code2prompt vs contextzip
code2prompt renders a local codebase into one prompt from a template. contextzip sends the real files as a ZIP, from your disk or a repo link, and writes the AI's changed files back into the right folders.
Feature comparison
| Feature | code2prompt | contextzip |
|---|---|---|
| Output | One prompt rendered from a Handlebars template: Markdown by default, or JSON or XML, to stdout, a file or the clipboard | A ZIP of your real files, with a report and a CONTEXTZIP.md telling the AI how to reply |
| Local, private, uncommitted code | Yes. It runs on a local path. | Yes. It packages the files on your disk, committed or not. |
| Repo link, no clone | Not mentioned in its docs | Yes: GitHub, GitLab and Bitbucket links, folders and refs, with no git or clone. Private repos with a token or your gh login. |
| Stack-aware exclusions | Include and exclude globs, plus .gitignore (--no-ignore turns that off) | Yes. Detects Node.js, Next.js, Python, Django, FastAPI, Rust, Go and Ruby, including several stacks in one monorepo, and applies each one's rules on top of .gitignore. |
| .env and secrets | Not mentioned in its docs | Secret files (.env, private keys, cloud credentials) are left out by default. A .env you include on purpose keeps its keys, with every value replaced by [REDACTED]. |
| Clipboard as a file | -c copies the rendered prompt as text | Yes. The ZIP is copied as a real file, so you paste it straight into an upload box. |
| Applying AI changes back | No. It builds the prompt; the way back is up to you. | cz apply-zip puts each file in its real folder (even when the AI flattened the paths), three-way merges around your edits, and asks before anything risky |
| Reply as a pull request | No | cz apply-zip --pr turns the AI's ZIP into a branch and a pull request on GitHub |
| Web UI | No | Yes, on the home page: drop a folder (packed in your browser, never uploaded) or paste a repo link. In Chrome and Edge it also applies a reply to your folder. |
| Editor extension | Not mentioned in its docs | Yes: an official VS Code extension that packages and applies replies, with conflicts in the merge editor |
| MCP server | Yes | Yes (cz mcp), with tools to package and to apply a reply |
| Python API | Yes, an SDK on pip (code2prompt-rs) | Yes: get_files, get_git_changes, create_zip, apply_zip |
| Install | cargo, Homebrew, pip or a prebuilt binary. No Python needed for the CLI. | pip install contextzip (or pipx, uv), or without Python: npm @contextzip/cli, Homebrew, Scoop |
Where contextzip wins: a code2prompt alternative for editing
- You get files back, not just an answer.
cz apply-zipwrites the AI's ZIP into your project, puts flattened files back in their folders, and merges around edits you made in the meantime. - Any repo, from a link.
cz github.com/user/repo(or a GitLab or Bitbucket link) packages a repository without cloning it, andapply-zip --prsends the reply back as a pull request. - A browser, a VS Code extension or an agent. Drop a folder on the home page, use the VS Code extension, or give an agent
cz mcp. Each one packages and applies. - The chat takes uploads. A ZIP on the clipboard as a file pastes straight into Claude or ChatGPT with folders intact, and doesn't fill the message box with text.
- No globs to write. contextzip detects the stack, per folder in a monorepo, and knows what to leave out.
- Secrets are handled. Secret files are left out by default, and a
.envyou include on purpose is redacted value by value.
If you only want to ask questions about code, either one works. If you want the AI's edits back in your code, that's what contextzip is built for.