Smart Context: Local, Open-Source Code Context Solution

Quickly copy entire folders to your clipboard, respecting .gitignore, for use in ChatGPT or other AI apps as context.

Smart Context is an open-source VS Code extension that gives you full control over how you manage and copy text from your projects—without ever leaving your local environment. It respects .gitignore and keeps your private code secure, unlike cloud-dependent alternatives like uithub.com.

Why Smart Context?

• 100% Open-Source: Modify and extend it to fit your needs. It's your tool, fully under your control.
• Private and Secure: Works locally on your machine, ensuring that sensitive or proprietary code stays private—no external APIs involved.
• Respects .gitignore: Automatically excludes files and folders specified in .gitignore, making it ideal for large projects.

Key Features

• Copy Text Files Easily: Grab contents from all text files in a selected folder and paste them wherever you need.
• Support for Multiple Extensions: Recognizes a wide range of file extensions, ensuring that all your relevant text data is included.
• Seamless Workflow: No complex setup or configuration—just right-click, copy, and paste.

How to Use

1. Right-Click: Right-click on any folder in the VS Code file explorer.
2. Select Command: Choose "Smart Context: Copy Folder Contents to Clipboard".
3. Paste: Paste the concatenated file contents, including relative paths, wherever needed.

Alternatively:

• Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P).
• Select "Smart Context: Copy Folder Contents to Clipboard".
• Choose your folder.

Why Choose Smart Context Over uithub.com?

• Complete Privacy: Unlike uithub.com, Smart Context operates entirely on your machine, ensuring no code leaves your environment.
• Open-Source Freedom: Customize the tool as you see fit—no locked-down features or hidden limitations.
• .gitignore Compliance: Automatically exclude files you don't need, streamlining your workflow.

Installation

From GitHub

1. Download: Get the latest .vsix file from our GitHub Releases.
2. Install:
   • Drag the .vsix into the VS Code Extensions view, or
   • Open the Extensions view, click the "..." menu, select "Install from VSIX...", and choose the file.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Author

🌴 Brian is the creator of Smart Context for VS Code. He’s passionate about building tools that empower individuals while keeping privacy at the forefront. Follow his updates on Twitter at @wfhbrian.