NNyquest docs

Export and Import

Because the vault is local-first (browser IndexedDB), exporting matters a lot more than for cloud-stored data. This article covers when to export, how to import, and what to expect.

Why export

  • Backup. Browser data wipes, devices die, accidental deletes happen. The vault has no automatic cloud backup, and the account-level data export does not cover it — this export is the only vault backup there is.
  • Migrating between devices. Vault doesn't sync across browsers/devices. Export from device A, import on device B.
  • Migrating between accounts. Export, sign in to a new account, import.
  • Auditing. Export to see exactly what's stored, in raw JSON.
  • Offline records. Some workflows want a known snapshot of the vault at a point in time.

How to export

Vault → Download icon (or a "Export vault" button, chassis-dependent).

Triggers downloadVault() which:

  1. Reads all artifacts, versions, embeddings, and links from IndexedDB
  2. Serializes to a single JSON object
  3. Downloads as nyquest-vault-YYYY-MM-DD.json

The download is instant for typical vaults (<1MB JSON). Larger vaults (10K+ artifacts) may take a few seconds.

What's in the export

The JSON file contains:

json
{
  "version": 1,
  "exported_at": "2026-04-30T...",
  "artifacts": [ ... full artifact records ... ],
  "versions": [ ... edit history ... ],
  "embeddings": [ ... embedding vectors ... ],
  "links": [ ... cross-references ... ]
}

Each artifact has its title, content, type, tags, timestamps, and pin status. Each version has the full prior content. Embeddings are vectors of ~1536 floats each (depends on embedding model used).

The export is human-readable JSON. If you want to inspect what's been saved, open it in any text editor.

File size estimates

Vault sizeApproximate export size
100 artifacts, no embeddings50-200 KB
100 artifacts with embeddings1-2 MB
1,000 artifacts with embeddings10-20 MB
10,000 artifacts with embeddings100-200 MB

Embeddings dominate the file size. If you don't need them, you can skip them in import (they'll be re-computed on demand).

How to import

Vault → Upload icon (or "Import vault" button).

Triggers importVault() which:

  1. Reads the JSON file you select
  2. Parses the structure
  3. Inserts/updates each artifact, version, embedding, link
  4. Reports the count of imported items

Two import modes:

ModeBehavior
Merge (default)Adds artifacts that don't already exist; skips ones with matching IDs
Replace (advanced)Wipes the current vault first, then imports — destructive

The current build uses Merge by default and exposes Replace via dev mode only. Most users want Merge.

Cross-device migration walkthrough

  1. On device A: Vault → Download → save the JSON file
  2. Transfer the file to device B (cloud storage, USB, AirDrop, however)
  3. On device B: sign in to the same Nyquest account
  4. On device B: Vault → Upload → select the JSON file
  5. Confirm the import
  6. Verify — your artifacts should appear with the same titles, content, tags, pinned state

The vaults are now in sync as of the export point. They will diverge again if you keep using both devices independently.

Cross-account migration walkthrough

  1. On account A: export vault as above
  2. Sign out, sign in to account B
  3. On account B: import the JSON file
  4. Verify — artifacts now appear in account B's vault

Note: tags transfer, but embeddings might be re-computed if account B uses a different embedding model than account A. The recompute is automatic but takes time (you'll see a brief "embedding..." indicator).

What import can't do

  • Doesn't restore conversations. The vault is artifacts only. To export conversations, use Settings → Privacy → "Download my data" — that covers conversations and memory facts, but not the vault.
  • Doesn't merge edit histories. If artifact X exists in both source and destination with different versions, Merge mode keeps the destination's history.
  • Doesn't restore deleted artifacts unless they exist in the source export.

Periodic export pattern

A reasonable rhythm:

  • Weekly export if you save artifacts daily
  • Monthly export for casual use
  • Before any major browser cleanup (extension changes, profile reset, OS upgrade)
  • Before signing out on a shared device (just in case)

Store the exports somewhere stable (cloud drive, encrypted USB, etc.). They're plain JSON so they age well — even a 2-year-old export will import cleanly.

Account export (does not include the vault)

For your account-side data — conversations and memory facts — use:

Settings → Privacy → "Download my data"

It downloads straight to your browser. Nothing is emailed to you.

It does not include the artifact vault, which is why the vault export above exists. Run both if you want a complete backup.

Where to next