Idea Box

Idea Box

Connect with developers, contribute ideas, and stay ahead with the latest AI-powered coding tools.

Idea Box is an AI-powered autonomous coding agent that lives in your editor. It can:

• Communicate in natural language
• Read and write files directly in your workspace
• Run terminal commands
• Automate browser actions
• Integrate with any OpenAI-compatible or custom API/model
• Adapt its “personality” and capabilities through Custom Modes

Whether you’re seeking a flexible coding partner, a system architect, or specialized roles like a QA engineer or product manager, Idea Box can help you build software more efficiently.

🎉 Idea Box 3.23 Released

Idea Box 3.23 brings powerful new features and significant improvements to enhance your development workflow!

• Codebase Indexing Graduated from Experimental - Full codebase indexing is now stable and ready for production use with improved search and context understanding.
• New Todo List Feature - Keep your tasks on track with integrated todo management that helps you stay organized and focused on your development goals.

What Can Idea Box Do?

• 🚀 Generate Code from natural language descriptions
• 🔧 Refactor & Debug existing code
• 📝 Write & Update documentation
• 🤔 Answer Questions about your codebase
• 🔄 Automate repetitive tasks
• 🏗️ Create new files and projects

Quick Start

• Install Idea Box
• Connect Your AI Provider
• Try Your First Task

Key Features

Multiple Modes

Idea Box adapts to your needs with specialized modes:

• Code Mode: For general-purpose coding tasks
• Architect Mode: For planning and technical leadership
• Ask Mode: For answering questions and providing information
• Debug Mode: For systematic problem diagnosis
• Custom Modes: Create unlimited specialized personas for security auditing, performance optimization, documentation, or any other task

Smart Tools

Idea Box comes with powerful tools that can:

• Read and write files in your project
• Execute commands in your VS Code terminal
• Control a web browser
• Use external tools via MCP (Model Context Protocol)

MCP extends Idea Box's capabilities by allowing you to add unlimited custom tools. Integrate with external APIs, connect to databases, or create specialized development tools - MCP provides the framework to expand Idea Box's functionality to meet your specific needs.

Customization

Make Idea Box work your way with:

• Custom Instructions for personalized behavior
• Custom Modes for specialized tasks
• Local Models for offline use
• Auto-Approval Settings for faster workflows

Resources

Documentation

• Basic Usage Guide
• Advanced Features
• Frequently Asked Questions

Community

• Discord: Join our Discord server for real-time help and discussions
• Reddit: Visit our subreddit to share experiences and tips
• GitHub: Report issues or request features

Local Setup & Development

• Clone the repo:

git clone https://github.com/RooCodeInc/Roo-Code.git

• Install dependencies:

pnpm install

• Run the extension:

There are several ways to run the Idea Box extension:

Development Mode (F5)

For active development, use VSCode's built-in debugging:

Press F5 (or go to Run → Start Debugging) in VSCode. This will open a new VSCode window with the Idea Box extension running.

• Changes to the webview will appear immediately.
• Changes to the core extension will also hot reload automatically.

Automated VSIX Installation

To build and install the extension as a VSIX package directly into VSCode:

pnpm install:vsix [-y] [--editor=<command>]

This command will:

• Ask which editor command to use (code/cursor/code-insiders) - defaults to 'code'
• Uninstall any existing version of the extension.
• Build the latest VSIX package.
• Install the newly built VSIX.
• Prompt you to restart VS Code for changes to take effect.

Options:

• -y: Skip all confirmation prompts and use defaults
• --editor=<command>: Specify the editor command (e.g., --editor=cursor or --editor=code-insiders)

Manual VSIX Installation

If you prefer to install the VSIX package manually:

• First, build the VSIX package:

  pnpm vsix
  

• A .vsix file will be generated in the bin/ directory (e.g., bin/roo-cline-<version>.vsix).
• Install it manually using the VSCode CLI:

  code --install-extension bin/roo-cline-<version>.vsix
  

We use changesets for versioning and publishing. Check our CHANGELOG.md for release notes.

Disclaimer

Please note that Idea Box, Inc does not make any representations or warranties regarding any code, models, or other tools provided or made available in connection with Idea Box, any associated third-party tools, or any resulting outputs. You assume all risks associated with the use of any such tools or outputs; such tools are provided on an "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" basis. Such risks may include, without limitation, intellectual property infringement, cyber vulnerabilities or attacks, bias, inaccuracies, errors, defects, viruses, downtime, property loss or damage, and/or personal injury. You are solely responsible for your use of any such tools or outputs (including, without limitation, the legality, appropriateness, and results thereof).