Documentation
Complete guide to using Code Context Notes for smart code annotations
What Problem Does This Solve?
Understanding the core challenge and how Code Context Notes addresses it
The Problem
The Solution
Code Context Notes provides contextual annotations that:
Perfect For:
- 📝 Technical debt documentation
- 🎓 Onboarding new developers
- 💡 Implementation decisions
- 🤝 Team knowledge sharing
Installation
Get started with Code Context Notes in VS Code
From VS Code Marketplace
- Open VS Code
- Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)
- Search for "Code Context Notes"
- Click Install
From Open VSX Registry (VS Codium)
Available for VS Codium and other Open VSX compatible editors
codium --install-extension jnahian.code-context-notesFrom Command Line
code --install-extension jnahian.code-context-notesQuick Start
Add your first note in three simple steps
Select Code
Highlight the line(s) of code you want to annotate
Add Note
Right-click and select "Code Notes: Add Note", or press Ctrl+Alt+N (or Cmd+Alt+N on Mac)
Save
Type your note with markdown formatting and click Save
Keyboard Shortcuts
Speed up your workflow with these shortcuts
Main Commands
Right-click menu or shortcut
Markdown Formatting
On Mac, use Cmd instead of Ctrl
Key Features
What makes Code Context Notes powerful
Native VS Code Integration
Uses VS Code's native comment UI with CodeLens indicators and inline editing
Intelligent Content Tracking
Notes follow code content even when line numbers change using content hash tracking
Complete Version History
Full audit trail of all note modifications with timestamps and authors
Human-Readable Storage
Notes stored as markdown files in .code-notes/ directory
Usage Guide
Detailed instructions for common tasks
Multiple Notes Per LineNew
Add unlimited annotations to the same code location with smart navigation between notes.
Adding Multiple Notes
- Click the "➕ Add Note" CodeLens button on a line with existing notes
- Or click the button in the comment thread
- Each line can have unlimited notes with unique perspectives
Navigating Between Notes
- Previous button: Navigate to the previous note
- Next button: Navigate to the next note
- Indicator: Shows "Note X of Y" to track position
Button Layout
[+] [Edit] [History] [Delete][<] [>] [+] [Edit] [History] [Delete]Editing Notes
- Click the Edit button (pencil icon) in the comment thread
- Modify the note content with markdown formatting
- Click Save to create a new history entry
- Or click Cancel to discard changes
Viewing History
- Click the History button (clock icon) in the comment thread
- History appears as replies showing action, author, and timestamp
- View previous content for each edit
Deleting Notes
- Click the Delete button (trash icon) in the comment thread
- Confirm the deletion
- Note is marked as deleted in history (not permanently removed)
- CodeLens indicator disappears
Markdown Formatting
Full markdown support with keyboard shortcuts
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function example() {...}
```[link text](https://example.com)- Unordered list
1. Ordered listConfiguration
Customize Code Context Notes to your preferences
Storage Directory
"codeContextNotes.storageDirectory": ".code-notes"Directory where notes are stored (relative to workspace root). Default: .code-notes
Author Name
"codeContextNotes.authorName": "Your Name"Override automatic username detection. Default: git username or system username
Show CodeLens
"codeContextNotes.showCodeLens": trueEnable/disable CodeLens indicators above code with notes. Default: true
Frequently Asked Questions
Do notes stay with my code when I refactor?
Yes! Notes use content hash tracking to follow code even when line numbers change. If you move code to a different location, the note moves with it.
Can I use notes with any programming language?
Yes! Notes work with all file types and languages supported by VS Code.
Are notes stored in my repository?
Notes are stored in .code-notes/ directory. You can choose to commit them (to share with team) or add to .gitignore (to keep them local).
How do I share notes with my team?
Commit the .code-notes/ directory to your repository. Team members with the extension installed will see all notes.
What's the performance impact?
Minimal. The extension uses caching and efficient algorithms. Even with 100+ notes, you won't notice any lag.
Support & Contributing
Get help or contribute to the project
Requirements: VS Code 1.80.0 or higher, Git (optional, for author detection)
License: MIT - Free and open source