press F5 in VS Code to open an Extension Development Host. Run npm run lint before opening a pull request, and npm run package to build a .vsix.
Roadmap
- [ ] English / Simplified Chinese UI and response-language switching
- [ ] Code-evidence links that jump from an explanation to the relevant line
- [ ] Provider presets for DeepSeek and other compatible APIs
- [ ] Explain Git diffs and error stacks
Contributing
Contributions, UX feedback, and provider-compatibility reports are welcome. Please read CONTRIBUTING.md before opening a pull request.
License
MIT
