AI-powered code explanations adapted to your unique cognitive style.
🧠 What is Cognitive Code Companion?
Cognitive Code Companion is an advanced Visual Studio Code extension that reimagines how developers interact with and learn from code. Instead of generic, one-size-fits-all AI explanations, it leverages top-tier Large Language Models (LLMs) to explain your code precisely the way you think.
Whether you're a procedural thinker who needs line-by-line breakdowns, a top-down thinker who needs the big picture first, or a visual thinker who learns through analogies, this extension adapts to you.
✨ Features
Personalized Explainers: Choose from four distinct cognitive frameworks.
Top-Tier LLM Access: Powered by the OpenRouter API, granting access to cutting-edge models like GPT-5.4, Claude 4.6 Sonnet, Llama 4, Gemini 3.1 Pro, and more.
Embedded IDE Experience: Seamlessly highlight any code snippet, right-click, and select "Explain This Code."
Multi-lingual Support: Need explanations in Spanish, Dutch, or Japanese? Simply configure your preferred language in the settings.
Markdown Rich Responses: Explanations are highly structured, deeply analytical, and beautifully formatted in markdown.
🎨 Cognitive Styles
Step-by-Step 👣 Line-by-line procedural walkthroughs. Perfect for sequentially minded developers who want to understand flow control and exact mechanizations.
Big Picture First 🔭 Starts with a high-level executive summary, then zooms in. Best for systems thinkers who need to understand the architecture and "why" before diving into the "how."
Analogy-Based 🌠 Explains complex concepts using vivid real-world metaphors. Excellent for conceptual and visual learners who benefit from translating code into familiar mental models.
Minimal ⚡ Terse, hyper-condensed facts. Built for senior engineers who just want the critical facts, immediate edge cases, and performance implications with absolutely no fluff.
🚀 Installation & Setup
Install the Extension
Download the extension from the VS Code Marketplace (Coming Soon!) or install via the generated VSIX file.
Get an OpenRouter API Key
This extension uses OpenRouter to give you access to virtually any LLM.
Go to OpenRouter.ai to create an account and generate an API key.
Configure Settings
Open your VS Code Settings (Cmd + , or Ctrl + ,).
Search for Cognitive Code Companion.
Input your API Key.
Select your preferred Model (e.g., nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b:free).
Choose your Explanation Style.
Set your preferred Language.
💻 Usage
Open any file in VS Code.
Highlight a confusing or complex block of code.
Right-click to open the context menu and select "Explain This Code" (or use the Command Palette via Cmd + Shift + P).
A customized, expert analysis of your code will appear in the dedicated Explanation tab!
🤝 Contributing
Contributions, issues, and feature requests are welcome!
Feel free to check out the issues page.
