Prompt Enhancer

Version 1.0.8 | Changelog | Technical Specs

Transform basic prompts into sophisticated, detailed prompts using OpenAI's API directly within Visual Studio Code. Designed for vibe coding, AI-assisted development, and prompt engineering best practices.

Enhance with Hotkey Initiate enhancement with a hotkey ⤴️

Choose Output Option Choose how to apply the enhanced prompt ⤴️

Example Output Example enhancement output ⤴️

Template Manager Manage templates with import/export ⤴️

✨ What's New in v1.0.8

🎨 UI Enhancements

Editor Title Bar Button: One-click enhancement from editor header
Command Palette Access: All commands available via Ctrl+Shift+P
Save Prompt Feature: Save enhancements to markdown files

📜 Prompt History

Enhancement Tracking: All your enhancements with full metadata
Statistics Dashboard: View usage, tokens, and performance
Export/Import: Backup and restore your history
VSCode Sync: History syncs with your VSCode profile

🔍 Dynamic Model Discovery

Auto-Discovery: Fetch latest OpenAI models automatically
Smart Filtering: Text models only (no embeddings/images)
Priority Sorting: Best models first (GPT-5, O-series, GPT-4)
Custom Model ID: Enter any model ID manually

🛡️ Rate Limiting

Client-Side Protection: Prevent API rate limit errors
Real-time Status: See remaining requests
Auto-Throttling: Wait automatically when needed

🐛 Debug Mode

Detailed Logging: Timestamped, categorized logs
Output Channel: Dedicated debug panel
Toggle Command: Quick enable/disable

🚀 Features

Universal One-Click Enhancement

Select any text anywhere in VSCode (editor, terminal, webviews)
Press Ctrl+Shift+Alt+/ or click the title bar button
Command Palette access for all commands
Works universally across all VSCode contexts

Dynamic Model Selection

Auto-Discovery: Fetches available models from OpenAI API
24-Hour Cache: Fast loading with periodic refresh
Smart Filtering: Excludes embeddings, image, audio models
Model Priority: GPT-5 → O-series → GPT-4 → GPT-3.5
Custom Entry: Manually enter any model ID

Advanced Template Management

Built-in Templates: 5 professionally crafted templates
- General Enhancement: Improve clarity and structure
- Technical Coding: Optimize for code generation
- Creative Writing: Enhance narrative tasks
- Code Comments: Generate documentation
- Custom Template: Your own instructions
Template Manager: Create, edit, import/export (Ctrl+Shift+Alt+T)
Dynamic Loading: Templates persist with version control

Prompt History

Full Tracking: Original + enhanced text with metadata
Statistics: Total, today, weekly, tokens, avg time
Search: Find past enhancements by content
Export: JSON backup of all history
Individual Actions: View, copy, delete entries
Profile Sync: Syncs with VSCode settings sync

Save Prompt to File

Multiple Formats:
- Original text only
- Enhanced text only
- Both side-by-side (markdown)
Auto-Naming: Timestamp-based filenames
Configurable Path: Set default save directory
Metadata Included: Model, template, timestamp
Quick Actions: Open file or show in Explorer

Flexible Output Options

Replace: Replace selected text
Insert Below: Add below selection
Insert Above: Add above selection
Copy to Clipboard: Copy for use elsewhere

Secure & Configurable

Encrypted Storage: API keys in VSCode SecretStorage
Dynamic Models: Auto-fetch from OpenAI
Adjustable Settings: Timeout, tokens, temperature
Debug Mode: Detailed logging for troubleshooting
Rate Limiting: Client-side protection

📖 Quick Start

1. Install the Extension

Install from Marketplace

Or install locally:

# Download the .vsix file
code --install-extension prompt-enhancer-ex-1.0.8.vsix

2. Configure Your API Key

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac)
2. Run "Prompt Enhancer: Configure API Key"
3. Enter your OpenAI API key

Get your API key from: https://platform.openai.com/api-keys

3. Start Enhancing

Method 1: Keyboard Shortcut

1. Select text (or leave unselected for full editor)
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+Alt+/ (Cmd+Shift+Alt+/ on Mac)
3. Choose template
4. Select output action

Method 2: Title Bar Button

1. Click the spark icon in editor title bar
2. Choose template
3. Select output action

Method 3: Command Palette

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac)
2. Type "Prompt Enhancer: Enhance"
3. Choose template
4. Select output action

Change Model

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+P
2. Type "Prompt Enhancer: Select Model"
   Or press Ctrl+Shift+Alt+M (Cmd+Shift+Alt+M on Mac)
3. View full dynamic model list from OpenAI
4. Select desired model

🎯 Usage Examples

Example 1: Technical Coding Prompt

Before:

Write a function to sort an array

After (Technical Template):

/**
 * Sorts an array of numbers in ascending order
 * @param {number[]} arr - The array to sort
 * @returns {number[]} A new sorted array
 * @throws {TypeError} If input is not an array of numbers
 */
function sortArray(arr: number[]): number[] {
  if (!Array.isArray(arr)) {
    throw new TypeError('Input must be an array');
  }
  
  if (!arr.every(n => typeof n === 'number')) {
    throw new TypeError('All elements must be numbers');
  }
  
  return [...arr].sort((a, b) => a - b);
}

// Example usage:
// sortArray([3, 1, 4, 1, 5]) // returns [1, 1, 3, 4, 5]

Example 2: Creative Writing

Before:

A story about a robot

After (Creative Template):

Write a compelling short story about a sentient robot discovering emotions.

**Setting:** Near-future dystopian city with neon-lit streets
**Protagonist:** Unit-7, a maintenance robot
**Themes:** Consciousness, humanity, emotion vs logic
**Tone:** Thoughtful, introspective, with wonder and fear
**Length:** 1,500-2,000 words

**Requirements:**
- Vivid sensory descriptions
- Character development through dialogue
- Build tension through internal conflict
- Meaningful conclusion about consciousness

Example 3: Save Enhanced Prompt

After enhancing, use Command Palette or the Save Prompt command:

Press Ctrl+Shift+P
Type "Prompt Enhancer: Save Prompt"
Choose save option:
- Original text
- Enhanced text
- Both (markdown format)
File saved to workspace (or configured directory):
```
prompt-write-a-sort-function-1708712345.md
```
Quick actions:
- Open File
- Show in Explorer

⌨️ Commands & Shortcuts

Command	Shortcut	Description
Enhance Prompt	`Ctrl+Shift+Alt+/`	Enhance selected text (or editor)
Enhance Entire Editor	-	Always use full document
Select OpenAI Model	`Ctrl+Shift+Alt+M`	View and select from dynamic model list
Configure API Key	`Ctrl+Shift+Alt+P`	Set OpenAI API key
Manage Templates	`Ctrl+Shift+Alt+T`	Template management
View History	`Ctrl+Shift+Alt+H`	View enhancement history
Toggle Debug Mode	`Ctrl+Shift+Alt+D`	Enable/disable debug logs
Save Prompt	-	Save to markdown file
Clear History	-	Clear all history

UI Access Points

Editor Title Bar: Click spark icon
Command Palette: All commands available (Ctrl+Shift+P)
Keyboard Shortcuts: See Commands table below

⚙️ Configuration

Settings

Access via File > Preferences > Settings → search "Prompt Enhancer"

Setting	Default	Description
`promptEnhancer.model`	`gpt-4o-mini`	Default model (dynamic list)
`promptEnhancer.timeout`	`30000`	Request timeout (ms)
`promptEnhancer.defaultTemplate`	`general`	Default template
`promptEnhancer.maxTokens`	`1000`	Max response tokens (100-4000)
`promptEnhancer.temperature`	`0.7`	Creativity (0.0-2.0)
`promptEnhancer.customTemplate`	`""`	Custom template text
`promptEnhancer.debugMode`	`false`	Enable debug logging
`promptEnhancer.enableHistory`	`true`	Enable history tracking
`promptEnhancer.historyLimit`	`50`	Max history entries (10-500)
`promptEnhancer.savePromptDirectory`	`""`	Default save path

Model Comparison

Model	Speed	Quality	Cost	Best For
GPT-4o-mini	⚡⚡⚡	⭐⭐⭐	💰	Daily use, cost-effective
GPT-4o	⚡⚡	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	💰💰💰	Complex tasks, best quality
GPT-3.5-turbo	⚡⚡⚡	⭐⭐	💰	Simple prompts, fastest
O1 Preview	⚡	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	💰💰💰💰	Reasoning, complex logic
O1 Mini	⚡⚡	⭐⭐⭐⭐	💰💰💰	Technical reasoning

Dynamic model discovery shows all available models automatically.

🔧 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

❌ "No text selected" error

Select text or use "Enhance Entire Editor" command
Editor title button works with full document

❌ "Invalid API key" error

Verify API key is correct (starts with sk-)
Check API key has available credits
Re-enter via Command Palette

❌ "Request timeout" error

Increase timeout in settings
Check internet connection
Try a different model

❌ "Rate limit exceeded" error

Wait for the shown countdown
Client-side limiter prevents this now
Check OpenAI account tier limits

❌ "No models returned" error

Check API key validity
Verify internet connection
Use "Custom Model ID" as fallback

❌ History not showing

Ensure enableHistory is true
Check if history was cleared
Verify VSCode sync if using multiple devices

Debug Mode

Enable for detailed troubleshooting:

Press Ctrl+Shift+Alt+D to toggle
View logs: View > Output > Prompt Enhancer (Debug)
Logs include timestamps, categories, and data

📦 Installation Options

From Marketplace (Recommended)

Install from VSCode Marketplace

Manual Installation

# Download .vsix from releases
code --install-extension prompt-enhancer-ex-1.0.8.vsix

Build from Source

git clone https://github.com/ruhanirabin/vscode-prompt-enhancer.git
cd vscode-prompt-enhancer
npm install
npm run package
code --install-extension prompt-enhancer-ex-1.0.8.vsix

🛠️ Development

Prerequisites

Node.js 18.x or higher
VSCode 1.85.0 or higher
OpenAI API key

Setup

npm install
npm run watch    # Development mode
npm run compile  # One-time build
npm run lint     # Code quality check
npm test         # Run tests

Testing

# Unit tests
npm test

# Run extension
F5 in VSCode

# Package for distribution
npm run package

See TECHNICAL_SPECIFICATION.md for full details.

🔒 Privacy & Security

API Keys: Encrypted via VSCode SecretStorage
Data: Only selected text sent to OpenAI
History: Stored locally, syncs via VSCode (if enabled)
No Telemetry: No user data collection
HTTPS Only: All communication encrypted
Open Source: Full code transparency

📚 Additional Resources

CHANGELOG - Version history
TECHNICAL_SPECIFICATION.md - Build & dev guide
GitHub Issues - Report bugs
Discussions - Community

🤝 Contributing

Contributions welcome! See our Contributing Guide:

Fork the repository
Create feature branch
Make changes
Run npm run lint and npm test
Submit pull request

📄 License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

🙏 Support

🐛 Issues: GitHub Issues
💬 Discussions: GitHub Discussions
📖 Docs: Wiki
⭐ Rate: Leave a review on the Marketplace

Made with ❤️ for the VSCode community

Transform your prompts, enhance your productivity! 🚀

📊 Version History

Version	Date	Key Features
1.0.8	2026-02-23	UI buttons, history, save prompt, rate limiting, debug mode, dynamic models
1.0.7	2025-08-02	Template manager, dynamic templates
1.0.6	2025-08-01	Clipboard handling improvements
1.0.0	2025-08-01	Initial release

See CHANGELOG.md for full history.

Prompt Enhancer - Build Advanced Prompts with OpenAI API

Ruhani Rabin