FAQ
What does changAIs do?
Section titled “What does changAIs do?”changAIs helps you review code changed by AI tools. It shows changed files, diff views, and AI notes tied to the files or lines they describe. See the Overview for the full product summary.
Which editors are supported?
Section titled “Which editors are supported?”changAIs supports Visual Studio Code and compatible VS Code-based editors such as VSCodium.
Which AI coding tools are supported?
Section titled “Which AI coding tools are supported?”changAIs currently supports setup workflows for Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Windsurf, Aider, Gemini CLI, OpenCode, and Qwen Code.
Codex and more AI coding assistants are planned on the Roadmap.
How do I install changAIs?
Section titled “How do I install changAIs?”Install changAIs from the marketplace for your editor:
- VS Code: Visual Studio Marketplace.
- VSCodium and compatible editors: Open VSX Registry.
Downloaded .vsix packages can also be installed with Extensions: Install from VSIX.... See Install for marketplace and manual installation steps.
Do I need a report file?
Section titled “Do I need a report file?”Yes. changAIs uses reports to connect changed files with AI notes and review state. Reports can come from changAIs-compatible workflows or manually selected local report files. See Reports for loading behavior and Report Format if you want to generate reports outside the app.
What if a report does not match my files?
Section titled “What if a report does not match my files?”Open the same project folder and file state used to create the report. If files were moved, deleted, or changed after the report was created, notes may not line up with the current diff. The Reports troubleshooting section lists the checks to run first.
Is changAIs a code review replacement?
Section titled “Is changAIs a code review replacement?”No. changAIs helps you inspect AI-generated changes, but you still decide what is correct, safe, and ready to commit. The Review Notes guide describes how to work through diffs, notes, replies, and checked or resolved state.
Does changAIs send my code anywhere?
Section titled “Does changAIs send my code anywhere?”No. changAIs runs inside your editor and reads local project and report data for the review workflow. It does not upload your code as part of normal use.
If you choose to send reports, logs, screenshots, or code snippets to support, remove anything private or sensitive first.
Does Prepare AI Follow-up Prompt send anything automatically?
Section titled “Does Prepare AI Follow-up Prompt send anything automatically?”No. The command writes .changais/prompt.md in your workspace. It includes the current report notes and your replies from .changais/replies.json. You still choose how to give that prompt to your AI assistant.
What is the difference between prompt.md and Markdown export?
Section titled “What is the difference between prompt.md and Markdown export?”.changais/prompt.md is for AI follow-up work. It tells your AI assistant how to act on your replies.
Markdown export is a review artifact for sharing or record keeping. It is saved under .changais/exports/ with a dated filename.
What should I check before committing AI-generated changes?
Section titled “What should I check before committing AI-generated changes?”Review the diff, read the AI notes, verify risky behavior with tests or manual checks, and commit only the changes you understand and accept. Start with Getting Started for the basic flow, then use the habits in Review Notes.