How to Export Code from Bolt.new (2026)

Learn how to download your Bolt project in 1 click!
We made this guide because we got lost trying to do it ourselves.

At first, exporting code from Bolt.new seemed simple. But then we figured that some parts worked, others didn’t, and the documentation didn’t really clear things up.

This guide walks you through everything we learned.

How to Export Source Code Files from Bolt.new

Answer: To export a project from Bolt.new, open it and click its name in the top-left corner. Then, choose “Export” and “Download”.

This would be the simplest way. Follow these steps:

1. Open your Bolt.new app
2. Click the project’s name (top-left)
3. Choose Export > Download

Bolt will automatically download the files.

You’ll get all the HTML/CSS documents related to the app you’ve built in Bolt, and then you can take them in Cursor, VS Code or any other app.

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How to Export Bolt.new Apps to GitHub

You can import your Bolt.new app into GitHub via the official integration: 1) Open the app in Bolt, 2) Click GitHub’s logo, 3) Export and download.

that was just a summary, though. Follow these steps:

1. Open your app in Bolt.new
2. Click GitHub’s logo (top-right corner)
3. Name your repository
4. Download the code from GitHub

There you go!

All you have to do is just name the repo and you’re free to access Bolt’s source code files and download from Github.

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What You Get When Exporting in Bolt.new

“Does Bolt.new Export Both Frontend and Backend Code?”
We were confused about this at first too.

When you hit “Export,” you expect to get the whole thing. Not just the pretty UI, but the actual server code behind it. So we tested it ourselves.

Turns out Bolt does export both the frontend and the backend, but with a few caveats you should know about.

1. What You Get on the Frontend

Bolt gives you a full React app, not just generated HTML.
In the export you’ll find:

• React + Vite setup (src/, package.json, etc.)
• TailwindCSS or other styling depending on what the AI picked
• All components and logic (forms, states, UI handlers, validation)
• Build config files (vite.config.js, scripts, etc.)

You can open it locally, run npm install && npm run dev, and the app will just work.
It’s standard React code: readable, editable, and easy to continue in VSCode.

2. What You Get on the Backend

If your Bolt project included any backend logic, it’s also in the export.
Usually you’ll see:

• A Node.js / Express server (server/ or similar)
• API routes for each feature Bolt generated
• Database integration, often via Prisma or Supabase
• Auth logic if you added login/signup flows

So yes, you get a proper backend — but you’ll need to set up your own database and environment variables (like your Supabase URL and key). The code’s there; the actual live services are not.

3. What’s Not Included

A few things don’t come with the export:

• Your live database (you’ll need to create one and run the migrations)
• Environment variables (API keys, DB URL, etc. — you add these manually)
• Bolt-specific cloud setup like one-click deploy or secret storage
• Any unfinished backend logic (Bolt can get fuzzy with complex APIs or DB relations)

Basically, the export gives you everything the AI wrote. But it’s still on you to plug in real credentials, test routes, and polish what Bolt started.

Bolt.new Alternative: 10x Better Code Exports ⚡️

After spending hours trying to get a clean export out of Bolt, we decided to build Shipper.now.

The idea was simple: what if exporting your app’s code actually worked (every time) without broken routes, missing .env files, or weird dependencies you have to chase down?

→ Shipper.now vs Bolt.new

With Shipper, you don’t just “get some code.”
You get a full project that’s production-ready from the start:

• Frontend and backend cleanly separated
• All .env variables handled automatically
• No hidden platform dependencies
• Exports run instantly on your local machine or any host
• You keep 100% of your code, no strings attached

We built Shipper because we were tired of re-wiring AI-generated apps just to make them run. Now you can build something fast, export it, and actually keep building without hitting the “so… where’s my backend?” moment.

FAQ: Export Bolt Code

1. How to share Bolt.new projects?

To share a Bolt.new project, click the Share button at the top of your workspace.
This opens a dialog where you can choose how visible your project is:

• Public – anyone can view it
• Secret – only people with the link can access it
• Private – only you and invited team members can see it

If you want to share a live version of your app (not just the editor), click Publish in the top-right corner.
Bolt will deploy it automatically to a free .bolt.host domain, which you can send to anyone to view or test your app online.

→ Bolt.new Statistics

2. Why am I not getting code from Bolt.new?

If you’re not seeing any code when you export from Bolt.new, a few things could be happening:

• Your project only has frontend logic.
  Some simple UIs (like landing pages or dashboards) don’t generate backend files. You’ll only see a React frontend in your export.
• Bolt failed to generate the backend.
  Bolt’s AI can get stuck on complex API or database tasks, leaving server code incomplete or missing. Try re-prompting it to “add a backend” or “include API routes.”
• Export wasn’t triggered properly.
  Make sure you’re using the Export Code option from the dropdown, not just “Share” or “Publish.” Exports download a .zip file with your project’s source code — not a hosted version.
• The download didn’t finish.
  Bolt sometimes takes a minute to bundle larger projects. Wait until the download completes and check your browser’s Downloads folder.

If you’ve done all this and still don’t see any code, it usually means Bolt only built the frontend — the backend part was never generated. In that case, you’ll need to manually add your own server or rebuild that logic in another tool (like Shipper.now, which always exports both frontend and backend cleanly).

→ Top Bolt Alternatives

3. How do I download my Bolt.new app?

To download your app’s full code from Bolt.new, follow these steps:

1. Open your project in the Bolt editor.
2. Click the project’s name
3. Choose Export > Download.

Wait a few seconds while Bolt bundles your project, then your browser will automatically download a .zip file.

Inside that file you’ll find everything Bolt generated: your React frontend, backend (if any), and config files. Once it’s downloaded, unzip it, open the folder in VS Code, and run:

npm install
npm run dev

That’ll launch the project locally so you can keep building outside Bolt.

If nothing happens when you export, try refreshing Bolt or re-generating your app — sometimes larger projects can timeout before packaging finishes.