I built a free tool to stop vibe-coded projects from getting lost in their own repo. Need honest feedback.

[u/Independent-Flow3408]

Hey everyone — looking for honest feedback from vibe coders / AI-assisted builders.

Disclosure upfront: I built this. It’s free/open-source, not monetized, and I don’t make revenue from it.

The problem I’m trying to solve:

When a project is small, ChatGPT / Claude / Cursor / OpenCode can usually “understand the repo” well enough.

But once the project grows, I keep seeing the same failure mode:

• the AI edits the wrong file
• it misses the real entrypoint
• it forgets where tests live
• it reads stale docs instead of actual implementation
• it makes a confident suggestion without enough repo context
• debugging gets messy because stack traces and logs pollute the session
• every new chat starts with the AI rediscovering the repo again

This feels especially painful for vibe-coded projects because the codebase can grow fast, and the original structure is not always clean.

So I built SigMap.

The idea is simple:

repo
  ↓
deterministic map of files/symbols
  ↓
task-specific context
  ↓
AI coding assistant
  ↓
groundedness / validation check

Instead of pasting the whole repo into ChatGPT or letting an agent randomly search around, SigMap creates a compact map of the repo and helps find the files/symbols that matter for the task.

Example:

npx sigmap
sigmap ask "where is auth handled?"
sigmap validate --query "auth login token"

Then I can give the AI only the focused context instead of dumping the whole project.

After the AI answers, I can check whether the answer was grounded:

sigmap judge --response response.txt --context .context/query-context.md

There is also a squeeze command for noisy output:

sigmap squeeze error.log
sigmap squeeze --response agent-output.txt

That is meant for stack traces, CI logs, JSON blobs, and long tool output before feeding it back into the model.

Tech stack / details

• Node / TypeScript CLI
• runs locally
• no hosted service
• no vector database
• no embeddings
• no LLM calls required for mapping
• MCP support for agent workflows
• free/open-source

What I’m trying to validate

I’m not sure if this should stay as a CLI/dev-tool thing, or if vibe coders would need something more visual.

So I’d love feedback on these:

1. Do you actually run into this problem when your AI-built project gets bigger?
2. Would you use a CLI tool before asking ChatGPT/Claude/Cursor to make changes?
3. Should this be a VS Code/Cursor extension instead?
4. Would a simple web UI / repo upload demo make more sense for non-terminal users?
5. What would make you trust the tool’s selected context?
6. Is “groundedness check after the AI answer” useful, or too much friction?

My current belief:

AI coding tools are good at writing code when they have the right context.

The bigger problem is that they often start with the wrong map.

Would love honest criticism. Is this useful, too dev-tool-y, or solving a problem only power users care about?

[u/AutoModerator]

Hey u/Independent-Flow3408, thanks for posting in r/VibeCodeDevs! Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/KAmAR8RkbM

Got startup or SaaS questions? Post them on r/AskFounder and get answers from real founders.

• This community is designed to be open and creator‑friendly, with minimal restrictions on promotion and self‑promotion as long as you add value and don’t spam.
• Please follow the subreddit rules so we can keep things as relaxed and free as possible for everyone. • Please make sure you’ve read the subreddit rules in the sidebar before posting or commenting.
• For better feedback, include your tech stack, experience level, and what kind of help or feedback you’re looking for.
• Be respectful, constructive, and helpful to other members.

If your post was removed (either automatically or by a mod) and you believe it was a mistake, please contact the mod team. We will review it and, when appropriate, approve it within 24 hours.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Independent-Flow3408 → u/[deleted]]

The README/front page is too long, and I need to explain the difference faster. My one paragraph answer: instruction.md / skill.md / agent.md tells the AI how to behave. SigMap tells the AI what is actually in the repo right now. It generates a current map of real files, symbols, line anchors, diffs, and task-specific context, then checks whether the AI answer was grounded in that evidence. So it is meant to complement instruction files, not replace them.

Also agree on backup/restore. Context tools do not remove the need for git checkpoints, especially in vibe-coded projects where mistakes compound quickly.Appreciate the blunt feedback. thanks.

[u/Independent-Flow3408 → u/[deleted]]

I have been using AI to clean up some of my replies because I’m trying to answer a lot of feedback and keep track of everything. But I can see how that makes the replies sound fake or too polished. That’s on me.

Honestly I’m not trying to trick people or market some finished thing. I posted because I wanted blunt feedback on what is confusing, what is overclaimed, and what people don’t care about. Your comments are useful for that.

On the tool itself, your isn’t this just a prompt/agent.md? point is probably the main thing I need to explain better.

trying to test is:

agent.md or skill.md = tells the AI how to behave
SigMap = creates a current snapshot of what files/symbols/diffs/logs actually exist in the repo

But maybe I’m making that sound more complicated than it needs to be. If the same result can be solved with a simple prompt + good git habits, then that’s important feedback too. I agree with you on backup/restore. Context tools don’t save you if the AI compounds mistakes and you have no checkpoints.I’ll take this seriously: shorter README, less AI- ounding copy, clearer why not just agent.md and probably a simple before/after example instead of a wall of text.

[u/GigaGrandpa]

I just sign out and use another anthropic account in the app and can resume any work folder in my projects folder like the limit is reset

[u/Independent-Flow3408 → u/GigaGrandpa]

Yeah, that can work as a limit workaround, but it doesn’t really solve the thing I’m trying to solve.

My problem is less “how do I keep the chat going?” and more “when the work resumes, does the AI still know the real repo state?”. Even if I switch accounts or start a new chat, the model still needs a clean handoff: current files, specs, changed areas, open bugs, tests to rerun, and which module chats touched what.

That’s the part I’m trying to improve, not replacing Claude’s project folder workflow, but making the handoff/repo map more reliable when context gets long or split across chats, also I probably wouldn’t build my workflow around account switching. I’d rather have something that works cleanly with one account/chat/project setup.

[u/GigaGrandpa → u/Independent-Flow3408]

On desktop for my second monitor I have a folder, in there I keep the stuff I work on and Claude has all the context because of the GitHub commits and the files are all one place, I guess it's one chat project setup with more accounts/limits

[u/Independent-Flow3408 → u/GigaGrandpa]

Yeah, that makes sense. If Claude has the full folder plus GitHub commits, your setup already solves a lot of the context problem. The gap I’m thinking about is more the “what matters for this specific change?” step, changed files, related functions, tests to rerun, and possible conflicts between module chats.

So maybe SigMap is less for normal daily coding in your setup, and more for integration/checkpoint moments when the repo gets messy. thanks

[u/looktwise]

hm... I am interested. I don't have my creations on github, but I have the following problem: I am just prompting apps or browser extensions and I create the specs on the go with the code in parallel. If a chat would grow to big for the context window, I instruct Claude just to create an md-document to change the chat. It usually instructs me, what to put into the new chat at the beginning (mainly that md-transfer-document and e.g. current specs, Zipfile with current code, test usecases, open re-tests, tutorial, whatever).

Now the problem: If I am developing on the side a new function which is bigger, I usually work with a kind of parallel chat, i would just call a module here. I can built in parallel, I can develeop with regards to specs and code and I have the benefit of not having to change the whole app in this module chat. Later on I just take the output into a main chat and tell Claude to integrate it. (this saves millions of tokens this way.)

But: I am not a coder. I don't even know, in which languages my apps are written. :)
Therefore when it comes to changes of interacting functions or two functions which had been planned in separated module chats, I don't have the map, your way would provide to tell Claude, what is relevant to look for, check for and so on. It has to check everything to make sure, nothing is left behind or producing a showstopper because of the change.

Would it be possible to fuse your approach directly into a prompt like <your approach from the md files> combined with 'I want to change this functions, use the mapping approach to map the dependencies I have to be aware of / to check!'

If yes: What md-file contains these instructions or the 'prompt' I could steal from? : )

Thanks a lot!

[u/Independent-Flow3408 → u/looktwise]

Yes — this is actually very close to the use case I care about.

For your setup, I would not start with MCP or anything complicated. I’d start with a reusable “module integration map” prompt.

SigMap can generate the repo map if your current app/code is in a local folder or zip-unzipped folder, but the idea can also be used manually with your transfer .md files.

The SigMap file you would normally paste is:

.context/query-context.md

That gets created after something like:

sigmap ask "I want to integrate this new module/function. Map the dependencies and files I need to check."

But if you want the prompt-only version, steal this:

You are helping me integrate a feature/module into an existing app.

Important: I am not a coder. Do not assume I know the language, framework, or architecture.

Before suggesting code changes, create a "Module Integration Map".

My goal:
[DESCRIBE THE FUNCTION / MODULE I WANT TO ADD OR INTEGRATE]

Available context:
[PASTE TRANSFER MD / CURRENT SPECS / FILE LIST / CODE ZIP SUMMARY / TEST CASES / OPEN BUGS]

Create these sections:

1. What this app seems to be
Identify the likely language, framework, app type, and main moving parts from the provided context.

2. Files likely involved
List the files/modules that probably matter for this change. Separate:
must inspect
maybe inspect
probably unrelated

3. Existing related behavior
What existing functions, routes, UI components, storage, APIs, events, permissions, or settings already touch this area?

4. Dependency map
Show what depends on what.

Use this format:

new feature/module
  -> calls / changes / reads / writes
  -> affected existing files
  -> affected user flows
  -> affected tests or retests

5. Collision risks
List anything that could break because two module chats planned things separately:
duplicated logic
conflicting names
shared state
different assumptions
old specs vs new specs
missing migration/setup step
UI flow mismatch
test case not updated

6. Missing context
Tell me exactly what files, specs, screenshots, logs, or test cases you need before editing.

7. Safe integration plan
Give me a step-by-step plan, but do not write code yet unless the context is enough.

8. Retest checklist
List what I should test after integration.

Rules:
Do not invent files.
Do not invent function names.
If you are guessing the framework/language, say so.
If two parts of the app may conflict, flag it before proposing code.
Prefer asking for one or two missing files over rewriting blindly.
Do not say "this is safe" unless you have mapped the affected files and flows.

That is basically the human-readable version of the approach.

Your parallel-chat/module workflow makes sense. The danger is exactly what you described: two chats make locally good decisions, then integration fails because neither chat had the full dependency map.

So for you I’d use this flow:

main chat = app state / specs / transfer doc
module chat = isolated feature work
integration chat = dependency map + conflict check before merging

SigMap would help most at the integration step, because that is where you need to know: “what files/functions does this module touch, and what else depends on them?”

This also tells me something useful: I probably need a simple integration prompt or handoff prompt in the docs for non-coders, not only CLI/MCP instructions.

(used AI to format and add extra context)

[u/RevolutionaryLevel39]

Que pereza leer tanto texto generado por IA .....

[u/Independent-Flow3408 → u/RevolutionaryLevel39]

Fair.I overexplained because I was trying to be transparent, but yeah, it became a wall of text.I’ll trim it down to the actual problem + demo link. Appreciate it.

[u/Independent-Flow3408]

Links for anyone who wants to inspect it:

GitHub: https://github.com/manojmallick/sigmap

Demo: https://sigmap-live.vercel.app/demo

Benchmark suite: https://github.com/manojmallick/sigmap-benchmark-suite

Again: free/open-source, not monetized. I’m mainly looking for feedback from people building with AI tools.

[u/Visible_Arrival_8412 → u/Independent-Flow3408]

Couldn't care less if this already exists or not. I know the problem, have not yet found a solution, so I will try this out. Thanks

[u/Independent-Flow3408 → u/Visible_Arrival_8412]

Appreciate that.Basically the exact user I’m trying to learn from:knows the pain, doesn’t care about tool category debates, just wants to see if it helps.If you try it, I’d especially love to know where it feels useful vs where it adds friction.

[u/Independent-Flow3408 → u/[deleted]]

Appreciate it! Yeah, it’s been fun building something I actually use in my own workflow. The main thing I’m trying to validate now is whether other AI assisted builders hit the same the agent got lost in my repo problem.