Exporting / Importing a Project

This page explains how to write a project out to a JSON file (export) and read one back in (import).

Overview

GalleonQL lets you write the contents of a project out to a single JSON file, or read a project back in from such a file. This is useful for:

• Backup: keep an important project saved as a file
• Sharing: hand a project to your team or someone else (e.g. via Git)
• Portability: move a project to another machine

Here, a "project" includes its shared headers and shared variables, its environments (connection profiles), and its collection tree (folders, requests, and favorites). For details on the terms, see Key terms.

Prerequisites

• The desktop app is running (this uses your OS file dialog).
• You perform these steps from the project selector menu in the top bar (not from inside the project edit drawer).

What is and isn't included

An exported file includes / excludes the following.

⚠️ Auth tokens and passwords are not written to the file. This is by design, so that you don't accidentally share your secrets. After importing, re-enter your token and other secrets under the environment's "Auth" settings.

Steps

Export (write out a specific project)

1. Click the project name in the top bar to open the project selector menu.
2. Press the ↗ (Export this project) button on the right of the project row you want to write out.
3. In the OS save dialog, choose the destination and file name (the default file name is ProjectName.galleonql.json).
4. A success message appears at the bottom of the menu (it notes that auth secrets are not included).

The pencil (✎ Edit this project) button is for editing the name, color, shared variables, and so on. It is a separate operation from export.

Import (read in as a new project)

You can import from the same menu even when you have no projects at all.

1. Click the project name in the top bar to open the project selector menu.
2. Press Import from JSON at the bottom of the menu.
3. In the OS file picker, choose the .json file to read in.
4. The file is validated and (if needed) its format is converted, then it is added as a new project.
5. The newly added project becomes selected. Follow the notice and re-enter your auth secrets if needed.

Import a third-party collection (Pro)

On the Pro plan, you can import a Postman Collection (v2.1, GraphQL requests) as a new project. This is a separate entry point from Import from JSON (native GalleonQL project files).

Prerequisites

• You are on the Pro plan (on Free, the file picker does not open; a Pro upgrade prompt is shown)
• The desktop app is running
• The file is a Postman Collection v2.1 that contains at least one GraphQL request

Steps

1. Click the project name in the top bar to open the project selector menu.
2. Press Import third-party collection at the bottom of the menu.
3. In the OS file picker, choose a Postman .json file.
4. If there is at least one GraphQL request, it is added as a new project.
5. The success message shows imported and skipped counts. Reconfigure tokens on environments as prompted.

Example input

Export a Postman collection as Collection v2.1 .json. It must include at least one GraphQL request (body.mode is graphql). Example (skeleton):

  {
  "info": {
    "name": "My API",
    "schema": "https://schema.getpostman.com/json/collection/v2.1.0/collection.json"
  },
  "item": [
    {
      "name": "Get viewer",
      "request": {
        "method": "POST",
        "header": [
          { "key": "Content-Type", "value": "application/json" },
          { "key": "Authorization", "value": "Bearer secret-token" }
        ],
        "url": "https://api.example.com/graphql",
        "body": {
          "mode": "graphql",
          "graphql": {
            "query": "query Viewer { viewer { id name } }",
            "variables": "{}"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  ],
  "variable": [
    { "key": "baseUrl", "value": "https://api.example.com" },
    { "key": "access_token", "value": "do-not-import" }
  ]
}

REST-only collections and Insomnia / Bruno exports are not supported yet.

Expected result

• A new project is added and selected (if the name already exists, it is renamed like Name (2))
• Example message: Imported “My API” (1 GraphQL / 0 skipped). Known credential keys (Authorization, Cookie, *token*, etc.) are stripped best-effort; reconfigure tokens on environments.
• Skipped examples: REST-only requests, queries that use fragments, queries with field aliases
• Best-effort secret stripping examples (exact key match, or names ending with token / secret / password / apikey, etc.): headers such as Authorization / Cookie, variables such as access_token / myToken. Not every secret is guaranteed to be removed (e.g. an arbitrary key named only cred). Review environment auth and variables after import

On Free, pressing the button shows a Pro upgrade prompt. For native GalleonQL project JSON, keep using Import from JSON (available on Free).

Key points

• Import always adds a new project. It never overwrites an existing project. If a project with the same name already exists, it is renamed with a parenthesized number, such as ProjectName (2).

• ↗ (Export) is always available for every project. You can rescue a project's data as JSON at any time — even one you can no longer select and use because it's over your plan's project-slot limit. For plans and licenses, see Plans (Free / Pro) and licenses.

• Favorites (★) are preserved as the favorite state of requests and are restored after import.

• The imported schema (cache) is not included. An imported project is always treated as a brand-new project, so even when its environment points at the same endpoint URL as the original, that project starts from "Not loaded yet". Run "⟳ Load" again on the environments you need (see Schema Import).

• If the file's format is newer or older, here's what happens.

  File format	Behavior
  Newer than the app you're using	Import is canceled, and you're asked to update the app
  Older than the app you're using	Automatically converted to the current format, with any missing items filled in using defaults
  Same as current	Imported as-is, with no conversion

Troubleshooting

Related documents

• Basics of projects, environments, and collections: Registering and switching environments (connection profiles)
• HTTP timeout configuration: the "Setting HTTP timeouts" section in Registering and switching environments
• Pricing tiers and license management: Plans (Free / Pro) and licenses
• Term definitions: Key terms
• Manual index: GalleonQL User Manual