ExplainDev Chrome Extension

When you install ExplainDev, you'll get Explain options added to any code on GitHub, Stack Overflow, documentation, config files, and learning sites.

The first question we answer is: What is this code doing?

❎ Don't wait for another Dev
❎ Don't open a new tab

Developers turn to the web for solutions when they get stuck. And when you're new to a programming language, it's often hard to understand the solutions or examples written by others. ExplainDev is a browser extension for increasing productivity by shortening the turnaround time between finding code online and applying it to your project.

FAQ

You can email me any additional questions at ianeta@explain.dev 

  • What is ExplainDev?

    Whether browsing code repositories or websites with code snippets, after installing ExplainDev, code you see will have a button appended to it that upon click, provides a description of what the code does. You will also have an Explain option included in your right-click menu.

  • Where do ExplainDev explanations come from?

    When you hit the Explain button, we generate explanations to the selected code/code block in real time. The ExplainDev browser extension sends the code or code blocks you select to the ExplainDev service, which uses OpenAI Codex.

  • What programming languages does ExplainDev work for?

    So far we've seen that ExplainDev does especially well with Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Go, Ruby, PHP, and SQL, but it is proficient in many, many more languages!

  • Is the transmitted data secure?

    All data is transmitted and stored securely. Inspection of the gathered code will be predominantly automatic, and when a human reads it, it is specifically with the aim of understanding how people use ExplainDev and improving explanations.

  • Does ExplainDev track the websites I browse?

    No. Your privacy is super important to us. Nothing gets tracked before hitting the explain button and the only thing we send when you click explain is the code from the codeblock. The other information we store is what we can derive from the code itself.

    You can inspect what data is sent to our servers easily. Watch this video to learn how to do it.

  • How do I use ExplainDev?

    To use ExplainDev:

    1. Install the Chrome Extension 
    2. Create an account (default: free)
    3. Browse as normal; but when you see code on a website, use the explain button or option in your right-click menu to get explanations and ask questions

    I made a quick video of these steps here: https://youtu.be/SQK25Gnejc4 

  • What browsers are compatible?

    Chrome, Brave

  • What information is stored?

    During this phase we store the code you choose to get explained along with any feedback you provide to understand how people use ExplainDev and how we perform for those uses. In the future, we’ll provide you granular control of what’s stored in our platform and what your preferences are for where ExplainDev works.

  • Does ExplainDev work on all websites?

    Today ExplainDev can detect code blocks on HTTPS websites, code repositories, forums, docs and blog websites. Found somewhere Explain buttons aren't popping up? Use the ExplainDev option in your right click menu, then, let us know! We want to hear about places where ExplainDev is not currently detecting code.