AI Code Explanation Tool
ExplainDev: The Quiet Shutdown of a Promising AI Code Assistant
Ever wondered what happened to ExplainDev—the app that once promised to turn cryptic code into plain English? If you’ve tried to visit its website recently, you probably hit a dead link. What started as a useful AI tool to help developers read and learn code appears to have quietly disappeared from the internet.
So why did ExplainDev vanish, despite a compelling pitch and a burgeoning AI market? The short answer: it likely lost the race for developer attention—and funding—within a crowded, fast-moving space. The long answer, as you’ll see, involves missed user adoption, financial headwinds, and fierce competition.
Let’s dive into its journey—what it set out to do, why it once looked promising, and how it eventually faded into digital obscurity.
What Was ExplainDev?
ExplainDev was an AI-powered platform launched around 2021 to help developers better understand code. Its main idea? Translate complex blocks of programming code into clear, human-readable explanations using advanced AI—specifically models like OpenAI’s Codex.
It came in the form of:
- A Chrome extension for in-browser code explanations.
- A Visual Studio Code extension for in-editor learning and navigation.
- A “Tutorial Maker” tool for sharing annotated, explainable code snippets.
Its target audience spanned junior developers, career-changers learning to code, and even seasoned engineers looking to get up to speed quickly on unfamiliar codebases.
ExplainDev had visibility on platforms like GitHub, LinkedIn, and Product Hunt, and it drew praise for making complex codebases easier to learn. Some early adopters saw it as a kind of “AI mentor for developers.”
But by late 2022, activity had already dropped off. Its social feeds went quiet, GitHub repos saw no new contributions, and the browser extensions became harder to find. As of 2024, the website (explain.dev) is offline altogether.
So, what happened?
Why Did ExplainDev Fail?
Short Answer:
ExplainDev likely shut down due to low adoption and funding constraints in a brutal market dominated by larger, better-resourced competitors—especially GitHub Copilot.
Long Answer:
The real reasons probably span multiple areas, all too familiar to early-stage AI startups:
Poor Product-Market Fit in a Crowded Space
While ExplainDev’s AI explanations were helpful, they leaned more toward education than day-to-day problem-solving. For developers immersed in fast-paced workflows, that distinction mattered. ExplainDev wasn’t quite as seamlessly integrated into coding tasks as competitors were.Unclear Monetization Strategy
ExplainDev launched as a free tool, but scaling AI systems (especially those using OpenAI APIs) wasn’t free. Without a compelling paid product or revenue channel, it likely struggled to turn user interest into sustainable income.Overwhelming Competition from GitHub Copilot
GitHub Copilot—backed by Microsoft and OpenAI—offered deeply integrated code completion, made directly within VS Code and GitHub itself. It didn’t just explain code; it wrote it for you. Compared to that, ExplainDev looked more like a training wheel when users wanted a turbo engine.Financial and Funding Challenges
There’s scant public record of how much funding ExplainDev raised, if any. Without strong venture backing or recurring revenue, it would’ve struggled to fund operations—including costly infrastructure like GPU servers and API usage. Like many 2022-era startups, it may have burned through early capital and failed to raise more amid tightening VC conditions in 2023-24.Developer Engagement Plateaued
While ExplainDev was intuitive and useful to beginners, power users—the ones most vocal in the dev tool community—may have found it unnecessary. Mixed reviews across FutureTools and Reddit suggest the tool was liked but not loved.Lack of Public Momentum or Updates
The disappearance wasn’t sudden—but it was silent. The last GitHub commit and X (formerly Twitter) activity date to early 2022. The absence of ongoing communication or transparency about future plans likely eroded user trust and engagement. Once a dev tool goes quiet, it’s hard to revive.
What GitHub Copilot Did Right (and ExplainDev Didn’t)
If you want a case study in competition outpacing innovation, look no further. While ExplainDev specialized in post-hoc explanations of already-written code, GitHub Copilot flipped the model: by helping you write code from scratch.
Key differences:
- Integration: Copilot was embedded directly into GitHub and VS Code—ExplainDev had to be added as an extension separately.
- Proactivity: Copilot suggested code as you typed; ExplainDev responded after the fact with friendly explanations.
- Funding and Trust: Copilot benefitted from Microsoft’s deep pockets, OpenAI’s cutting-edge models, and GitHub’s developer ecosystem.
- Timing: Copilot launched when AI coding assistants were gaining momentum—by the time ExplainDev geared up, users already had a preferred tool.
ExplainDev, while useful, simply couldn’t compete with the scale, funding, and first-mover advantage of Copilot.
Final Thoughts: A Quiet Ending in a Loud Industry
ExplainDev is a classic case of a great idea meeting rough terrain. It aimed to democratize code literacy—an admirable goal—but just couldn’t keep up in a space dominated by cash-rich incumbents and fast-changing expectations.
Its shutdown didn’t spark much buzz, which may reflect low user penetration or a lack of community investment. But for those who used it—especially beginner developers—it offered real value, even if just for a while.
Startups in the dev tools space beware: even clever ideas need bulletproof positioning, solid funding, and integration into daily workflows to survive.
FAQs
Who founded ExplainDev?
The founders are not widely publicized, but the project was active on GitHub and social platforms under the ExplainDev brand. One developer associated with social posts was @fabioalcocer17.
When was ExplainDev launched?
ExplainDev appeared publicly around 2021, gaining traction through Chrome and VS Code extensions and an educational content platform.
When did ExplainDev shut down?
There’s no official shutdown date, but activity ceased in 2022, and the website became inaccessible by 2024, suggesting a quiet wind-down.
How much funding did ExplainDev raise?
There are no public records indicating substantial funding. It’s likely the project was bootstrapped or received seed-level investment, if any at all.
Why did ExplainDev fail?
Short answer: lack of market traction and competition from bigger players like GitHub Copilot.
Long answer: The tool struggled to find paying users, was overshadowed by better-integrated AI assistants, and lacked the capital to iterate or expand.
Is ExplainDev’s technology available post-shutdown?
There is no evidence the technology was open-sourced or acquired. Its GitHub repositories are inactive, and the website is offline.
Even in a world powered by AI, not every smart tool makes it. ExplainDev tried to bridge the gap between learners and working code—and while the product is gone, its vision of accessible code education lives on in new forms.
What is explain.dev?
Explain.dev is a platform leveraging AI to facilitate code comprehension and tutorial creation. Key features include AI Code Explanation, which translates code into natural language for enhanced understanding, and Interactive Tutorials, enabling users to receive detailed explanations for selected code segments. The platform offers a Chrome extension for code explanation on various websites and integrates with Visual Studio Code for in-editor assistance. Additionally, users can generate customizable tutorials with editable code explanations. Explain.dev caters to developers seeking rapid code comprehension, programming students, and technical writers crafting documentation.
How does explain.dev work?
Explain.dev operates through an AI-driven process for real-time code explanation. Here’s how it works:
Write Code: Users input or select a code snippet they wish to comprehend.
AI Analysis: Employing OpenAI Codex, the platform analyzes the code and generates explanations in natural language.
Interactive Features: Users can selectively choose portions of the code for detailed explanations. They also have the option to customize elements within their tutorials for a tailored learning experience.
Browser Extension: With the Explain.dev Chrome extension installed, users gain an "Explain" option when encountering code on supported platforms such as GitHub, Stack Overflow, and documentation sites. Activating this feature sends the code to Explain.dev's service, which furnishes an explanation.
VS Code Integration: Integration with Visual Studio Code enables users to access explanations and resolve technical queries directly within the editor environment.
Tutorial Creation: In addition to explanations, Explain.dev empowers users to craft tutorials featuring editable code explanations, facilitating sharing and future reference.
By streamlining the comprehension and utilization of code, Explain.dev serves developers, students, and technical writers alike, fostering improved learning outcomes and productivity.
How accurate are the AI-generated explanations of explain.dev?
AI-generated explanations, such as those provided by Explain.dev, typically offer reliable insights, particularly when the AI is trained extensively and the code is well-structured and documented. Key considerations include:
AI Training: Explain.dev's AI undergoes training on vast repositories of public code, spanning various programming languages. This comprehensive training aids in delivering accurate explanations across a spectrum of code snippets.
User Feedback: MDN Web Docs observed a favorable response to AI-generated explanations, with a significant majority of users finding them helpful. However, continual refinement based on user feedback remains integral to enhancing accuracy.
Complexity of Code: The accuracy of AI explanations can be influenced by the complexity and clarity of the code. Highly intricate or inadequately documented code may pose challenges for AI systems, potentially affecting the accuracy of explanations.
Continuous Improvement: Explain.dev, like many AI models, undergoes iterative refinement and updates informed by user feedback and advancements in AI research. This ongoing enhancement process contributes to improving the accuracy of generated explanations over time.
Transparency and Explainability: Research suggests that enhancing the transparency and explainability of AI models can bolster accuracy without compromising performance. Efforts to augment the clarity of AI explanations hold promise for refining their accuracy.
In conclusion, while AI-generated explanations offer valuable insights, they should complement other resources and human judgment, particularly for intricate or mission-critical tasks.
How much does explain.dev cost?
Explain.dev presents a tiered pricing model tailored to diverse user needs:
Basic Plan: This complimentary plan grants access to 1000 free credits for Q&A functionalities. It encompasses code explanations, responses to open-ended inquiries, and automated follow-up Q&A sessions.
Pro Plan: Priced at $10 monthly or $60 annually per user, the Pro Plan extends the offerings of the Basic plan, incorporating additional professional-grade features.
Teams Plan: Catering to collaborative environments, the Teams Plan facilitates shared code annotations, insights into skill deficiencies, access to domain-specific knowledge for responses, and AI-enabled teamwork. Pricing for the Teams plan is available upon request, encouraging interested parties to engage with Explain.dev directly for further details.
For comprehensive details or to initiate subscription with a preferred plan, individuals can explore Explain.dev's pricing page.
What are the benefits of explain.dev?
Explain.dev delivers a multitude of advantages tailored to a diverse user base, spanning developers to technical writers. Key benefits include:
Enhanced Understanding: Users benefit from lucid code explanations, facilitating comprehension of intricate code segments.
Productivity Boost: By furnishing contextual responses to technical queries, Explain.dev empowers users to operate with heightened autonomy and efficacy.
Learning Support: The platform offers tailored learning paths and guidance on progressive skill acquisition, bolstering continuous learning initiatives.
Reduced Dependency: Evidence suggests a notable decrease in junior developers' reliance on senior counterparts for support, indicating increased self-sufficiency.
Versatility: Beyond developers, Explain.dev caters to a broad spectrum of professionals, including portfolio analysts, software architects, technical writers, students, and coding instructors.
Integration: Seamless integration via browser extension and VS Code integration ensures consistent support across diverse coding environments, enhancing user experience.
Collaboration Enhancement: Leveraging machine learning algorithms, Explain.dev extends support to visual content analysis, facilitating team collaboration and bug identification through images or videos.
These benefits collectively streamline the coding experience, fostering deeper understanding and autonomy among users.
