Introducing Hopper Velocity, the AI Project Manager Inside VS Code That Helps You Ship 

Vibe coding is fun - until it isn’t.

Most projects don’t stall because the code is too hard. They stall because AI-assisted development without structure turns into an expensive loop:

• rewrite the same files,
• refactor working code into broken abstractions,
• chase new errors created by previous fixes,
• reconsider architecture mid-stream,
• burn credits while feeling productive.

It looks like progress… but it doesn’t converge... and it rarely finishes.

And the worst part? It’s not even your fault.

Unstructured AI development optimizes for activity, not outcomes.
Modern models are incredibly good at looking productive even when they’re going in circles.

If you’ve ever felt like you were paying for “forward motion” and getting “side-to-side movement,” you already understand the problem.

Hopper Velocity exists to fix that.

The Problem: Why Vibe Coding Stalls 

AI is getting really, really good at generating code. Recently people started to realize Claude Code actually can code, but as good as it is out of the box, without guardrails, it and other AI codign solutions struggle with execution discipline.

What most developers are experiencing right now is:

motion without momentum

Here are the most common failure modes of unstructured vibe coding:

1) The loop of doom (circular fixes)

You ask for a fix → AI makes changes → error shifts → AI “fixes” that → new error → repeat.

Each step seems reasonable — but the project never stabilizes because there is no locked-in plan.

2) No definition of “done”

If the AI doesn’t know what “done” looks like, it cannot finish.

It will keep:

• improving,

• polishing,

• expanding scope.

That’s not helpful - that’s a billing trap.

3) Architecture thrash

Without stable direction, the AI starts steering.

You get:

• unnecessary abstractions,

• framework suggestions you didn’t ask for,

• constant reorganization.

You end up rebuilding foundations instead of building outcomes.

4) Overbuilding before discovery

Models confidently generate large solutions based on assumptions.

The code looks impressive… but it isn’t grounded in real constraints yet.

5) Context loss between sessions

Humans forget. Models forget faster.

So every time you return after a break:

• decisions get revisited,

• context is re-explained,

• architecture is re-litigated.

You’re paying the AI to remember what you already knew.

6) Scope creep disguised as “helpfulness”

Without phases and boundaries, everything becomes urgent.

An MVP quietly balloons into:

• auth,

• payments,

• admin dashboards,

• analytics,

• CI/CD,

• integrations…

…before the core feature even works.

7) Credit burn without proof of progress

If there’s no execution plan, checkpointing, and verification gates, the AI can output forever.

You end up with:

• lots of tokens,

• lots of commits,

• and nothing shipped.

The Solution: Hopper Velocity

Hopper Velocity is a VS Code extension that acts like an AI project manager inside VS Code Chat.

It doesn’t just help you write code - it helps you finish projects.

Hopper Velocity transforms your intent into a structured execution system:

✅ Define success → ✅ build a roadmap → ✅ execute phase plans → ✅ verify each step → ✅ ship

Instead of vague chats that wander, Hopper generates durable structure:

• PROJECT.md — goals, constraints, success criteria

• ROADMAP.md — phases & milestones

• PLAN.md — executable step-by-step checklists with acceptance criteria

• PAUSE_STATE.md — saved work session state

• DEFERRED_ISSUES.md — “nice ideas” captured without derailing execution

In other words:

Most AI tools help you code. Hopper helps you ship.

Install it to VSCode here (or search “Hopper Velocity” in the Extensions view):
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=VitalPoint.hopper-velocity

What Hopper Velocity does for you (fast)

1) Ship more often (without heroic effort)

Most projects fail due to missing structure — unclear scope, shifting priorities, and fragile momentum.

Hopper turns chaos into an executable path forward.

2) Stop losing context between sessions

Close your laptop Friday. Open it Monday. Hopper can resume exactly where you were:

• what step you were on,
• why you were doing it,
• what assumptions were made,
• what’s next.

3) Build trusted applications (not just fast ones)

Speed without quality is a trap.

Hopper Velocity includes security analysis to surface risk early before you ship something you regret.

Important note: security analysis helps, but it’s not a guarantee. You still own the final responsibility for review, testing, and validation.

4) Keep control over model choice (and cost)

Hopper Velocity is model-agnostic.

Use NEAR AI or bring your own provider. Switch whenever you want.

5) Privacy-preserving AI is no longer optional

If you work on proprietary code, client projects, regulated data, or internal tools, “just send it to the cloud” isn’t a satisfying answer.

Hopper Velocity integrates with NEAR AI (you just unhide them from the models dialog in agent chat and pick one). NEAR AI’s Cloud provides private inference architecture that uses hardware-secured Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) (including Intel TDX and NVIDIA Confidential Computing) to keep data encrypted and isolated while models run.

What this looks like in practice (a realistic flow)

You start with intent:

“Build a markdown blog with dark mode, RSS, and a deploy pipeline.”

Hopper turns that into structure:

• project definition with success criteria

• roadmap into phases (Setup → Core Blog → Dark Mode → RSS → Testing/Release)

• detailed phase plan you can execute step-by-step

And you can keep moving without losing momentum:

You: @hopper /new-project 
Hopper: Let’s define your project and success criteria… 
You: @hopper /create-roadmap 
Hopper: I created a roadmap with 5 phases and suggested milestones. 
You: @hopper /plan-phase Setup 
Hopper: I created a detailed plan with acceptance criteria and verification steps. 
You: @hopper /execute-plan 
Hopper: Executing Step 1/12… 
--- Next day --- 
You: @hopper /resume-work 
Hopper: Resuming Phase 2: Core Blog, Step 3/12…

This is the difference between:

• coding with vibes, and

• shipping with structure.

What makes Hopper Velocity different

Planning that stays connected to execution

Most planning docs go stale because they aren’t connected to real work.

Hopper keeps planning alive by:

• generating steps with acceptance criteria,

• tracking progress as you execute,

• capturing assumptions to prevent misalignment.

AI that executes (not just suggests)

Hopper is designed for follow-through:

• break work into steps

• execute plans

• maintain state

• preserve momentum

Built-in quality gates

Hopper encourages “verify what you shipped”:

• discovery/research modes before commitment

• verification checklists

• plan-fix loops when testing reveals issues

Security analysis for trusted applications

Hopper includes security analysis features to identify risky patterns early.

Not a replacement for security teams but a powerful early-warning system.

NEAR AI integration: privacy-preserving infrastructure

NEAR AI Cloud provides an OpenAI-compatible endpoint and, per NEAR AI documentation, supports private inference using hardware-backed isolation.

For teams that can’t risk proprietary code exposure or model training leakage, this matters.

Coming soon: local inference support

Local inference is on the roadmap.

The goal: fully offline or self-hosted inference without sacrificing the Hopper workflow.

Get started in ~60 seconds

1) Install Hopper Velocity

Marketplace:
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=VitalPoint.hopper-velocity

Or run:

code --install-extension VitalPoint.hopper-velocity

2) Open VS Code Chat

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl+Shift+I

• Mac: Cmd+Shift+I

3) Start your first project

Type:

@hopper /new-project

Describe what you want to build.

4) Build the roadmap and execute

@hopper /create-roadmap @hopper /plan-phase <phase> @hopper /execute-plan

What Hopper creates (no lock-in)

Hopper generates a .planning/ folder with human-readable markdown you can commit to git:

.planning/ 
├── PROJECT.md # goals, constraints, success criteria 
├── ROADMAP.md # phases & milestones 
├── PAUSE_STATE.md # saved work session state 
├── DEFERRED_ISSUES.md # ideas + issues to revisit later 
└── phases/ 
    └── 01-setup/ 
        ├── 01-01-PLAN.md 
        └── 01-02-PLAN.md

Pricing: Phase 1 free, upgrade when you’re ready

Hopper Velocity is freemium:

• Phase 1 is free so you can experience the workflow end-to-end

• Pro unlocks Phase 2+ so you can keep building without limits

The goal is simple:

Hopper should earn its keep by helping you ship.

Who Hopper Velocity is for

• Founders building products while juggling everything else

• Consultants who context-switch across clients

• Indie hackers trying to consistently ship side projects

• Teams who need structured execution and privacy-preserving inference

Responsible use & disclaimer

Hopper Velocity can generate, modify, and execute code and workflows.

• Always review generated changes

• Run tests

• Verify behavior

• Treat security scanning as a helpful signal — not a guarantee

Hopper Velocity is provided “as is” without warranty. Users are responsible for validating outputs. See LICENSE for full terms.

Install Hopper Velocity

Marketplace:
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=VitalPoint.hopper-velocity

Search for Hopper Velocity in the extension sidebar in VS Code, 

Or run:

code --install-extension VitalPoint.hopper-velocity

If you’re ready to stop going in circles and start shipping:

@hopper /new-project