Main Features of the i-have-adhd VS Code Plugin: ADHD-Optimized Coding Assistance

The i-have-adhd VS Code extension reshapes AI assistant output to prioritize clarity and actionability for users with ADHD by injecting a specialized rule set, providing persistent toggleable modes, and offering visual status indicators.

The i-have-adhd plugin is an extension for the Pi-coding-assistant runtime used by VS Code via Claude Code integration. Developed in the ayghri/i-have-adhd repository, this tool modifies how the assistant presents information by enforcing ADHD-friendly communication patterns defined in skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md.

Toggleable ADHD-Friendly Mode

Users control the extension through the /i-have-adhd command (also accessible via the alias /skill:i-have-adhd). The command accepts three inputs:

• on – Explicitly enables ADHD mode
• off – Disables ADHD mode
• No argument – Toggles the current state

According to the source code in extensions/i-have-adhd.ts (lines 69–91), the pi.registerCommand("i-have-adhd", …) function handles these inputs and triggers state synchronization.

// Turn it on
await pi.runCommand("i-have-adhd", "on");

// Toggle (no argument)
await pi.runCommand("i-have-adhd", "");

// Turn it off
await pi.runCommand("i-have-adhd", "off");

Automatic Rule Injection

When enabled, the extension automatically injects the full rule set from skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md into the conversation context. The syncContext() function (lines 18–33 and 119–130) ensures these rules are sent only once per session via a custom message type (RULES_MESSAGE_TYPE), preventing duplicate injections while keeping the guidelines active.

The loadRules() function (lines 46–64) reads the markdown file content at runtime, allowing the assistant to reference the 10 ADHD-friendly output rules throughout the session.

Persistent State Management

The plugin maintains user preferences across sessions through the session manager. The getSavedState() and restoreState() functions (lines 66–82 and 145–153) handle state persistence, automatically reapplying the previous configuration when VS Code reopenes a session or restores the session tree.

Users can also force ADHD mode at launch time using the --adhd flag. The extension registers this boolean flag via pi.registerFlag("adhd", …) (lines 63–67), enabling automatic activation before the session fully initializes.

Always-On Configuration

Creating a hidden file named .i-have-adhd-always in the agent directory forces the mode to start enabled regardless of saved state. The restoreState() function checks for this alwaysOnFlag (lines 48–50) before consulting session storage, providing a failsafe for users who require consistent ADHD-friendly formatting.

# From the terminal, inside the repository root:

touch $(npm root)/.i-have-adhd-always

# The next session will start with ADHD mode enabled automatically.

Visual Status Indicators

The extension provides immediate visual feedback through VS Code's UI. When active, a green "● ADHD ON" badge appears in the status bar, implemented via ctx.ui.setStatus in the updateStatus() function (lines 4–12).

State changes also trigger toast notifications through ctx.ui.notify within the setEnabled() function (line 60), displaying "ADHD mode enabled" or "ADHD mode disabled" messages to confirm user actions.

Stop-Phrase Handling

The plugin includes intelligent deactivation through natural language triggers. The system monitors input for specific stop phrases including "stop adhd mode" and "normal mode" defined in the STOP_PHRASES set (lines 27–34). When detected in the input hook (lines 92–106), the extension automatically disables ADHD mode without requiring the slash command.

Summary

• Command-based control: Toggle ADHD optimization via /i-have-adhd with support for explicit on/off states or toggling
• Rule injection: Automatically loads and injects content from skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md once per session using syncContext()
• Persistent configuration: Saves state to session manager and supports launch flags (--adhd) plus always-on files (.i-have-adhd-always)
• Visual feedback: Displays green status bar badges and toast notifications through ctx.ui methods
• Natural language deactivation: Recognizes stop phrases like "stop adhd mode" to disable features instantly

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enable the i-have-adhd plugin in VS Code?

You can enable the plugin by running the /i-have-adhd on command in the VS Code command palette or chat interface. Alternatively, start VS Code with the --adhd launch flag, or create an empty file named .i-have-adhd-always in your agent directory to force automatic activation on every session start.

What rules does the plugin inject into the conversation?

The plugin injects the 10 ADHD-friendly output rules defined in skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md. These rules restructure the assistant's responses to prioritize actionable items, reduce cognitive load, and present information in scannable formats. The loadRules() function reads this file and syncContext() delivers it to the conversation context via RULES_MESSAGE_TYPE.

How does the plugin maintain state between sessions?

State persistence relies on the session manager accessed through getSavedState() and restoreState() functions in extensions/i-have-adhd.ts. When a session ends, the current enabled/disabled state is saved. Upon session_start or session_tree events, restoreState() retrieves and reapplies this configuration, checking first for the .i-have-adhd-always file flag before falling back to saved preferences.

Can I disable ADHD mode without typing the slash command?

Yes. The extension monitors natural language input for predefined stop phrases including "stop adhd mode" and "normal mode" through the STOP_PHRASES set and input hook (lines 92–106). Uttering these phrases automatically disables the mode and updates the UI status indicator without requiring explicit command syntax.

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}