Ceres: AI Coding Assistant with Voice

AI coding assistance with voice input and speech-to-text.

Ceres Assistant is an AI sidebar for VS Code. Chat with files, refactor code, debug errors, and review Git changes using your preferred AI provider or local model.

Why Ceres?

Ceres keeps code assistance inside your editor:

• Find relevant workspace context or add files, selections, errors, and terminal output yourself.
• Choose hosted providers or local models through OpenAI-compatible APIs.
• Dictate requests with speech-to-text.
• Control Agent Mode and automatic approval of file edits.

Edit Code with Voice

Select code and use the sidebar microphone to dictate the change you want. Send the request to your selected model, then review the response or let Agent Mode apply the change according to your approval settings.

What Ceres Is

Use it when you want help with:

• Explaining selected code
• Refactoring a function or file
• Understanding an error
• Reviewing Git changes
• Inspecting terminal output
• Troubleshooting debugging issues
• Drafting commands
• Working with local or custom AI providers
• Getting controlled suggestions for the active editor

What Ceres Is Not

Ceres is not a replacement for reviewing generated code. Model capabilities and results depend on the provider and model you choose.

Features

• AI sidebar inside VS Code: Chat with AI without leaving the editor.

• Add selected code or files to chat: Send only the code selection or file you care about.

• Active selection context: Include selected code from the active editor.

• Automatic workspace context: Navigation Mode (Agent Mode) finds relevant project files. It is enabled by default and can be disabled.

• Workspace Problems: Send diagnostics and errors from the VS Code Problems panel.

• Git worktree review: Read current staged and unstaged changes.

• Incoming Git overview: Inspect incoming commits and diffs before pulling.

• Git history context: Review recent commits and repository history.

• Voice input: Dictate prompts with speech-to-text inside the Ceres sidebar.

• Custom providers and local models: Use OpenAI-compatible endpoints, OpenRouter, DeepSeek, Ollama, LM Studio, and other compatible providers.

• File edits: Let Agent Mode edit files. Disable Auto Approve to review proposed changes before they are saved.

• Run commands: Review and approve AI-generated terminal commands.

• Place suggestion: Insert a suggestion into the active editor.

• Apply Edits [Pro]: Includes Place Suggestions and Write / Apply Tools.

• Voice requests: Describe code changes using the sidebar microphone.

Local And Hosted Models

Choose hosted providers or local models for your development workflow.

Supported providers include:

• OpenAI
• Anthropic
• Mistral
• Mercury
• OpenRouter
• Kilo Code
• Hugging Face
• DeepSeek
• Qwen
• Ollama
• LM Studio

Context Control

Ceres can use the following context. Navigation Mode (Agent Mode) is enabled by default and can be disabled when you prefer to provide context manually.

• A code selection
• A full file
• Current editor context
• Workspace diagnostics
• Git diffs
• Terminal output
• Debugging-related code and errors
• URLs, PDFs, images, audio, and other supported inputs

Navigation Mode

Navigation Mode (Agent Mode) is enabled by default. It lets Ceres search the codebase, read relevant files, inspect Git information, and use supported editing and terminal tools.

File edits follow the Auto Approve setting. Turn Auto Approve off to review proposed edits before saving. Terminal commands require approval.

You can disable Agent Mode at any time to chat using the context you provide.

Common Workflows

Explain or Improve a Selection

Select code, run Add Selected Lines to Ceres, and ask for an explanation, refactor, review, or bug check.

Default shortcut:

• Ctrl+Alt+L

On macOS:

• Cmd+Alt+L

Review Before Pulling

Ask Ceres to inspect incoming Git changes before merging them into your working tree.

Commands

Ceres contributes these VS Code commands:

• Add File to Ceres
• Add Selected Lines to Ceres
• Add Problem to Ceres

You can access them from editor context menus, explorer context menus, editor title actions, code actions, and the command palette.

Best For

Ceres is a good fit for:

• Developers who want control over AI context
• Teams working on legacy or sensitive codebases
• People using local or lower-cost models
• Developers who want to switch between Agent Mode and manual context
• Anyone who prefers dictating code requests instead of typing

Known Limits

• Agent tools depend on the capabilities of your selected model and provider.
• Provider usage charges are separate from the Ceres license.
• AI suggestions should be reviewed before you use them.

Usage

Configure your provider and model in the sidebar, then add a file or selection and type or dictate your request.

Data handling depends on your selected providers and features. Hosted providers receive the content sent to them. Requests to a local Ollama or LM Studio endpoint are processed locally.

Bug Reports and Feedback

https://ceres-assistant.com/web/contact.php

Troubleshoot Page

https://ceres-assistant.com/web/troubleshoot.php

Privacy Policy Page

https://ceres-assistant.com/web/privacy-policy.php