TechBuddy AI - VS Code Extension

Your AI-powered coding assistant for VS Code
Table of Contents
Getting Started
- Install the extension from the VS Code Marketplace
- Open VS Code and activate the TechBuddy sidebar
- Set up your Gemini API key (see below)
Gemini API Setup
How to Get Your API Key
- Go to Google AI Studio
- Sign in with your Google account
- Click on "Get API Key" in the left sidebar
- Create a new API key or use an existing one
Setting the API Key in TechBuddy
- Open Command Palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P
/Cmd+Shift+P
)
- Run "TechBuddy: Set API Key"
- Paste your Gemini API key when prompted
- The key will be securely stored in VS Code's secret storage
Features
🛠️ Core Functionalities
Feature |
Command |
Description |
Code Analysis |
TechBuddy: Analyze File |
Get AI-powered analysis of your code |
Smart Refactoring |
TechBuddy: Modify Code |
Refactor code using natural language |
Test Generation |
TechBuddy: Generate Tests |
Create test files automatically |
Project Scaffolding |
TechBuddy: Scaffold Project |
Generate project structure from description |
File Merging |
TechBuddy: Merge Files |
Combine multiple files into one view |
🎨 UI Components
- Sidebar Panel: Quick access to all features
- Status Bar Item: Shows current AI status
- Webview Panels: Interactive analysis results
Usage Guide
1. Analyzing Code
1. Right-click a file in Explorer
2. Select "Analyze with TechBuddy"
3. View detailed suggestions in the output panel
2. Modifying Code
1. Open the file you want to modify
2. Run "TechBuddy: Modify Code" from Command Palette
3. Describe your changes (e.g., "Convert to async/await")
4. Review and accept the changes
3. Generating Tests
1. Open a source code file
2. Run "TechBuddy: Generate Tests"
3. The extension will create a corresponding test file
4. Scaffolding Projects
1. Right-click in Explorer
2. Select "Scaffold New Project"
3. Describe your project needs:
Example: "React app with TypeScript and TailwindCSS"
4. Watch TechBuddy generate the structure!
5. Merging Files
1. Right-click a folder
2. Select "Merge Files"
3. View combined output in new editor
4. (Optional) Save to file
Configuration Options
Add these to your VS Code settings (settings.json
):
{
"techbuddy.apiKey": "your_api_key_here",
"techbuddy.maxFileSize": 10000,
"techbuddy.enableTelemetry": true,
"techbuddy.testFramework": "jest"
}
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
❌ "API Key Invalid"
- Verify your key at Google AI Studio
- Check your quota limits
- Re-enter the key using "TechBuddy: Set API Key"
❌ Extension Not Responding
- Open VS Code Developer Tools (
Help > Toggle Developer Tools
)
- Check for errors in the Console tab
- Reload the window (
Ctrl+R
/Cmd+R
)
❌ Slow Performance
- Reduce the max file size in settings
- Exclude large directories via
.techbuddyignore
file
Contributing
We welcome contributions! Here's how to help:
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch (
git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature
)
- Commit your changes (
git commit -m 'Add amazing feature'
)
- Push to the branch (
git push origin feature/amazing-feature
)
- Open a Pull Request
License
MIT License - See LICENSE for details
Happy Coding with TechBuddy! 🚀
For support, please open an issue on our GitHub repository.