Sphinx is an open-source Git hook for agent-assisted development that pauses pushes to protected branches and quizzes you on what the change actually does.
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A separate reviewer model reads the commit through read-only Git tools, without seeing the agent conversation, and asks open-book questions about behavior, failure modes, and invariants before the push continues.
- 01
Pre-push understanding check on protected branches (main/master by default)
- 02
Independent reviewer model that never sees the coding agent's conversation
- 03
Follow-up scenarios and explanations when an answer misses
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Works with Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenCode, Pi, or plain Git
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Reviewer runs on Claude Code/Codex plans, OpenRouter, or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint
Open Source
Free and open source under the MIT License; reviewer model calls run on your own Claude Code or Codex plan, OpenRouter key, or OpenAI-compatible endpoint.
Best for
Developers and teams shipping agent-written code who want to make sure a human understands each change before it reaches shared or production branches.
Not ideal for
Teams needing an enforceable security or compliance gate, native Windows users, or workflows where blocking git push for minutes is unacceptable.
A thoughtful, low-friction checkpoint that targets comprehension debt from AI coding agents; useful as practice and discipline, though by its own admission not a security control.
First public release (v0.1) published on npm as sphinx-understand in mid-October 2026, followed by a Show HN launch on October 18, 2026 that reached 250+ points.
As of
Is Sphinx free?+
Yes - Sphinx is Open Source. Free and open source under the MIT License; reviewer model calls run on your own Claude Code or Codex plan, OpenRouter key, or OpenAI-compatible endpoint.
Is Sphinx open source?+
Yes - Sphinx is open source. Free and open source under the MIT License; reviewer model calls run on your own Claude Code or Codex plan, OpenRouter key, or OpenAI-compatible endpoint.
Who is Sphinx best for?+
Developers and teams shipping agent-written code who want to make sure a human understands each change before it reaches shared or production branches.
Who is Sphinx not ideal for?+
Teams needing an enforceable security or compliance gate, native Windows users, or workflows where blocking git push for minutes is unacceptable.
What are the best Sphinx alternatives?+
The closest Sphinx alternatives on ai.dosa.dev are CodeRabbit, Qodo, Snyk Code - all listed under AI Code Review & Security.
Who makes Sphinx?+
Sphinx is developed by parthh01. It is listed in the AI Code Review & Security category on ai.dosa.dev.
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