Explain This Project
Instantly understand any codebase.
Ever feel lost when you open a new project? "Explain This Project" is your personal guide. It scans your project, analyzes its structure, and writes a clear, comprehensive PROJECT_OVERVIEW.md file for you in seconds.
It's like having a senior developer give you a tour of the project—without the wait.
Why You'll Love It
- Onboard Faster - Jump into a new project and understand its structure in minutes, not days
- Save Time - No more digging through
package.json files or hunting for the main entry point
- Collaborate Better - Generate a clear overview to share with your team
- Works Offline - No internet connection needed. Your code stays on your machine
- Multi-Language Support - Works with JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Rust, Go, PHP, and more
Features
Smart Project Analysis
The extension automatically detects:
- Programming languages (JavaScript, Python, Rust, Go, and more)
- Frameworks (React, Vue, Express, Django, Flask, Laravel, etc.)
- Dependencies and development tools
- Entry points and key project files
- Directory structure (ignores noise like
node_modules)
Multi-Language Support
- JavaScript/TypeScript - Analyzes
package.json, detects frameworks (React, Vue, Svelte, Next.js, Express, etc.)
- Python - Supports
requirements.txt and pyproject.toml, detects Django/Flask frameworks
- Rust - Parses
Cargo.toml, identifies applications vs libraries
- Go - Analyzes
go.mod files and project structure
- PHP - Reads
composer.json, detects Laravel, Symfony, CakePHP
- Java, C#, C++, C - Basic file extension detection
Clean, Structured Output
- Generates a well-formatted
PROJECT_OVERVIEW.md file
- Organized sections for easy reading
- Timestamped for tracking when analysis was performed
- No guesswork—only reports what actually exists
Installation
From VS Code Marketplace
- Open VS Code
- Go to Extensions (
Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
- Search for "Explain This Project"
- Click Install
From VSIX File
code --install-extension explain-this-project-0.1.0.vsix
How to Use
It's as simple as 1-2-3:
- Open any project in VS Code
- Open Command Palette (
Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P)
- Run command:
Explain This Project
- Done! A new
PROJECT_OVERVIEW.md file appears in your project root
Example Output
# Project Overview
## Basic Information
**Name:** my-react-app
**Type:** Application (Build-enabled)
**Primary Language:** TypeScript
## Frameworks & Libraries
- React
- Express
## Entry Points
- `src/index.ts`
- `src/server.ts`
## Project Structure
- `src/`
- `public/`
- `tests/`
## Dependencies
- react
- react-dom
- express
## Development Dependencies
- typescript
- eslint
- @types/react
---
*Generated by Explain This Project extension*
Configuration
Customize the extension through VS Code settings:
{
"explainThisProject.includeDevDependencies": true,
"explainThisProject.maxDirectoryDepth": 3,
"explainThisProject.excludeDirectories": [
"node_modules", ".git", "dist", "build", "coverage"
]
}
Available Settings
| Setting |
Type |
Default |
Description |
includeDevDependencies |
boolean |
true |
Include development dependencies in analysis |
maxDirectoryDepth |
number |
3 |
Maximum directory depth to analyze |
excludeDirectories |
array |
["node_modules", ".git", "dist", "build", "coverage"] |
Directories to exclude from analysis |
Requirements
- VS Code 1.105.0 or higher
- An open workspace/folder
- No network connectivity required
- No external dependencies needed
Roadmap
- VS Code Sidebar View - Interactive project overview panel
- CLI Version - Standalone command-line tool
- AI Integration - Optional natural language summaries
- Configuration Files Analysis - Deeper insights into project setup
- Architecture Visualization - Dependency graphs and structure diagrams
Support & Issues
Having trouble or have a feature idea?
Common Issues
Extension doesn't appear in Command Palette?
- Ensure you have a workspace/folder open in VS Code
- Restart VS Code after installation
No PROJECT_OVERVIEW.md generated?
- Check VS Code Output panel for error messages
- Ensure you have read permissions in the project directory
Performance issues with large projects?
- Reduce
maxDirectoryDepth in settings
- Add large directories to
excludeDirectories
Contributing
Want to help make this extension better? Check out our Contributing Guide for developer information on building, testing, and publishing.
License
MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.
Support This Project
- Star this repository if you find it helpful
- Share with other developers who might find it useful
- Report bugs and suggest features
- Contribute to make it even better
