TechBuddy AI - VS Code Extension

Your AI-powered coding assistant for VS Code

Getting Started
Gemini API Setup
Features
Usage Guide
Troubleshooting
Contributing

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.

TechBuddy AI

Tech Buddy Space