A powerful desktop app for preparing, previewing, and packaging any local codebase for large-language-model conversations. Built with Electron for native file system access and zero configuration.
TL;DR – Pick a project folder, select files using an intuitive tree interface, and copy a perfectly formatted XML snippet—ready for ChatGPT, Claude, or any LLM.
🖥️ NATIVE DESKTOP APP – Gitignore-aware, keyboard-friendly, beautifully responsive, with deep macOS integration.
- Features
- Quick Start
- macOS Launch Instructions
- Desktop Features
- Folder Structure
- UI/UX Details
- Tech Stack
- Building & Distribution
- Contributing
- License
| Area | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Native File Access | Browse directories using the OS file picker. No security restrictions. Remembers recent directories. |
| Smart Tree Navigation | Expandable tree view. Select folders to include all contents. Checkboxes propagate intelligently. |
| Gitignore Integration | Respects .gitignore. Filters noise while preserving selections. |
| File Type Filtering | Filter by extension with visual indicators and keyboard control. |
| Live Preview | Syntax-highlighted XML preview with live updates, line counts, token estimates, and structure. |
| Menu Bar Integration | Native macOS menus: ⌘O to open, plus Edit/View/Window. |
| Clipboard Export | One-click copy of formatted XML, ready for LLM prompts. |
| Keyboard Shortcuts | Familiar shortcuts: ⌘O (open), ⌘F (search), ⌘C (copy). |
# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/your-org/llm-context-builder.git
cd llm-context-builder
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Start the app in development mode
npm run electron-devTo build a distributable version:
npm run build-electronThe app is not code-signed, so macOS may block it at first launch. To allow it:
- Locate the
.app(e.g.,dist/mac/LLM Context Builder.app). - Right-click the app in Finder and choose Open.
- Confirm the dialog by clicking Open.
You can open it normally from Finder or Launchpad.
If you still have trouble:
xattr -d com.apple.quarantine "LLM Context Builder.app"
⚠️ The app requests no sensitive permissions. It only accesses files you select.
- OS-native folder picker
- No browser sandbox limitations
- Recents tracked and editable
- File/Edit/View/Window menus
- Keyboard shortcuts (⌘O, ⌘F, etc.)
- Dock icon with live state
- Expand/collapse folders
- Folder-level select-all
- Keyboard accessible
- Instant XML output
- Syntax highlighting
- Token and line estimates
electron/ → Electron main process
main.js → App entry
preload.js → Secure IPC bridge
app/ → Next.js frontend
page.tsx → Main UI
globals.css → Tailwind styles
components/ → React components
file-tree.tsx → Tree navigation
filter-popup.tsx → File filtering
recent-paths.tsx → Recent projects
hooks/ → Custom hooks
use-file-operations.tsx → File system logic
lib/ → Utilities
utils.ts → Filtering logic
file-types.ts → File type detection
recent-paths.ts → Recents storage
public/ → Static assets
logo.png → App icon
| Layer | Stack |
|---|---|
| Desktop Shell | Electron 37 |
| Frontend | Next.js 15 + React 19 + TypeScript |
| Styling | Tailwind CSS |
| UI Components | shadcn/ui + Radix UI |
| Icons | Lucide React |
| File Access | Node.js fs via Electron |
# Dev mode
npm run electron-dev
# Build Next.js app
npm run build
# Run Electron manually
npm run electronnpm run build-electron # Current platform
npm run dist # All platforms (requires setup)Tested on:
- ✅ macOS (primary)
⚠️ Windows/Linux (config present, untested)
Code signing & auto-update are not included.
# Fork and clone
git clone https://github.com/your-username/llm-context-builder.git
# Install deps
npm install
# New feature branch
git checkout -b feature/your-feature- Use TypeScript strict mode
- Tailwind for styling
- Prettier + ESLint for formatting
- Follow structure and design system
- Test and document your changes
MIT © 2025