comment-gen

Comment Generator

Good comments explain WHY, not WHAT. This tool reads your code, understands the intent, and adds comments that actually help future readers.

One command. Zero config. Just works.

Quick Start

npx ai-comment ./src/algorithm.ts

What It Does

• Adds inline comments explaining the reasoning behind complex code
• Focuses on WHY the code does something, not WHAT it does
• Supports multiple verbosity levels for different audiences
• Preserves your existing formatting

Usage Examples

# Add concise comments
npx ai-comment ./src/algorithm.ts

# More detailed explanations
npx ai-comment ./src/utils.js --style detailed

# For junior developer onboarding
npx ai-comment ./src/parser.ts --style beginner

# Preview without changing files
npx ai-comment ./src/complex.ts --dry-run

Best Practices

• Don't over-comment - simple code doesn't need comments
• Focus on complex logic - business rules, edge cases, workarounds
• Review the output - make sure comments are accurate
• Update when code changes - stale comments are worse than none

When to Use This

• Inherited a codebase with no documentation
• Onboarding new team members
• Complex algorithms that need explanation
• Before going on vacation so others can maintain your code

Part of the LXGIC Dev Toolkit

This is one of 110+ free developer tools built by LXGIC Studios. No paywalls, no sign-ups, no API keys on free tiers. Just tools that work.

Find more:

• GitHub: https://github.com/LXGIC-Studios
• Twitter: https://x.com/lxgicstudios
• Substack: https://lxgicstudios.substack.com
• Website: https://lxgicstudios.com

Requirements

No install needed. Just run with npx. Node.js 18+ recommended. Needs OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable.

npx ai-comment --help

How It Works

Reads your code file, sends it to GPT-4o-mini, and receives the same code with meaningful inline comments added. The AI analyzes control flow, business logic, and edge cases to explain the reasoning.

License

MIT. Free forever. Use it however you want.