🚀 Sylang - Engineering Intelligence. Semantically.

The complete VS Code extension for Sylang - an ontology-based systems language designed for Model Based Systems Engineering, Digital Twin development, and AI Native engineering in safety-critical industries.

If you consider Sylang as an engine, then Sylang with GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or VSCode AI tools is a jet engine. Built from first principles as a tool designed for AI to develop product artifacts faster accelerating overall product development.

✨ Why Sylang?

🎯 Built for Modern Engineering: AI-first design for automotive, aerospace, medical, and industrial systems 🛡️ Safety-Critical Ready: Full compliance with ASIL, ISO 26262, and safety standards
🔗 Intelligent Cross-File Validation: Smart symbol resolution across your entire project
📊 Visual Project Management: Built-in Kanban boards and documentation views
⚡ Real-Time Feedback: Instant validation, syntax highlighting, and error detection

📚 Learning Resources

• 🌍 sylang.dev: Official website and comprehensive documentation
• 📖 Language Reference: Complete syntax and examples
• 💡 Example Projects: Real-world system implementations
• 🤝 Community: Get help and share ideas

🚀 What's New

v2.33.1 - Modern DocView UX Improvements 🎨

• Enhanced Attachment Viewing - Icon-based display with file metadata (size, date), PDF viewer integration
• Improved Tooltips - Clear, descriptive tooltips for all header icons across docview, spec, and dash
• Quick Edit Buttons - Pencil icon on every card to jump directly to source file line
• Smart File Icons - Instant recognition with 🖼️ Images, 📕 PDFs, 📘 Word, 📗 Excel, and more

v2.32.8 - OpenModelica Diagram Integration 📊

• Professional Diagram Rendering - OpenModelica-powered block diagrams with 3 auto-layout algorithms
• Position Persistence - Layout saved in Modelica annotations, editable in OMEdit
• VSCode Integration - View diagrams without leaving IDE, "Edit in OMEdit" for manual adjustments
• Simulation Consistency - Same .mo files for diagrams and simulation workflows

v2.32.7 - OpenModelica Simulation Integration ⚙️

• Complete Workflow - Export .blk → .mo, compile, run simulations all in VSCode
• Background Execution - Compile and simulate with progress notifications
• CSV Results - Simulation outputs saved as CSV for analysis in Excel/Python
• Cross-Platform - Windows/Linux/Mac support with automatic executable detection

v2.32.6 - Markdown Viewer Unicode Support 📝

• Fixed Unicode Rendering - Arrow symbols (↓), box-drawing characters display correctly
• Enhanced Character Support - Full Unicode support in code blocks and text
• HTML Entity Handling - Proper escaping while preserving special characters

v2.32.5 - Dashboard Wildcard Patterns & Extended Properties 🎯

• Fixed Wildcard Support - Absolute file paths with wildcards now work in .dash files
• Custom Properties - Dashboard queries recognize extended properties from .sylangextend
• Enhanced Filtering - Filter by custom properties in where clauses

v2.32.4 - Unified Dashboard Syntax 🎨

• Consistent Keywords - sourcetype and source across all dashboard files
• Bug Fixes - CAD notifications suppressed, .spec file path handling corrected
• Stability - Polished release with all recent enhancements

v2.32.0 - Port Side Placement Control 🔧

• Explicit Port Placement - left/right keywords for precise port positioning
• Visual Improvements - Port labels always render inside block boundaries
• Enhanced Diagrams - Better decomposition diagram rendering

v2.31.1 - Multi-Source Specification Files 📁

• Glob Pattern Support - source "**/*.req" searches entire workspace
• Multiple Sources - Aggregate requirements from multiple files/modules
• Dynamic Updates - Specifications auto-update as files are added

v2.31.0 - AI-Powered CAD Integration 🤖

• CadQuery Support - Python-based parametric CAD with AI assistance
• FreeCAD Integration - Launch FreeCAD GUI directly from VSCode
• Version Control Friendly - Text-based CAD models

v2.30.8 - Complete CAD & FEM Integration 🔧

• FreeCAD Support - Cross-platform detection and model loading
• FEM Analysis - Static stress analysis with CalculiX solver
• Requirements Traceability - Link analysis results to system requirements

📚 Previous Releases

For detailed release history, see GitHub Releases.

🎯 Key Features

📝 Complete Language Support

• 23+ File Types: .req, .tst, .fun, .blk, .ifc, .spr, .agt, .fml, .vml, .vcf, .spec, .dash, .sylangextend, and more
• Smart Syntax Highlighting: Context-aware keyword and identifier highlighting
• Auto-completion: Intelligent suggestions for keywords, enums, and symbols
• Language Extensibility: Add custom properties via .sylangextend files
• 📚 Built-in Help: Run "Sylang: Create Help" to get comprehensive documentation in your workspace

🔍 Advanced Validation

• Real-Time Error Detection: Instant feedback as you type
• Cross-File Symbol Resolution: Smart validation across your entire project
• Configuration-Based Validation: Automatic detection of disabled features
• Import Validation: Ensures all dependencies are properly declared

📊 Visual Project Management

• 📋 Kanban Boards: Built-in sprint planning for .spr files
• 📖 Documentation Views: Structured views for requirements, tests, and functions
• 🎯 Traceability Matrix: Visual relationship tracking across artifacts

🎨 Smart Visual Feedback

• Configuration-Based Graying: Disabled features are visually dimmed
• Symbol Status Indicators: Clear visual cues for symbol availability
• Hierarchical Views: Expandable tree structures for complex systems

📁 Supported File Types

⚡ Quick Start

1️⃣ Install the Extension

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)
3. Search "Sylang"
4. Click Install

2️⃣ Create Your First Project

1. Open a folder in VS Code
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+P
3. Type "Sylang: Create Sylang Rules"
4. This creates the mandatory .sylangrules file
5. Start building your system!

🚨 IMPORTANT: Every Sylang project MUST have a .sylangrules file at the root. This file defines your project structure, validation rules, and AI development guidelines. Without it, the extension won't recognize your folder as a Sylang project.

3️⃣ Example: Simple Requirement

hdef requirementset MyRequirements
  name "System Requirements"
  owner "Engineering Team"

  def requirement REQ_001
    name "System shall start within 2 seconds"
    description "The system must complete initialization within 2 seconds"
    reqtype functional
    status approved

🎯 Perfect For

• 🚗 Automotive Engineers: ASIL compliance, functional safety, system architecture
• ✈️ Aerospace Teams: DO-178 compliance, system requirements, verification
• 🏥 Medical Device: IEC 62304, risk management, traceability
• 🏭 Industrial Systems: Safety standards, system integration, testing
• 🤖 AI-Assisted Development: Built for modern AI-powered engineering workflows. Sylang + AI tools = jet engine performance

📋 The .sylangrules File - Project Foundation

Every Sylang project starts with a .sylangrules file - this is the mandatory root configuration that:

✅ Defines Project Structure: Specifies allowed file types and organization
✅ Sets Validation Rules: Configures cross-file validation and error checking
✅ AI Development Guidelines: Provides context for AI-assisted development
✅ Project Metadata: Stores project information and compliance requirements

Creating .sylangrules:

1. Open any folder in VS Code
2. Run Ctrl+Shift+P → "Sylang: Create Sylang Rules"
3. The extension generates a complete .sylangrules template

💡 Pro Tip: The .sylangrules file is like package.json for Node.js - it's the first thing AI will look for to understand your project structure and requirements.

⚡ Real-time Validation & Intelligence

🔍 Grammar & Syntax Validation

• Complete Syntax Checking: Full grammar validation for all 18 file types
• Cross-File Symbol Resolution: Smart symbol resolution across entire project
• Import Validation: Strict use statement validation with unused import detection
• Relationship Validation: Enforces correct target types for all relations
• Configuration-Based Validation: Detects references to disabled symbols
• Nested Hierarchy Support: Complex parent-child-grandchild symbol relationships
• File Restriction Enforcement: Prevents invalid relation usage in high-level files

🎨 Configuration-Based Visual Feedback ⭐ NEW

• Smart Graying: Disabled symbols visually grayed out based on config values
• Individual Symbol Disabling: def with when ref config where config = 0
• Whole File Disabling: hdef with when ref config where config = 0
• Functional Unavailability: Disabled symbols cannot be referenced or imported
• Enhanced Error Messages: Clear distinction between missing and disabled symbols

🔍 Error Reporting

• Problems Panel: Integrated error display in VS Code
• Inline Squiggly Underlines: Immediate visual feedback
• Output Console: Detailed logging with timestamps
• Comprehensive Error Codes: Easy debugging and resolution

🧠 Intelligent Features

• Autocomplete: Keywords, enum values, and symbol references
• Symbol Management: Cross-file reference resolution
• Import Validation: Ensures use statements are correctly formed
• Config-based Visibility: Symbols with config = 0 are hidden

🏗️ Code Generation

Auto-Generation Tools

• Create .sylangrules: Initialize Sylang projects via Command Palette
• Generate .vml from .fml: Right-click on Feature Model files
• Generate .vcf from .vml: Right-click on Variant Model files
• Auto-generation: Proper templates and structure included

🎯 Target Industries

Sylang is designed for safety-critical systems engineering across:

• 🚗 Automotive: ASIL compliance, functional safety, system architecture
• ✈️ Aerospace: DO-178 standards, system requirements, verification
• 🏥 Medical Devices: IEC 62304, risk management, traceability
• 🏭 Industrial Systems: Safety standards, system integration, testing
• 🤖 AI-Assisted Development: Modern engineering workflows with AI tools. First principles design for AI collaboration

⚖️ LICENSE & DISCLAIMER

Copyright © 2025 Balaji Boominathan

Licensed under the Apache License 2.0 - See LICENSE for full terms.

Free to use for personal and commercial applications.

⚠️ IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

This software is provided "AS-IS" without any warranty or guarantee of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. The authors and copyright holders assume NO LIABILITY for any damages, losses, or consequences arising from the use of this software. Users accept all risks and responsibilities associated with using this software. Use at your own risk.

📝 Changelog (Recent)

v2.29.34 (Latest)

• FTA Connection Direction Fix: Corrected connection rendering from parent→child (top→bottom)
• FTA Connection Logic: Center child straight vertical, others orthogonal with horizontal segment
• FTA Spread: Gate outputs spread across 80% of gate width

v2.29.33

• FTA Connection Improvements: Center-straight, others-orthogonal routing
• FTA Layout: Verified hierarchical Y-level positioning

🔧 Built for Systems Engineers | 🤖 Designed for AI Collaboration | 🛡️ Prepared for Safety-Critical Development

Transform your systems engineering workflow with Sylang - Engineering Intelligence. Semantically. Where traditional engineering meets modern AI-assisted development. Built from first principles for AI to understand and accelerate your work.