Staleproof for VS Code, Cursor and Windsurf

Staleproof checks what your docs say about your repository against the repository itself, while you type. A README that runs npm run lint:docs after the script was renamed, an AGENTS.md that sends your coding agent to a file that moved, a link to a heading that no longer exists, a docs example that passes a keyword the function lost, a docstring that documents a parameter the signature dropped: each shows up on the exact text, with the reason and where Staleproof looked.

It reads the files on disk, your unsaved edits, git and a local parse cache. No account, no graph database, and nothing leaves your machine.

What you get

Diagnostics in docs pages, READMEs, AI agent files (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, .cursor/rules, Copilot, Windsurf and Cline rules) and docstrings in Python, TypeScript and JavaScript, 300 ms after you stop typing, from the unsaved text. Every rule is listed at staleproof.dev/#/docs/rules.
Quick fixes: the fix Staleproof verified (the finding is gone after the edit and nothing new appears), and "Ignore this rule here", which writes the suppression comment staleproof lint honours. Both are offered only when they work on the text as it is in the editor.
Hover on a code span in the docs (Client.query) or a call in a docs example shows the signature and where it is defined; Go to Definition jumps there.
Hover on a function or class in the code shows "Documented in N places" with links; Find All References adds the docs lines; a code lens reads "N docs reference this".
Staleproof: Fix all in file applies every verified fix in the current file.
Staleproof: Audit workspace checks every docs page and lists the findings in the Problems panel.

The workspace's .staleproof.toml applies (rules turned off or raised, excluded paths, extra agent files), as for staleproof lint. Edits to code reach the docs findings of other files when you save.

Requirements

Node.js 20 or later. The extension starts staleproof lsp from, in order:

the staleproof.path setting, if you set it;
the workspace's own install, node_modules/.bin/staleproof (npm i -D staleproof);
a staleproof on your PATH (npm i -g staleproof);
npx -y staleproof@<the version this extension was built for> (downloaded once).

An install older than the first release with staleproof lsp is passed over.

Settings

Setting	Default	What it does
`staleproof.enable`	`true`	Run the checks.
`staleproof.codeLens`	`true`	Show "N docs reference this" above functions and classes.
`staleproof.path`	empty	The `staleproof` executable to run (`~` and `${workspaceFolder}` are expanded).
`staleproof.trace.server`	`off`	Log the language server messages in Output: Staleproof.

Cursor and Windsurf

Install the same extension from Open VSX, or the .vsix with "Extensions: Install from VSIX...". It uses only the standard language client, so every feature works the same.

Other editors

staleproof lsp is a standard language server on stdio. Neovim, Zed, Helix and JetBrains IDEs: staleproof.dev/#/docs/editors.

Troubleshooting

Run Staleproof: Show output: the first line says which staleproof started. If none did, add it to the project (npm i -D staleproof) or set staleproof.path. Staleproof: Restart server picks up a new install.