🛡️ Backup Buddy - AI-Safe File Protection

Protect Your Code During AI-Assisted Development

A professional VS Code extension designed to safeguard your intellectual property while working with AI assistants like GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and Claude. Create instant backups with folder structure preservation and automatic cleanup.

🎯 Why Backup Buddy?

In the era of AI-assisted coding, protecting your original work is crucial:

🤖 AI Safety: Secure your code before AI modifications
💡 IP Protection: Preserve original implementations
🔄 Version Control: Track changes during AI collaboration
⚡ Instant Backup: One-click protection for critical files
🗂️ Smart Organization: Maintain folder structure in backups

✨ Key Features

🎛️ Professional Interface

📍 Editor Toolbar Button: Prominent save icon (💾) in top-right corner
📊 Status Bar Integration: Always-visible backup status indicator
⌨️ Command Palette: Quick access via Ctrl+Shift+P
🎨 Professional Icons: High-contrast, easily identifiable buttons

🔧 Advanced Functionality

📁 Folder Structure Preservation: Maintains original directory hierarchy
🧹 Automatic Cleanup: Configurable old file removal (30-day default)
⏰ Timestamp Naming: filename_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.ext format
💾 Unsaved Changes Support: Backup even modified files
🔄 Auto-Backup on Save: Optional automatic protection

🚀 Installation

Quick Install (Recommended)

Open VS Code
Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)
Search "Backup Buddy"
Click Install

Alternative Methods

Command Line: code --install-extension pankajdadure.backup-buddy
Marketplace: Install from VS Code Marketplace

📖 Usage Guide

🎯 Icon Visibility & Location

Location: Top-right corner of active editor
Visibility: Only when file is focused and open
Icon: Professional save/disk symbol
Color: Adapts to VS Code theme (light/dark)
Size: Standard toolbar icon (16x16px)

Status Bar Indicator

Location: Bottom status bar (right side)
Always Visible: Persistent across all files
Shows: Backup count and last backup time
Click Action: Quick backup of current file

🔄 AI Development Workflow

graph LR
    A[Write Code] --> B[💾 Backup]
    B --> C[AI Assistant]
    C --> D[Review Changes]
    D --> E[Keep/Restore]

Before AI Interaction: Click 💾 to backup current state
During AI Coding: Let Copilot/ChatGPT suggest changes
After AI Changes: Compare with backup if needed
Decision Point: Keep AI changes or restore from backup

⚡ Quick Actions

Action	Method	Shortcut
Backup Current File	Toolbar Button	Click 💾
Backup via Command	Command Palette	`Ctrl+Shift+P` → "Back Up"
Auto-Backup Setup	Settings	Search "Backup Buddy"
Cleanup Old Files	Command Palette	"Clean Up Old Backup Files"

⚙️ Configuration

🎛️ Settings Overview

Access via: File → Preferences → Settings → Search "Backup Buddy"

{
  "fileBackup.backupDirectory": "",
  "fileBackup.autoBackupOnSave": false,
  "fileBackup.preserveFolderStructure": true,
  "fileBackup.cleanupDays": 30,
  "fileBackup.autoCleanup": false
}

📁 Directory Structure

Default Location: .vscode/backups/

project/
├── .vscode/
│   └── backups/
│       ├── src/
│       │   ├── app.js_20231201_143022.js
│       │   └── utils.js_20231201_143045.js
│       └── README.md_20231201_143100.md
└── src/
    ├── app.js
    └── utils.js

Custom Directory Example:

C:/MyBackups/
├── ProjectA/
│   └── src/
│       └── component.tsx_20231201_143022.tsx
└── ProjectB/
    └── api/
        └── routes.js_20231201_143045.js

🤖 AI Integration Scenarios

GitHub Copilot Workflow

💾 Backup before accepting suggestions
Review Copilot's code changes
Compare with original implementation
Keep improvements, restore if needed

ChatGPT/Claude Integration

💾 Backup current working file
Copy code to AI assistant
Apply suggested modifications
Test and validate changes
Restore from backup if issues arise

Refactoring Protection

💾 Backup entire module before AI refactoring
Let AI suggest improvements
Apply changes incrementally
Maintain backup trail for rollback

🎯 Best Practices

Recommended Workflow

Pre-AI Backup: Always backup before major AI interactions
Incremental Changes: Make small, testable modifications
Regular Cleanup: Enable auto-cleanup to manage disk space
Version Tracking: Use meaningful backup naming conventions

Team Collaboration

Shared Backup Directory: Configure team-wide backup location
Backup Before Merge: Protect code before integrating AI suggestions
Code Review Safety: Backup original implementations for comparison

📊 Performance & Security

Performance Optimized

⚡ Lightning Fast: < 100ms backup operations
💾 Memory Efficient: Minimal RAM usage during backup
🎯 Smart Targeting: Only processes requested files
🧹 Auto-Cleanup: Prevents disk space bloat

Security & Privacy

🔒 100% Local: No cloud uploads or external connections
🛡️ File Integrity: Preserves original file permissions
🔐 Private: Your code never leaves your machine
📁 Organized: Maintains secure folder structure

🆘 Troubleshooting

Common Issues & Solutions

Issue	Solution
💾 Icon not visible	Ensure file is open and focused, restart VS Code
📁 Backup location error	Check write permissions, verify custom directory path
⚡ Performance slow	Enable auto-cleanup, reduce cleanup days setting
🔄 Restore not working	Verify backup file exists, check timestamp format
🚫 Permission denied	Run VS Code as administrator (Windows) or check folder permissions

Getting Help

📖 Check FAQ
🐛 Report Issues
💬 Community Support

📝 Release Notes

See CHANGELOG.md for detailed version history.

Latest: v1.0.4

🐛 Fixed timestamp parsing issues for reliable backup restoration
🔧 Improved error handling and diagnostic messages
✅ Enhanced VS Code extension category compliance
🚀 Performance optimizations and code quality improvements

📄 License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

🌟 Star this project on GitHub if it helps protect your code!

🐛 Found an issue? Report it here

Backup Buddy

Pankaj Dadure