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unbug/codelf

14,173JavaScriptAudience · developerComplexity · 1/5Setup · easy

TLDR

Tool that searches real-world code on GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket to suggest good variable and function names based on a concept you describe, available as a Chrome extension and editor plugins.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((codelf))
    What it does
      Variable name search
      Real codebase examples
      Multi-platform search
    Integrations
      Chrome extension
      VS Code plugin
      Atom plugin
      Sublime Text plugin
    Data Sources
      GitHub
      GitLab
      Bitbucket
    Extra Features
      Algorithm practice
      GitHub stars organizer
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Code map

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Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Find real-world naming examples for a variable or function by searching how other developers named similar things across millions of open-source projects

USE CASE 2

Use the VS Code plugin to right-click any selected text and instantly see naming suggestions from real codebases without leaving your editor

USE CASE 3

Discover conventional naming patterns for domain-specific concepts like authentication tokens, retry handlers, or payment objects

Tech stack

JavaScript

Getting it running

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min
License terms not specified in the explanation.

In plain English

Codelf is a tool for developers who struggle with one of the most frustrating parts of writing code: choosing good names for variables, functions, and other identifiers. Developers have a long-running joke that naming things is one of the hardest problems in the field, and Codelf exists to make it less painful. The tool works by searching across several large code hosting sites, including GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab, and others, to find real-world examples of how other developers have named things in similar situations. You type in a concept or a word describing what you want, and it shows you actual variable names and function names from real codebases. This gives you a concrete reference rather than having to invent names from scratch. Codelf is available in multiple forms. There is a Chrome browser extension, a plugin for the VS Code editor, a plugin for the Atom editor, and a plugin for Sublime Text. In each case, the basic flow is the same: select some text, trigger Codelf, and see naming examples from real projects. The VS Code and Atom plugins let you right-click selected text and open Codelf directly from your editor. Beyond naming, the tool also includes a daily algorithm practice section called the Algorithm Copybook, and a feature for tagging and organizing your GitHub starred repositories. The naming search is the core feature, the others are additions built alongside it. The project was created by a developer who goes by unbug, and the Chinese name of the tool translates roughly to variable naming wizard. The README is mostly screenshots and short setup instructions for each editor plugin.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Search Codelf for real-world variable names used by other developers for a function that validates an email address format
Prompt 2
What do actual codebases call the variable that holds a user's JWT authentication token, show me examples from Codelf
Prompt 3
Find naming examples from Codelf for a class that handles retrying failed HTTP requests with exponential backoff
Prompt 4
How do I install and use the Codelf VS Code extension to search for variable names without leaving my editor
Prompt 5
Search Codelf for good names for a function that converts a Unix timestamp to a human-readable date string
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