Title

Barecode — Practice like it’s a real coding interview

1 Line Pitch

Disable autocomplete, hints, formatting & distractions. Run timed sessions.

Features

🧠 Real Interview Environment

Interview Mode temporarily turns your VS Code into a real coding-interview editor by disabling intelligent assistance that doesn’t exist in interviews. No shortcuts. No crutches. Just you and the problem.

🚫 Smart Assistance Disabled

When Interview Mode is ON, the extension automatically disables:

Autocomplete & inline suggestions

Trigger-based suggestions (. / ( / smart hints)

Parameter hints and function signatures

Auto-imports for JavaScript & TypeScript

Accept-suggestion-on-Enter behavior

Format-on-save and silent formatting

“Unused variable” visual hints

Extra problem decorations that guide you

This creates a distraction-free, interview-accurate coding experience.

🔄 Safe & Reversible (Your Settings Are Protected)

Barecode never permanently changes your editor.

Your original VS Code settings are backed up before activation

All settings are restored automatically when Interview Mode is turned OFF

If VS Code reloads or the session ends, the extension handles state cleanly

You stay in control — always.

⏱️ Timed Interview Sessions

Simulate real interview pressure with timed sessions.

Choose session length (30 / 45 / 60 minutes or custom)

Live countdown timer in the status bar

Session automatically ends when time is up

Editor returns to normal instantly

Perfect for:

Mock interviews

Daily interview practice

Speed + accuracy training

🔴 Always-Visible Status Indicator

Never forget when Barecode is active.

🔴 Status bar indicator shows Interview Mode is ON

Countdown timer visible at all times

Click the status bar to instantly turn Interview Mode OFF

No confusion. No frustration.

#⚡ One-Command Control

Barecode: ON

Barecode: OFF

Run from:

Command Palette

Keyboard shortcut

Status bar click

Fast. Simple. Reliable.

⚙️ Customizable for Your Workflow

Configure Interview Mode to fit your routine:

Set a default session duration

Choose whether to be prompted every time

Works globally across all projects

You decide how strict your practice is.

🚀 Lightweight & Performance-Friendly

Activates only when you run Interview Mode

No background processing

No external services

No telemetry

No AI calls

Zero impact on VS Code startup or performance.

🎯 Who This Is For

Students preparing for coding interviews

Developers practicing under real constraints

Competitive programmers

Bootcamp learners

Anyone serious about interview readiness

If you can code here, you can code anywhere.

🛡️ Privacy-First by Design

No data collection

No tracking

No network requests

Works completely offline

Your code stays yours.

💡 Why Barecode?

Most tools make coding easier. Interview Mode makes you better.

Practice under real conditions — not ideal ones.

⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts (Fast & Interview-Friendly)

Control Interview Mode without breaking focus:

Turn ON Barecode Ctrl + Alt + I

Turn OFF Barecode Ctrl + Alt + Shift + I

These shortcuts work when the editor is focused and can be customized from VS Code keybindings if needed.

Requirements

There are no external requirements to use this extension.

✅ Works completely offline

✅ No external services or APIs

✅ No AI, telemetry, or tracking

✅ No additional dependencies

All functionality is built using the official VS Code Extension API.

⚙️ Extension Settings

This extension contributes the following settings:

interviewMode.defaultMinutes

Type: number

Default: 45

Description: Sets the default interview session duration (in minutes).

interviewMode.askEveryTime

Type: boolean

Default: true

Description: If enabled, you’ll be asked to enter session duration every time Interview Mode is turned ON.

▶️ How to Use

Open Command Palette (Ctrl + Shift + P)

Run Barecode: ON

Choose session duration (or use default)

Code under real interview conditions

Timer ends → Barecode turns OFF automatically

You can also:

Click the 🔴 status bar indicator to turn OFF anytime

🔐 Safety & Trust

Your original VS Code settings are backed up

All changes are temporary

Settings are fully restored when Interview Mode ends

No hidden or permanent modifications

If something feels off, you can always verify changes in settings.json.

⚠️ Known Issues

Some language servers may still show minimal hints that cannot be disabled programmatically due to VS Code API limitations.

Extremely customized editor setups may require manual verification in settings.json.

These limitations are intentional to preserve editor stability.

📝 Release Notes

Users appreciate release notes as you update your extension.

1.0.0

Initial release of Barecode

Interview Mode ON / OFF

Autocomplete, hints, formatting disabled

Timer-based interview sessions

Status bar indicator

Safe settings restore

🛠 Working with Markdown

You can edit this README directly in Visual Studio Code.

Helpful shortcuts:

Split editor: Ctrl + \

Toggle preview: Shift + Ctrl + V

Markdown snippets: Ctrl + Space

More info:

Visual Studio Code Markdown Support

Markdown Syntax Reference

❤️ Final Note

Most tools make coding easier. Barecode makes you better.