Export a Databutton Project to GitHub
A reliable, plan-independent workflow to move your Databutton app into a GitHub repository for version control.
Export Steps
If Databutton offers a direct GitHub connection in your plan, use it; the method below works regardless of plan or UI changes. It relies only on getting your code out of Databutton and on standard git — nothing that breaks when the builder's interface is updated.
Use whichever code output Databutton gives you: download or export the project from your workspace, or copy the files from the tool's code view into a local folder. Make sure you capture the full project, not just the file currently open.
On GitHub, create a new empty repository (private is a safe default). Skip the auto-generated README, licence, and .gitignore so your first push does not conflict.
In the folder containing your exported code, run git init and git remote add origin <your-repo-url>.
Add a .gitignore that excludes dependency folders, build output, and environment files such as .env. Search the export for API keys or tokens before you commit anything.
Run git add ., git commit -m "Initial import from Databutton", then git push -u origin main.
Open the repository on GitHub and confirm the files are complete, the default branch is correct, and no secrets were committed.
Why Use This Method
- It works on any plan — it does not depend on a built-in GitHub integration being available to you.
- It survives UI changes — AI-builder interfaces are updated frequently, but "get the code, push with git" always works.
- You review the code before it reaches GitHub, so secrets and junk files never enter your history.
Post-Export Checklist
- Clone the repository into a fresh folder and verify the project installs and builds outside Databutton.
- Recreate environment variables locally from a
.env.examplefile rather than committing real values. - Rotate any API keys that were ever visible in the exported code, even if you removed them before committing.
- If your team has multiple contributors, set up branch protection rules on
main.
Troubleshooting
- Push rejected: The GitHub repo was probably created with a README. Pull with
git pull origin main --allow-unrelated-histories, resolve, and push again — or recreate the repo empty. - Files missing after export: Compare the file tree in Databutton against your local folder and copy anything the export skipped, including config files that start with a dot.
- Authentication error on push: Use a GitHub personal access token or the
gh auth loginflow instead of a password.
Next Step
Export is done. To move from prototype to production delivery with structured planning and AI implementation: See how Feature1 works.
Verification
Written on August 19, 2026. AI-builder UIs change quickly — if labels differ, follow the tool's current documentation.
Continue in Claude Code, Cursor, or any coding agent
Once the project is on GitHub, you are no longer tied to Databutton. Clone the repository to your machine and run your coding agent — Claude Code, Cursor, Codex — directly in the project folder. The agent now works on your real codebase with full git history, instead of inside the builder's sandbox. And when you want planned features instead of one-off prompts, Feature1 connects your repo so agents implement against approved acceptance criteria.
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