pack-my-code: A Code Packaging Tool Tailored for LLM Context Windows

When collaborating with large language models (LLMs) for development, manually copying and pasting codebase context is tedious and prone to omissions or including redundant files. pack-my-code (pmc) is a minimalist binary tool designed specifically to address this pain point. Its core goal is to package project code into formats suitable for LLM processing, supporting multiple output modes, intelligent filtering, zero-dependency distribution, and native Git integration.

"pack-my-code is a minimalist binary tool written in Lua. Its core goal is solely to package project code into formats suitable for LLM processing, discarding complex configurations and redundant features. Its design principles include: zero-dependency distribution (standalone binary, no runtime required), native Git integration (automatically follows .gitignore rules), multi-mode output (Markdown/YAML/plain text, etc.), and cross-platform support (precompiled versions for Windows/Linux/macOS).

Basic usage is simple: for example, pmc <target directory> follows .gitignore by default and outputs to the terminal (in Markdown format). Intelligent filtering supports exclusion (-x) and inclusion (-m) modes (exclusion has higher priority). Output formats can be adjusted via -w (md/nil/block) and -p (relative/name/absolute). The YAML mode (-y) provides structured output and needs to be directed to a file or clipboard. Output targets support writing to files (-o) and copying to the clipboard (-c).

Scenario 1: Quick code review (pmc . -t -s -c generates directory tree + statistics and copies to clipboard); Scenario 2: Non-Git project processing (pmc . -r -w block enables direct file scanning); Scenario 3: Precisely locate key code (pmc . -m "src/,*.md" -x "*.test.js" -o core-code.md).

Built-in multiple security protections: skips files over 1MB, detects binary formats and null-byte files, assumes UTF-8 encoding by default, supports basic wildcards (*, **, ?) but not advanced glob expressions, avoiding accidental packaging of large resources or binary artifacts.

Compared to general-purpose solutions, pack-my-code's advantages include: extremely small size (single binary), zero dependencies, native Git integration, extremely low learning curve, and moderate customizability. It is suitable for developers who pursue "out-of-the-box" functionality.

With the popularization of AI-assisted programming, efficiently transferring code context is a key link. pack-my-code provides an elegant solution with minimalist design and practical features, suitable for scenarios such as code review, problem troubleshooting, and AI architecture suggestions. It is recommended that developers who frequently collaborate with LLMs to process code add it to their toolbox.