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I Turned My Editor Into a Pokémon World That Levels Up When I Actually Ship

Developer UribeJr built PokéDev, a free, local-first VS Code and Cursor extension that turns the editor sidebar into a Pokémon overworld where a chosen partner earns Trainer and Partner XP from real work events such as saves, commits, coding time, and successful builds and tests. The TypeScript extension reads only public GitHub and DEV Community data with no OAuth or telemetry, and distinguishes human typing from agent supervision so idle time does not inflate progression. Version 6.2.0 is actively developed but not yet published to the VS Marketplace or Open VSX, requiring a clone-and-compile or local .vsix install.

by read2 min views3 publishedSep 17, 2026

Repo: https://github.com/UribeJr/pokedev Most editor pets are wallpaper.

Cute? Sure. Connected to the work you’re already doing? Not really.

So I built PokéDev — a VS Code / Cursor extension where your partner lives in a nostalgic 2D overworld (or classic floor pets), and Trainer + Partner XP come from saves, commits, coding time, and successful builds/tests — including Shopify theme/app outcomes when that’s your workspace.

A living Pokémon layer for the editor:

pokedev.devUsername to your public DEV username (yes, you) and your badges show on the Trainer Card / PokéGear — no OAuthauto / manual / agentic so coding time stays honest when you’re supervising an agent Local-first and privacy-conscious: public GitHub / DEV reads only — no OAuth, no telemetry.

Your partner should level up from the work you already do — not from fake clicks.

Saves and commits matter. Successful builds matter. Watching an agent type for twenty minutes shouldn’t look like you wrote a novel.

That’s why progression batches real events, and the idle clock has modes for human typing vs agent supervision.

TypeScript, VS Code Extension API + webviews, webpack, local extension storage, public GitHub + DEV HTTP only.

Nostalgic Pokémon sprites and a GitHub Trainer Card for your VS Code / Cursor window — partners that level up with the work you already do.

Live product captures (not placeholders): Coding sessions are long; most editor pets are just decoration. PokéDev turns your VS Code or Cursor sidebar into a living Pokémon world: pick a partner, watch it roam a 2D overworld (or classic floor pets), and earn real Trainer + Partner XP from saves, commits, coding time, and successful builds/tests — including Shopify theme/app outcomes when that is your workspace.

Built and maintained by UribeJr as a personal, actively developed fan project. Free, local-first, and privacy-conscious: public GitHub / DEV Community reads only — no OAuth, no telemetry.

v6.2.0 and actively developed — not on the VS Marketplace / Open VSX yet. Install path today: clone → npm installnpm run compile → hit F5, or package a local .vsix.

If you write on DEV, drop your username into pokedev.devUsername and your public badges show up on the card. Marketplace packaging, finishing a couple Trainer Card counters, and more polish on the overworld feel.

Fan project — not affiliated with Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, Game Freak, Shopify, or DEV Community.

What would your editor partner evolve into after a week of real commits?

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