Documentation

Everything you need to back up, restore, and share your Claude Code environment.

Getting Started

Choose your setup

Install the CLI globally, authenticate, then push your environment — including CLAUDE.md, agents, slash commands, MCP servers, and plugins.

npm install -g respawn-cli
respawn login
respawn global push -m "my setup"
# backs up:
#   ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md
#   ~/.claude/agents/code-reviewer.md
#   ~/.claude/commands/deploy.md
#   ~/.claude/settings.json  (MCP servers, hooks)
#   ~/.claude/plugins/

CLI Reference

CommandDescription
respawn loginAuthenticate with Respawn
respawn global push -m "msg"Back up ~/.claude/ — CLAUDE.md, agents, commands, settings
respawn global pullRestore ~/.claude/ — skills, commands, MCP config and all
respawn global logView global backup history
respawn initInitialize a project and create .respawnrc
respawn init --from <name>Link to an existing project (continues version history)
respawn push -m "msg"Back up .claude/ in current directory
respawn pullRestore .claude/
respawn pull -p <name>Pull from a named project (no .respawnrc needed)
respawn logView project backup history
respawn shareGenerate a shareable link
respawn clone [token]Clone someone's setup
respawn statusShow current backup status

Backup profiles

Control how much of your environment gets included in each backup. Set your profile during respawn init.

ProfileWhat's includedTypical size
essential (default)settings.json, plugins/installed_plugins.json~5 KB
standard+ CLAUDE.md, agents/ (skills), commands/ (slash commands)~50 KB
full+ CLAUDE.md, agents/, commands/, conversation history~5 MB

Reuse existing projects

Two ways to start a new folder from an existing project backup:

Continue version history

Link a new folder to an existing project. Future pushes continue the same version history.

cd new-folder
respawn init --from my-project
respawn pull

Fork as a new project

Pull files from an existing project into a new folder. A new project ID is created automatically, so future pushes won't affect the original.

cd new-folder
respawn pull --project my-project

MCP Setup

Add the Respawn MCP server to your Claude Code settings to back up and restore directly from within Claude.

Configuration

Add to ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "respawn": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "respawn-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Available MCP tools

ToolDescription
backupBack up your current environment
restoreRestore your environment from a backup
list_backupsView your backup history
shareGenerate a shareable link

Plugin Setup

Install the Respawn plugin to access backup commands directly from the Claude Code slash command menu.

Install

In Claude Code, run:

/plugin install respawn@rubric-dev

Available commands

CommandDescription
/respawn:backup [message]Back up your current environment
/respawn:restoreRestore your environment
/respawn:shareGenerate a shareable link
/respawn:statusShow current backup status
Note: The plugin requires respawn-cli to be installed globally.

Share & Clone

Share your setup

respawn share
# → https://respawn.run/s/abc123

Anyone with the link can browse your files in the browser — no account needed.

Clone a setup

respawn clone abc123

Applies the shared environment to your local .claude/ directory. Existing files are auto-backed up first.

Customize what's shared

respawn share --files "CLAUDE.md,settings.json"

Omit sensitive files by specifying exactly which files to include.

FAQ

What files does Respawn back up?
By default (essential profile): settings.json, plugins/installed_plugins.json, and .claude.json. Use the standard or full profile to include more.
Is my data private?
Yes. Only you can access your backups. Shared links only expose the specific files you choose to share.
Does Respawn back up my conversation history?
Not by default. Use --profile full during init to include conversation history in your backups.
How is this different from just copying ~/.claude/?
Respawn gives you version history, cloud storage, shareable links, and one-command restore on any machine. No more zipping folders and sending them over Slack.
What about .env files?
Respawn never includes .env files or any file matching .env*. Your secrets stay local.