Explain Changes

Provides AI-assisted, inline diff explanations and annotations for code changes.

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2

GitHub Stars

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Language

5 months ago

First Indexed

2 months ago

Catalog Refreshed

Documentation & install

Readme and setup notes from the catalogue, plus a client-ready config you can copy for your MCP host.

Installation

Add the following to your MCP client configuration file.

Configuration

View docs

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vltansky-explain-changes-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "explain-changes-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

You can run Explain Changes as an MCP server to get AI-assisted peer review annotations for code changes directly in your editor. It analyzes your diffs and provides inline explanations, making it easier to understand and improve changes before merging.

How to use

Install the extension in your editor. It provides a visual diff with inline annotations and connects to an MCP server that runs the tool show_diff_explanation.

Connect your editor’s AI features to the MCP server so you can trigger explain-changes analysis from your chat or commands. Use the provided MCP flow to have AI review your diffs, annotate the changes, and present the explanation in a panel.

How to install

Prerequisites: ensure you have Node.js and npm installed on your system.

Install the extension from your editor’s marketplace or load the provided extension package.
If the extension cannot auto-configure, set up the MCP server manually using the following configuration.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "explain_changes": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "explain-changes-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Configuration notes

The MCP server is designed to auto-configure on first activation, but you can override or customize the setup if needed.

Security and usage tips

Keep your MCP server accessible only to trusted environments. When using local servers, ensure your environment variables and access controls are properly configured to prevent unauthorized access.

Troubleshooting

If the extension cannot locate the MCP server automatically, verify the stdio configuration and ensure you are running the MCP command exactly as shown in the setup steps.

Available tools

show_diff_explanation

MCP tool that generates annotated explanations for code diffs and delivers inline commentary to the editor panel.

explain-changes-mcp

MCP server companion that runs the AI explain-changes workflow and returns structured explanations for diffs.