Create a non-AGPL workflow for VS Code visualization #1
Description
First off, adeu is a brilliant piece of engineering. The decision to handle redlining via backend XML injection (python-docx + diff-match-patch) rather than a heavy frontend engine is smart, and the MIT license makes it perfect for widespread adoption in legal tech.
However, the current workflow getting traction on LinkedIn (as seen in the Lawvable profile) relies on the SuperDoc extension to visualize and interact with these DOCX files inside VS Code. Because SuperDoc is licensed under AGPL v3.0, this entire workflow becomes a non-starter for many commercial enterprises, open source projects, and legal tech vendors who cannot introduce AGPL software into their stack.
To make the excellent adeu backend accessible to the widest possible audience, we need a visualization workflow that does not rely on AGPL components.
I propose we document or develop a lightweight, permissive way to view these files in VS Code. Some potential approaches:
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Markdown Preview: Since adeu already ingests DOCX to Markdown/Text for the LLM, perhaps we could expose a "Preview" command that renders the current state (with redlines indicated as
strikethroughor bold) in a standard VS Code Markdown window. -
HTML Export: A simple CLI command (e.g., adeu preview) that generates a temporary HTML file with red/green styling and opens it in the browser or VS Code's simple browser preview.
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External Handler: Explicitly documenting a workflow where VS Code handles the "Chat/Diff" via CLI, but relies on the OS default viewer (Microsoft Word) for the visual check, removing the need for an in-editor renderer entirely.
The goal is to ensure that the permissive nature of adeu (MIT) isn't bottlenecked by the strict copyleft nature of the visualization tool. Uncoupling these would unlock significant adoption in the enterprise legal engineering space.