ddot.it — VS Code support

Authoring support for ddot.it, a minimal text format for typed knowledge graphs. Each line is a triple — subject ..predicate.. object — written with double-dot separators.

Facts

License: MIT

What is ddot.it?

ddot.it is a line-oriented graph notation built around two separators:

.. — typed link: subject ..predicate.. object
.... — simple (untyped) link: subject .... object

Continuations and metadata extend a triple without repeating the subject:

Project Eagle ..started in.. 2024
..doc site.. example.com/docbase/8dcjsid

John Doe ..leads.. Project Eagle ,, ..since.. 2025

Project Eagle .... Moonshot

Dirk Hagemann ..works at.. SAP ,,
..year.. 2010
..fictive.. yes
,,

Lines starting with .. continue the previous subject. ,, opens metadata; a closing ,, ends a multi-line metadata block.

For the full format spec and the canonical event JSON shape, see the ddot.it Developer Guide → Events.

What this extension does

Syntax highlighting for .ddot files.
Smart completions that understand triple slots:
- typing in the subject slot suggests known subjects;
- typing in the predicate slot suggests known predicates;
- typing in the object slot suggests known objects.
- Multi-word entities (e.g. John Doe) complete as a single unit — VS Code's word-level filtering is overridden so spaces don't break suggestions.
- Suggestions are prefix-matched (case-insensitive), not fuzzy — so typing a brand-new entity name doesn't surface unrelated entities and ENTER goes to a newline as expected.
- Picking a subject auto-inserts .. and surfaces predicates; picking a predicate auto-inserts .. and surfaces objects; picking an object inserts a newline ready for the next triple.
- On a fresh line after a complete triple (continuation context), suggestions auto-open with ..rel..-form predicates so a new continuation triple needs only two picks.
- When the cursor sits right after .., predicates show as ..rel.. items whose range absorbs the existing .. (no doubled dots on accept).
Canonical formatter (Format Document):
- Typed link → subject ..predicate.. object
- Simple link → subject .... object
- Continuation → ..predicate.. object
- Metadata → ,, content inline, ,, at end of line
Document symbols — every distinct subject in the file is listed in the outline.
Folding — collapses a subject and its continuation lines.
Commands (Command Palette):
- ddot.it: Format Document
- ddot.it: Validate Document
- ddot.it: Export as JSON — emits one triple event per line (JSONL) with fields from, type, to, meta, kind, source, location. Continuation lines, simple links (....), and inline / multi-line metadata (,,) all parse into the same event shape so the output drops straight into a ddot.it collector.

Using it

Open any .ddot file. Highlighting and completions activate automatically.
Start a new triple by typing a subject; press the suggested entry or keep typing for a new one.
Type .. to advance to the predicate slot. The menu shows ..rel.. items — pick one to fill in the predicate and the closing separator in one go.
Pick or type an object, press ENTER. If a complete triple precedes you, suggestions reopen automatically with ..rel.. items so the next triple needs only two picks.
Run Format Document at any time to normalize spacing to the canonical form.

Keyboard tips

Ctrl+Space — manually invoke suggestions.
Tab / Enter — accept the highlighted suggestion. (If editor.acceptSuggestionOnEnter is off in your settings, Enter always inserts a newline regardless.)
Esc — dismiss the suggestions menu.

Building from source

cd editor-support/vscode
npm install
npm run compile     # or: npm run watch

Press F5 in VS Code to launch an Extension Development Host with the extension loaded. Open or create a .ddot file in the host window to try it.

Status

The language is stable. This extension is usable right now.

ddot.it: Knowledge Graphs

Calpano