Export & Import

Chorum lets you export your entire memory to a single encrypted file and import it anywhere. Your knowledge is portable.

Why This Matters

• Backup — Protect against data loss
• Migration — Move to a new machine
• Sharing — Transfer project context to a teammate (with a shared passphrase)
• Disaster recovery — Restore from backup if something goes wrong

Export Formats

Encrypted Export (Default)

The standard .chorum export is encrypted with a passphrase of your choice.

Contents:

chorum-export-2026-01-31.chorum (ZIP archive)
├── manifest.json           # Version, export date, item counts
├── vault.key               # Master key, encrypted with export passphrase
├── memory/
│   ├── index.db            # Full index (embeddings + metadata)
│   ├── patterns.enc
│   ├── decisions.enc
│   ├── invariants.enc
│   └── facts.enc
└── projects/
    └── [project-id]/
        ├── config.json
        └── memory.enc

Security: Uses the same AES-256-GCM encryption as your local storage. The export passphrase can be different from your vault passphrase.

Plaintext Export (Optional)

For human-readable backup. Use with caution.

Contents:

chorum-export-2026-01-31-PLAINTEXT.zip
├── manifest.json           # Includes warning about plaintext
├── memory/
│   ├── patterns.md         # Human-readable markdown
│   ├── decisions.md
│   ├── invariants.md
│   └── facts.md
└── projects/
    └── [project-id]/
        ├── config.json
        └── memory.md

⚠️ Warning: Plaintext exports contain all your memory in readable form. Anyone with this file can read your patterns, decisions, and context.

Exporting

Via Web UI

1. Go to Settings → Sovereignty (or Settings → Data Management)
2. Click Export
3. Choose format:
   • Encrypted (recommended)
   • Plaintext (requires confirmation)
4. If encrypted, enter an export passphrase
5. Click Export
6. Save the .chorum file

Via CLI

# Encrypted export (prompts for passphrase)
chorum export
> Export passphrase: ********
✓ Exported to chorum-export-2026-01-31.chorum
 
# Plaintext export (requires confirmation)
chorum export --plaintext
⚠️  WARNING: Plaintext export is not encrypted. Continue? [y/N] y
✓ Exported to chorum-export-2026-01-31-PLAINTEXT.zip

Importing

Via Web UI

1. Go to Settings → Sovereignty
2. Click Import
3. Select your .chorum file
4. Enter the import passphrase
5. Preview what will be imported
6. Click Import

Via CLI

chorum import ./backup.chorum
> Import passphrase: ********
✓ Imported 47 patterns, 12 decisions, 8 invariants
  3 conflicts detected. Run `chorum conflicts` to resolve.

Import Behavior

New Installation

If you’re importing to a fresh Chorum installation:

• The imported master key becomes your vault’s master key
• You’ll be prompted to set your vault passphrase
• All data is imported directly

Existing Installation

If you already have data:

1. Imported items are merged with existing items
2. Items with the same ID are compared by timestamp
3. Conflicts are flagged for resolution

Conflict Resolution

When importing conflicts with existing data:

Conflict detected: Pattern "typescript-validation"
  Local (Jan 20):   "Use Zod for all runtime validation"
  Import (Jan 22):  "Use Zod for runtime validation, Yup for forms"
  
  [K]eep local  |  [U]se imported  |  [M]erge both  |  [S]kip

Options:

Conflicts can be resolved in the UI under Settings → Pending Conflicts.

Export Passphrase

The export passphrase encrypts the master key in your export file.

Options:

• Same as vault passphrase — Convenient, same security
• Different passphrase — Better for sharing or extra security

If you’re sharing an export with a teammate, use a different passphrase and communicate it securely (not in the same channel as the file).

Best Practices

Regular Backups

Secure Storage

Passphrase Management

• Use strong, unique passphrases for exports
• Store passphrases in a password manager
• Don’t send passphrase and file through the same channel

CLI Commands Reference

# Export with interactive prompts
chorum export
 
# Export to specific file
chorum export --output ./backups/weekly.chorum
 
# Export plaintext (requires confirmation)
chorum export --plaintext
 
# Import with interactive prompts
chorum import ./backup.chorum
 
# Show merge conflicts
chorum conflicts
 
# Resolve conflicts interactively
chorum conflicts --resolve

FAQ

How large are export files?

Depends on your memory size. Typical ranges:

• Small (< 50 learnings): 50-100 KB
• Medium (50-200 learnings): 100-500 KB
• Large (200+ learnings): 500 KB - 2 MB

Can I automate exports?

Yes, via CLI:

# In a cron job or scheduled task
export CHORUM_EXPORT_PASSPHRASE="your-passphrase"
chorum export --output "/backups/chorum-$(date +%Y%m%d).chorum"

What if I forget my export passphrase?

The export cannot be decrypted without the passphrase. There’s no recovery mechanism. This is by design—it’s what makes the encryption meaningful.

Can I import from an older Chorum version?

Yes. The manifest includes version information. Chorum handles migration between versions during import.

Related Documentation

• Sovereignty Overview — Why portability matters
• Encryption — How exports are secured
• Memory Management — Managing your data