LiveReview — Reviewed-by-Default for VS Code

LiveReview brings reviewed-by-default engineering into your editor.

It integrates with the LiveReview CLI (lrc) to enforce AI-assisted code review plus explicit human attestation at commit time—without changing how you normally write code.

This extension is not about automation for its own sake. It exists to help teams build a culture of checking, not believing.

Why LiveReview Exists

Modern teams routinely commit code that hasn’t been fully read or understood.

Not out of negligence—but because:

• diffs grow large,
• reviews are deferred to merge time,
• and the system allows unread code to slip through.

The result is:

• weak understanding,
• poor debugging,
• avoidable production issues,
• and diffused responsibility.

LiveReview fixes this by making review the default, not an afterthought.

What This Extension Does

The VS Code extension provides editor-level visibility and ergonomics for LiveReview:

• Surfaces pre-commit review status inside VS Code
• Integrates cleanly with Git workflows
• Reinforces reviewed-by-default behavior without disruption
• Makes review outcomes explicit and visible

The enforcement itself happens via the LiveReview CLI (lrc). The extension ensures developers stay aware and aligned while coding.

How the Workflow Works

LiveReview is intentionally minimal and Git-native.

git add .
git lrc review              # or: git lrc review --skip
git commit -m "message"

Each commit records an explicit outcome:

LiveReview pre-commit check: ran

or, if consciously bypassed:

LiveReview pre-commit check: manually skipped

There is no silent path.

Either the code was reviewed—or the decision to skip was deliberate and recorded.

What the VS Code Extension Adds

Inside VS Code, LiveReview:

• Reflects the current review state of your working tree
• Signals whether a review has been run or skipped
• Keeps review top-of-mind while context is fresh
• Reinforces responsibility before the commit happens

No new workflow. No modal interruptions. Just clear signals at the right time.

Design Principles

LiveReview is built around a few non-negotiable principles:

Reviewed by Default

Code should not exist unless it has been reviewed.

Incremental, Not Overwhelming

Review small changes early—when understanding is cheapest.

Responsibility Stays with the Author

Reviews do not transfer ownership. They sharpen it.

Checking Over Believing

We rely on verification, not trust or seniority.

What LiveReview Is Not

• Not a replacement for human judgment
• Not a post-merge review tool
• Not a heavy process or workflow overhaul
• Not “AI for AI’s sake”

LiveReview is a hygiene standard, enforced by defaults.

Requirements

• Git
• LiveReview CLI (lrc) installed and configured
• VS Code (recent stable version)

The extension assumes lrc is available in your environment.

Who This Is For

• Teams that care about engineering professionalism
• Developers who want stronger understanding of their own code
• Organizations building a culture of checking
• Anyone who believes unread code is a liability

The Standard We’re Normalizing

In mature engineering cultures, this should feel obvious:

I don’t commit code I haven’t checked.

LiveReview exists to make that standard enforceable, visible, and routine.