Dev workflow · DWG 06
aside-codemode
One code call instead of fifty tool calls
aside-codemode is a code-mode tool over the Aside browser's REPL. Search, file reads, filtering and multi-page browsing run inside one sandboxed JavaScript block, so only the answer reaches the model. Counting `function` across a 127,000-file tree comes back in under three seconds as a 778-byte answer.
Spec
- Install
npm install -g aside-codemodecodemode --install-mcp- Category
- Dev workflow
- License
- MIT
- Repository
- github.com/lidge-jun/aside-codemode
- GitHub · npm
- 120+ stars730+ weekly downloadsSeptember 25, 2026 as of
Features
- FIG. 01
One call
Instead of opening fifty files one by one, a single block searches, filters and returns just the paths you asked for.
- FIG. 02
ripgrep-backed search
Aside ships ripgrep with no documented way to reach it; this puts it on the tool surface.
- FIG. 03
Parallel browsing
Open several URLs at once and get back only the values you need, as typed rows.
- FIG. 04
Published measurements
Compression, timing method and excluded pages are recorded in the repository's evidence notes.
Use it when
- Your agent burns its context opening files one at a time
- You need specific values from many web pages
- You want fewer round trips for repeated work in Aside
FAQ
How much faster is it?
In a controlled run on 2026-09-18 (N=7), counting function across a 127,000-file tree finished in 2,966 ms. The same job with grep -r was aborted after 128 seconds and 3.23 GB of output. There is also a report of 55 seconds becoming one second on a real folder, but that is an operator report, not an independent reproduction.
What if I ask for the whole page?
Then you get the whole page. What shrinks is everything the answer did not need.
What do I need?
The Aside browser and Node.js. Run codemode --doctor to check your setup.