VS Code Extension Stack and Scale

Map the work before the
rabbit hole opens

StackMaps keeps your main goal, side quests, and return path visible while you vibe code inside VS Code. Task tree, visual map, AI focus guardian — all in the sidebar.

Zero config required Works fully offline BYOK — your API keys
🗺️ stackmaps — Ship landing page
projects
landing-page
auth-flow
task tree
Ship landing page
Tune hero copy
A/B test headlines
Patch CTA states
Mock analytics
📋 detail
🗺️ map
📜 history
Ship landing page Tune hero copy
active · depth 1
Tune hero copy
why: headline needs to convert, not just describe
+ branch 🤖 AI analysis 📍 Auto note
🚨 Focus Guardian
You're 2 branches from the ship goal. A/B testing can be mocked — ship one variant. Return to hero copy and then close the release loop.
3
TIER PLANS
3
AI MODELS
TASKS & BRANCHES
0
SETUP REQUIRED
The Rabbit Hole Problem

You start with one goal.
Then the detours start.

Vibe coding is fast — until it isn't. Three hours later you're six layers deep in a sub-task, and the original goal is buried somewhere in your tabs. StackMaps makes sure the thread never snaps.

1
You open a branch with intent — a quick detour to fix a dependency before you can continue. Reasonable.
2
That branch opens another — now you need a database first, and then auth, and then… you've forgotten why you started.
3
StackMaps catches it before step 3 — task tree, AI guardrails, and a breadcrumb trail keep you in control.
Features

Everything in the sidebar.
Nothing in your way.

Designed for developers who build by momentum. Every feature is there when you need it, invisible when you don't.

🌳
Task tree, not tab chaos
Every branch stays attached to the main goal. Side quests never quietly become the product. The tree is always visible.
🗺️
Visual context map
Zoomable node graph shows your full branch structure, the active path, and every open thread — all at once.
📜
Navigation history
Every node you visit is logged with a timestamp. Know exactly where you've been and in what order. Clickable to jump back.
🚨
Focus Guardian
AI triggers when you go 3+ levels deep. Gives you a clear exit plan — mock data suggestions, quick return path, drift analysis.
⚡ PLUS
📍
Auto breadcrumb
One click generates a plain-language summary of where you are, how you got there, and what needs to happen next.
⚡ PLUS
Export JSON & Markdown
Export your entire task tree as structured JSON or clean Markdown — great for PR descriptions, standups, or docs.
🚀 PRO
How it works

Three moves.
Every session.

No new habit to build. StackMaps shapes around the way you already think and work.

1
Stack the goal
Start from the outcome the user actually needs — not the implementation detail. One root goal, visible at all times, anchoring every branch.
2
Open branches with intent
Every sub-task gets a "why" before you enter it. Every detour keeps a clear route back. The tree remembers even when you don't.
3
Scale without losing thread
Use the map, history, and AI guardrails to close loops before they sprawl into multi-day rabbit holes. Ship the original goal.
Pricing

Start free.
Upgrade when you need AI.

The full task tree, visual map, and history are free forever. AI features unlock on Plus.

Free
$0
forever, no card needed
  • 1 project
  • Unlimited tasks & branches
  • Task tree sidebar
  • Visual context map
  • Navigation history
  • Persistent state (globalState)
  • AI analysis
  • Focus Guardian
  • Auto breadcrumb
Install Free
POPULAR
Plus
$4 /mo
billed monthly · cancel anytime
  • 5 projects
  • Everything in Free
  • BYOK — Anthropic / OpenAI / Gemini
  • 🤖 AI context analysis
  • 🚨 Focus Guardian
  • 📍 Auto breadcrumb
  • Export JSON / Markdown
  • Unlimited projects
Free during beta
Pro
$8 /mo
billed monthly · cancel anytime
  • Unlimited projects
  • Everything in Plus
  • ↓ Export JSON & Markdown
  • Project-based storage
  • Multi-device sync
  • Priority support
  • Early feature access
Free during beta

Stop losing your thread.
Start mapping it.

Install in seconds from the VS Code Marketplace. Zero config, works offline, free forever on the base plan. Add a free account to sync across your editor and the browser.