compactdiff

compactdiff [--vault DIR] [--no-redact --i-understand-sensitive-data] command [args]

compactdiff is a local-first CLI that versions, audits, and replays AI coding-agent session transcripts. Agents such as Claude Code and Codex persist sessions as JSONL and may rewrite them in place during compaction, so history disappears and there is no built-in way to share a readable session. compactdiff snapshots observed states into a content-addressed vault under ~/.compactdiff, so compaction cannot destroy earlier versions.watch polls Claude Code projects (~/.claude/projects/) and Codex sessions (~/.codex/sessions/) by default; snapshot records specific files on demand. list shows each session's version chain. diff proves what a rewrite removed with occurrence-aware ordered line counts (including duplicates and blank lines), keyed on line uuid when present. export writes a dark HTML timeline you can open offline or send as one file. branch cuts a truncated prefix for inspection or caller-managed seeding.Requires Python 3.9+ and uses only the standard library at runtime. Install from a checkout with python3 -m pip install -e . (or install the compactdiff package when published). Redaction of common secret fields, tokens, emails, phones, and home-directory usernames is on by default for snapshot, watch, export, and branch.

--vault DIR

Vault directory for content-addressed snapshots (default ~/.compactdiff).

Store and export raw transcript data without redaction. Unsafe; must be paired with --i-understand-sensitive-data. Both global flags go before the subcommand.

Required acknowledgement when --no-redact is set. Without it, the CLI exits with an error.

Snapshot one or more transcript files into the vault now. Prints short SHA, NEW/unchanged status, session id, and line count per file.

Poll default Claude Code and Codex session globs and auto-snapshot every change into the vault. --pattern GLOB replaces the default globs with one custom glob. --interval SECONDS sets the poll period (default 5). Stop with Ctrl-C.

List every vaulted session and its version chain (short SHA, timestamp, line count).

Compare two vaulted snapshots (full SHA or unique prefix). Prints a verdict (append-only or history-rewritten) with kept/added/removed counts and previews of removed and added lines.

Export a transcript path or vaulted SHA to a single self-contained HTML replay timeline (user / assistant / thinking / tool events). No server or external assets.

Write an inspectable truncated prefix of a transcript (path or vault SHA) after the first N conversational messages. Codex developer bootstrap records are preserved but do not consume branch numbers. Does not claim direct resume in Claude/Codex.

Agent transcripts can hold credentials, private prompts, source code, and personal data. Default redaction is defense-in-depth, not a guarantee—inspect every replay before sharing and keep the vault private. Raw mode (--no-redact) may store secrets. Session IDs and prose may remain sensitive after pattern redaction. The watcher polls (default 5s), not filesystem events. Branch files are truncated prefixes for inspection; they do not automate resume in Claude Code or Codex. Cursor and other non-JSONL agent stores are out of scope in v1.

compactdiff is a pure-stdlib Python tool (MIT) for local agent-session vaults, audit diffs, HTML replay, and branching. Version 0.1.0 focuses on Claude Code JSONL, Codex-native sessions, and optional Nerve Codex runner logs, with redaction enabled by default.

diff(1), claude(1), codex(1), claude-hibernate(1), agent-vault(1)

Source code · Documentation