Lodestar

Lodestar is a VS Code extension for reading code you didn't write and reviewing code before it goes in. It runs on the models you already have in GitHub Copilot Chat, so there's no extra AI subscription.

Codemaps. Ask how something works. Lodestar follows the code and answers with the path it takes, step by step, each step pinned to a real line. Click a step and the editor goes there. Tab moves to the next one.

Explain on hover. Hover a function, a keyword, an operator, even a regex, and get a few lines on what it does in this codebase. Read more opens a longer explanation with the places it's used.

Reviews. Review your uncommitted changes, a branch or a commit. You get a verdict, the diff in an order that's easy to read, and the problems: bugs, security holes, slow code, and the mess AI assistants tend to leave behind, like comments that repeat the code, tests that don't test anything, or packages that don't exist. Most findings come with a fix you can apply in one click. New dependencies are checked against OSV.dev for known vulnerabilities and against npm, PyPI, crates.io and RubyGems to make sure they're real.

It also works in Copilot Chat: @lodestar makes a map, and /review and /explain work there too.

Pricing: $10 once, plus tax where your country charges it. No subscription and no trial. One key works on all your machines and doesn't expire.

Alternatives & competitors

CodeRabbit, Greptile, Sourcegraph Cody, Swimm, DeepWiki, Qodo, Sourcery, Bito