UseSteady - Review AI actions before they run

UseSteady shows you exactly what AI will do - before it executes anything.

# Interactive session
npx usesteady

# Explicit input - Windows PowerShell and zsh safe
npx usesteady --prompt "replace 'Submit' with 'Send' in src/Button.tsx"

# Piped stdin
echo "rename old.ts to new.ts" | npx usesteady

# CI / automation - zero prompts
npx usesteady run spec.json --yes

Why

AI tools can generate code, run commands, and modify files - often before you fully understand what will change.

UseSteady adds a review layer:

• SYSTEM WILL - the exact change, not a summary
• Risk level - LOW / MEDIUM / HIGH, derived from what is actually changing
• WHY explanation - what this does and why it was triggered
• Approve / Reject - per step, before anything runs

How it works

Describe what you want to change. UseSteady translates it into a safe, structured change. If it can't, it helps you rewrite it before anything runs.

Every request becomes one of a few safe operations: replace, rename, create, delete, or run.

Public alpha: Exact operations execute immediately. Ambiguous or multi-step requests are guided to a specific form before anything runs.

This is an alpha build. Behavior is deterministic but evolving. Report friction at usesteady.dev/alpha.

Example

$ npx usesteady

  UseSteady

  AI can propose changes.
  You approve before they run.

  Describe what you want to change:
  > replace "Submit" with "Continue" in src/components/Button.tsx

  SYSTEM WILL

  1. Replace "Submit" -> "Continue" in src/components/Button.tsx

  RISK: LOW

  WHY
  Updates button label. Styling only, no logic affected.

  [a] Approve   [r] Reject

  > a

  Step approved - Button.tsx updated.

  All steps reviewed.
  Return to your workflow to continue.

If your input is ambiguous, UseSteady asks you to make it specific first:

  > update the button text

--------------------------------------------
  [Cursor] NOT EXECUTE
--------------------------------------------
  Which file should this apply to?

  Try one of these:
  -> replace "Submit" with "Continue" in src/components/Button.tsx
  -> rename Button.tsx to PrimaryButton.tsx
  -> replace "<current text>" with "<new text>" in <file>

How requests are handled

| Input type | What happens | |---|---| | Clear - exact file, value, path | Runs immediately after approval | | Missing info - file or value not given | Asks a specific question | | Ambiguous - could mean multiple things | Suggests a concrete rewrite | | Too broad - large or multi-step scope | Asks you to break it down |

UseSteady will never guess and execute.

Mental model

Exact input  ->  SYSTEM WILL  ->  You approve  ->  runs
Vague input  ->  Guidance     ->  You rewrite  ->  SYSTEM WILL

High risk example

  SYSTEM WILL

  1. Permanently delete src/utils/deprecated.ts

     Removes deprecated.ts and all its exports
     Any import of this file will fail immediately after deletion
     No automatic recovery - requires git revert if this was a mistake

  RISK: HIGH

  WHY
  Removes deprecated utilities no longer used.

  HIGH RISK - cannot be undone without version control

  [a] Approve (high risk)
  [r] Reject

What makes it different

• No silent execution
• No vague summaries
• No hidden changes

You see what changes, why it changes, and how risky it is - before anything runs.

Install

# No install needed - run directly
npx usesteady

# Or install globally
npm install -g usesteady

Requires Node.js 18+. Runs fully local. Optional: set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY to enable richer guidance for ambiguous inputs.

One path per environment

| Environment | Command | |---|---| | Interactive (any) | npx usesteady | | Windows PowerShell | npx usesteady --prompt "replace 'X' with 'Y' in file" | | macOS / zsh | npx usesteady --prompt 'replace "X" with "Y" in file' | | Piped stdin | echo "rename old.ts to new.ts" \| npx usesteady | | CI / scripts | npx usesteady run spec.json --yes |

--prompt avoids shell quoting issues across environments. --yes collapses all approval prompts - use it only in CI where you've reviewed the spec.

Core idea

AI proposes. You approve. Then it runs.

Like git diff - but for AI actions before they execute.

Language

| Term | Meaning | |---|---| | SYSTEM WILL | The exact operation that will run - not a summary | | SYSTEM SUGGESTS | Options shown when AI is unsure - not a guess | | Approve / Reject | Your decision, per step | | Revert last approval | Undo a decision (not a filesystem change - nothing has run yet) | | Risk: LOW / MEDIUM / HIGH | Derived from what is actually changing |

You see SYSTEM WILL before anything runs.

That is the guarantee. Every step. No exceptions.

usesteady.dev - Apache 2.0