Ext

Convert entire projects to AI-ready text in one click. Privacy-first, browser-based, works with any AI tool.

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Ext - File to Text Processor for AI Tools

Inspiration

We were debugging a React app and needed AI help, but copying 50+ files manually was taking longer than the actual bug fix. AI tools can handle massive codebases, but getting code to them is broken. Upload limits, format restrictions, and privacy concerns make it painful.

Every developer hits this problem daily. We built Ext to fix it.

What it does

Ext converts entire project directories into AI-ready plain text: instantly and privately.

  • Upload whole directories, select specific files with checkboxes
  • Process unlimited files with zero size or format restrictions
  • Convert to clean plain text optimized for AI context windows
  • Download as .txt and paste into any AI tool (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.)
  • Syntax highlighting preview for 15+ languages
  • GitHub-style language distribution visualization
  • Everything stays in your browser. Your code never leaves your machine

How we built it

  • React for the UI
  • Browser File System API to read directories client-side
  • Prism.js for syntax highlighting
  • Pure client-side processing for privacy
  • Recursive directory traversal with smart state management
  • Responsive design: desktop sidebar, mobile bottom sheet

Challenges we ran into

  • Performance issues with 1000+ file projects
  • Complex state management for nested file trees with parent-child checkbox relationships
  • Memory management for large files
  • Syntax highlighting edge cases and language detection

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • Zero configuration: just works, no setup
  • True privacy: code never touches servers
  • Handles real production codebases (2000+ files smoothly)
  • Beautiful, responsive UX with smooth animations
  • Processes 500-file projects in under 2 seconds
  • Solving a universal problem every AI-using developer faces daily

What we learned

  • Privacy is a major feature people care deeply about
  • Simplicity wins. Resisting feature bloat made the product better
  • Performance requires discipline even in React (batching, lazy loading, optimistic UI)
  • Real testing with messy codebases reveals edge cases toy examples never will

What's next for Ext

  • Custom formatting presets and saved selections
  • Glob pattern filtering (**/*.test.js)
  • Copy to clipboard (no download needed)
  • Git diff processing (only changed files)
  • Direct "Send to ChatGPT/Claude" integration
  • Team collaboration features
  • VS Code extension and CLI tool
  • API for developer tools
  • AI-powered smart file selection
  • Enterprise self-hosted version

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