OmegaOMG Language Support for VS Code

OMG in VS Code – syntax highlighting, hovers, and diagnostics

Empower domain pattern authors and data engineers with fast, reliable authoring of Omega Object Matching Grammar (OMG) files directly inside Visual Studio Code. The OmegaOMG Language Support extension turns raw pattern text into a productive, validated, navigable editing experience.

Core Value

Design richer linguistic and entity-matching grammars with confidence. Instant feedback (diagnostics + hovers) shrinks iteration loops, while smart completions reduce syntax friction and errors. Ship accurate pattern logic faster.

Who It’s For

  • Data / Knowledge Engineers building rule-driven extraction or resolution logic
  • Search & Matching Teams curating controlled vocabularies and normalization layers
  • ML / NLP Practitioners prototyping hybrid (symbolic + learned) pipelines
  • Platform & Tooling Engineers standardizing internal pattern authoring workflows

Key Capabilities

1. Intelligent Editing

  • Full syntax highlighting (TextMate grammar) for all OMG tokens
  • Context-aware autocomplete for keywords, import flags, resolver methods, rule names, list aliases, escapes, quantifiers
  • Multiple trigger characters registered for fluid suggestions (.["[(\\)

2. Real-Time Assurance

  • AST-backed parsing (custom lightweight parser) on every change
  • Immediate surfacing of:
    • Syntax issues
    • Undefined rule references
    • Disallowed / unbounded quantifiers (+, *, {n,})
    • Missing file references in import & optional-tokens() clauses
  • Clear diagnostics in Problems panel with precise ranges

3. Deep Understanding at Cursor

  • Rich hover cards for: list matches, named captures, character classes, quantifiers, anchors, resolver flags & methods, escape sequences, file paths (with existence check)
  • Dual strategy: AST-derived semantics + regex fallback for resiliency

4. Focused Navigation (Single File)

  • Go to Definition for rule names
  • Find All References for identifiers within the current document

5. File Validation

  • Inline verification of imported and optional token files (relative paths)
  • Visual cues (squiggles + hover status) to catch environment/setup gaps early

6. Ergonomic Grammar Authoring

  • Bounded quantifier guidance built-in
  • Helpful completion metadata (detail + documentation fields)
  • Consistent naming semantics for resolvers & rules

Differentiators

AreaOmegaOMG Extension Advantage
Parsing DepthMaintains an AST to drive diagnostics & semantic hovers (not just regex coloring)
ResilienceGraceful fallback hover logic ensures context help even under partial parse states
ValidationCombines syntactic + semantic + filesystem checks inline
Extensibility PathClear separation (constants, parser, language service) for future feature growth
Author VelocitySmart context completions reduce boilerplate & prevent common mistakes

Typical Workflow

  1. Create or open a .omg file
  2. Define version and any import sources
  3. Add rules using rule_name = pattern
  4. Refine with list matches [[alias]], named captures, filters & quantifiers
  5. Use hover + diagnostics to iteratively refine correctness
  6. Add resolver logic via resolver default uses exact or rule-level uses ... with flags
  7. Validate all references before committing

Example Snippet

version 1.0

import "names.txt" as names with ignore-case, word-prefix
import "cities.txt" as cities with word-boundary

person_lives_in = (?P<who>[[names]]) " lives in " (?P<where>[[cities]])

Diagnostics highlight unresolved symbols or missing files instantly.

Productivity Highlights

ProblemWithout ExtensionWith OmegaOMG Support
Typos in flagsSilent failure laterFlag auto-complete & hovers
Undefined rulesHard to noticeImmediate error diagnostic
Missing import filesRuntime surprisesInline file existence check
Quantifier misuseSubtle logic driftDisallowed forms flagged
Cognitive loadConstant docs lookupOn-cursor semantic hover summaries

Roadmap (Planned Enhancements)

  • Multi-file rule graph navigation (cross-file references)
  • Snippet library for common pattern archetypes
  • Configurable diagnostic severity levels
  • Workspace-level caching for large grammar sets
  • CI integration recipes (lint + validate OMG sources)

(Feedback-driven prioritization—open an issue to influence ordering.)

Getting Started

git clone https://github.com/scholarsmate/omega-omg-vscode
cd omega-omg-vscode
npm install
npm run build
npm run install-local   # installs the generated VSIX into VS Code
# Press F5 in VS Code for development host debugging

Open any .omg file—features activate automatically.

Extensibility & Contribution

Clearly separated modules: omg-parser.ts (syntax), omg-language-service.ts (features), omg-constants.ts (surface metadata). This structure enables targeted PRs (e.g., add a new flag, extend resolver methods, introduce multi-file indexing).

Quality & Safety Principles

  • Deterministic parser (no catastrophic backtracking)
  • Controlled filesystem reads (only relative existence checks)
  • No network calls or telemetry
  • Minimal dependency surface for reliable builds

Call to Action

Accelerate rule-centric matching development. Install the OmegaOMG Language Support extension and turn raw OMG text into a guided, high-confidence authoring workflow.

Have a feature request or large deployment use case? Open an issue or start a discussion—your scenario can shape the roadmap.

Transform pattern authoring from guesswork to guided engineering.