Hi everyone,
I’m happy to announce the first release of SciCodeNotes, a VS Code extension for attaching external Markdown notes to precise ranges of source code.
SciCodeNotes was originally designed for scientific computing, where formulas, derivations, assumptions, references, and implementation rationale often need more space than ordinary source comments can provide. However, it is not restricted to scientific code—it can be used with any programming language or source file.
Instead of adding large comment blocks to the source, SciCodeNotes stores notes separately and presents them beside the relevant implementation. LaTeX formulas can be rendered directly in the editor and in rich hover content.
Demo
The source-side preview can render formulas beside their implementation:
Hovering the preview reveals the complete Markdown note:
Why external notes
In production code, you usually do not want long explanations, unfinished ideas, internal derivations, or implementation notes exposed as source comments. At the same time, removing that context entirely can make complex code difficult to understand and maintain.
SciCodeNotes provides a sidecar annotation layer for this information. Select a source range and attach a separate Markdown note without modifying the code itself. The note can contain formulas, derivations, references, tables, or anything else supported by Markdown. Its first line appears beside the relevant code, while hovering reveals the complete note with rendered LaTeX.
The attachment follows ordinary code changes whenever possible. Notes can be stored with the repository or in an external location, and portable links can connect related notes and source ranges.
Install
SciCodeNotes is released under the MIT License. Feedback, bug reports, and suggestions are welcome.