Grimoire — AI Codebase Map

Your codebase, decoded — AI-powered visualization, inline annotation, and plain-English descriptions for any project.

Grimoire maps your entire codebase into an interactive, browsable map — like a field guide for your repo. Every file gets a description of what it does, color-coded tags based on its imports, and one-click navigation to the source. Folders and files are laid out in a clean, scrollable list so you can read descriptions without squinting.

Built for vibe coders, new developer onboarding, non-technical teammates, and anyone who inherits a codebase and thinks "...where do I even start?"

Who Is This For?

• Vibe coders who build with AI and want to actually understand what they've built
• New team members onboarding to an unfamiliar codebase
• Solo devs returning to a project after months away
• Tech leads who need to explain architecture to non-technical stakeholders
• Students learning how real-world projects are structured
• Anyone who's ever opened a repo and felt lost

Features

Interactive Codebase Map

See your entire project at a glance. Folders and files are organized in a clean, scrollable layout with full descriptions visible. Click folders to zoom in, breadcrumbs to zoom back out. Search with Cmd+K / Ctrl+K from anywhere.

AI-Powered Descriptions

Every file and folder gets a 10-25 word description of what it actually does. Powered by Claude. During your first scan, choose between Plain English (no jargon — perfect for vibe coders) or Technical mode.

Smart Scan Flow

One command does everything: scans your project structure, generates AI descriptions, and optionally adds inline comments — all in a single guided flow. No separate commands to remember.

4 Annotation Modes

Add AI-generated inline comments to any file — or your entire workspace at once:

You can pick your annotation style during scan, or add comments later via the Command Palette.

Smart Import Tags

Files are automatically tagged based on their imports — api, auth, database, ai, state, routing, and 80+ more patterns. Tags are color-coded in the map.

Sidebar Tree View

Collapsible tree in the VS Code sidebar with smart icons, descriptions, and rich tooltips showing code snippets.

Floating Toolbar

Adjust text size (S / M / L) and toggle Plain English mode without leaving the map.

Quick Start

1. Install the extension
2. Open a project in VS Code
3. Cmd+Shift+P → "Grimoire: Scan Project"
4. If you have an API key set, Grimoire will ask your preferred description style and whether to add inline comments — then scan everything automatically
5. Cmd+Shift+P → "Grimoire: Open Interactive Map" to explore your project

To set up your API key:

• Cmd+Shift+P → "Grimoire: Setup / API Key"
• Or go to Settings → search grim.anthropicApiKey

No API key? The scan still works — you'll get structure, tags, and heuristic descriptions. AI just makes them way better.

Commands

Settings

Privacy & Security

• Your API key is stored locally in VS Code settings — never sent anywhere except api.anthropic.com
• Grimoire does not collect telemetry, analytics, or usage data
• Code is sent to the Anthropic API only when you scan or annotate, and only to api.anthropic.com
• The .grimoire.json cache file stays in your project folder — add it to .gitignore if you like

Pricing

Free tier: All features work with your own Anthropic API key. You pay Anthropic directly for API usage (typically $0.50-2.00 per project scan).

Grimoire Pro ($5/month, coming soon): No API key needed. Everything just works. Priority support and early access to new features.

Requirements

• VS Code 1.80.0 or later
• For AI features: an Anthropic API key

Feedback & Issues

Found a bug? Have a feature request? Open an issue on the GitHub repository.

Built with Claude by Anthropic.