Export2AI 📦
Make clean AI-ready zip files from your VS Code or Cursor workspace.
Export2AI packages the folder you choose, skips noisy or sensitive files, keeps useful repository context, and shows an offline token estimate before you upload the zip to ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, or another AI tool.
Why It Exists
AI tools are useful only when the project archive is actually useful.
| Common handoff problem |
Export2AI behavior |
Huge zips full of node_modules and caches |
Skips common junk by default |
Missing .github, .gitignore, or test files |
Keeps repository-control and validation files |
Accidentally shipping .git internals or keys |
Excludes local Git metadata and secret-like files |
| No idea how much context you are uploading |
Shows an offline token estimate |
| Too much setup for every AI handoff |
Right-click a folder and create the zip |
Quick Start
- Install Export2AI from Open VSX or download the latest
.vsix from Releases.
- Open a project in VS Code or Cursor.
- Right-click a folder in the Explorer.
- Choose Export2AI → Zip Folder.
- Upload the generated
*-context-*.zip to your AI tool.
The zip is written to the workspace root, for example:
my-project-gpt-5.5-context-2026-06-01-140000.zip
What It Can Do
| Feature |
What you get |
| 📁 Zip folder/workspace |
Clean AI-ready source archive |
| 🌳 Copy project structure |
Folder tree only, copied to clipboard |
| 📄 Copy one file |
Exact UTF-8 file text, no zip needed |
| 🔢 Token estimate |
Offline estimate in status bar and zip notification |
| 🛡️ Git metadata soft-delete |
Keeps .github/**, .gitignore, .gitattributes, but not .git/ |
| ⚙️ Editable safe excludes |
Built-in excludes are on by default and can be managed from the Command Palette |
Safe by Default
Export2AI is built for AI handoff, not for publishing secrets.
It keeps normal source files and useful project context, including source files whose names mention token, credential, secret, or key as ordinary code:
.github/
.gitignore
.gitattributes
AGENTS.md
README.md
docs/
tests/
tools/
It excludes local or sensitive material:
.git/
node_modules/
.env*
.npmrc
_netrc
*.pem
*.key
id_rsa
id_ed25519
__pycache__/
.pytest_cache/
build/
dist/
site/
The archive manifest also states that .git, credentials, and private key material were intentionally omitted. You can add project-specific hard excludes with export2ai.excludePatterns or export2ai.excludePaths.
Symlinks are skipped during archive collection so an export cannot accidentally follow a link outside the selected project.
Main Settings
Open settings from Export2AI → Settings, the Command Palette, or by clicking the token count in the status bar.
| Setting |
Default |
Plain meaning |
export2ai.llmModel |
gpt-5.5 |
Model used for token estimates and zip names |
export2ai.softDeleteGitMetadata |
true |
Keep repo-control files, omit local .git internals |
export2ai.useBuiltInExcludePatterns |
true |
Use Export2AI's safe default excludes |
export2ai.excludePatterns |
[] |
Add your own extra exclude globs |
export2ai.removeComments |
false |
Optional comment stripping |
export2ai.compressCode |
false |
Optional whitespace compaction |
export2ai.showExplorerTokenBadges |
false |
Optional folder badges; off by default |
Use Export2AI: Manage Built-in Exclude Patterns from the Command Palette to include or exclude individual built-in patterns.
Learn More
The README stays short on purpose. Detailed docs live here:
- Wiki home — human guide, settings, safety behavior, troubleshooting
- Configuration — complete
export2ai.* setting reference
- Architecture — how collection, soft-delete, zipping, and token estimates work
- Build & test — local development and release pipeline
- Agent guide — rules for AI coding agents and contributors
Build From Source
npm install
npm run compile
npm run package
The built extension appears under:
build/export2ai-x.y.z.vsix
For release-level checks:
npm run test:critical
Links
