Zero npm install

# Up and running
in under 2 minutes

One file. One command. Your AI coding agent gets full codebase context at every session start.

⏱ Average setup time: 90 seconds

Prerequisites

## Before you start

One requirement. That's it.

🟢
Node.js 18 or later
Check with `node --version`. Install from nodejs.org if needed. No other tools, runtimes, or package managers required.
terminal
$ node --version
v22.11.0 ← v18+ required

Installation

## Choose your method

npm global, npx, standalone binary, IDE plugin, or a manual single-file copy — all work on Node.js 18+.

npm (recommended)
npx (zero install)
curl (offline)
Binary
VS Code
JetBrains
global install (run sigmap from any directory)
$ npm install -g sigmap
$ cd your-project
$ sigmap ← works from any directory
[sigmap] ✓ wrote .github/copilot-instructions.md
[sigmap] reduction: 82,400 → 3,847 tokens (95.3%)

Install once, use in every project. Also installs `gen-context` and `gen-project-map` globally.

zero install — run directly without global install
$ npx sigmap ← auto-downloads latest version
[sigmap] ✓ wrote .github/copilot-instructions.md
[sigmap] reduction: 82,400 → 3,847 tokens (95.3%)
# pin to specific version
$ npx sigmap@3.2.1

Ideal for CI pipelines or one-off generation. No global state changes to your machine.

1
Step 1 of 3
Download gen-context.js
Copy the single-file entry point into the root of your project. No package.json changes needed.
your-project/
$ curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/manojmallick/sigmap/main/gen-context.js
100 48.2K 100 48.2K ← single file, ~50KB
2
Step 2 of 3
Generate your context file
Run it once. Scans your codebase and writes `.github/copilot-instructions.md`.
your-project/
$ node gen-context.js
[sigmap] ✓ wrote .github/copilot-instructions.md
[sigmap] reduction: 82,400 → 3,847 tokens (95.3%)
3
Step 3 of 3
Enable always-on updates
Install a git post-commit hook and file watcher with one flag.
your-project/
$ node gen-context.js --setup
[sigmap] ✓ installed .git/hooks/post-commit
[sigmap] ✓ watcher started on src/ app/ lib/
standalone binary — no Node.js required on the target machine
# macOS Apple Silicon (arm64)
$ curl -L https://github.com/manojmallick/sigmap/releases/latest/download/sigmap-macos-arm64 -o sigmap && chmod +x sigmap
# macOS Intel (x64)
$ curl -L https://github.com/manojmallick/sigmap/releases/latest/download/sigmap-macos-x64 -o sigmap && chmod +x sigmap
# Linux (x64)
$ curl -L https://github.com/manojmallick/sigmap/releases/latest/download/sigmap-linux-x64 -o sigmap && chmod +x sigmap
# Windows (x64) — PowerShell
$ curl.exe -L https://github.com/manojmallick/sigmap/releases/latest/download/sigmap-win-x64.exe -o sigmap.exe
$ ./sigmap --version
sigmap v3.5.0

Built with Node.js SEA (Single Executable Application). No Node.js runtime needed. Available on the GitHub Releases page.

🔵
VS Code & Open VSX compatible editors
Install from the VS Code Marketplace — no terminal needed. Press `Ctrl+Shift+X`, search SigMap, click Install.
or install via CLI
$ code --install-extension manojmallick.sigmap
Installing extensions...
Extension 'manojmallick.sigmap' v3.5.0 was successfully installed.
VS Code Marketplace Open VSX Registry
Works in all Open VSX compatible editors
VS Code VSCodium Cursor Windsurf Antigravity + any editor using the Open VSX protocol
🟠
JetBrains Plugin
Works across all JetBrains IDEs. Open Settings → Plugins → Marketplace, search SigMap, click Install.
JetBrains Marketplace
Supported JetBrains IDEs
IntelliJ IDEA WebStorm PyCharm GoLand RubyMine RustRover CLion PhpStorm Rider DataGrip DataSpell Android Studio MPS JetBrains Gateway JetBrains Client Code With Me Guest

Verification

## What you get

The token report and a structured context file your AI agent reads at every session start.

node gen-context.js --report
╔══════════════════════════════════╗
║ SigMap Token Report ║
╚══════════════════════════════════╝
Input 82,400 tokens (full source)
Output 3,847 tokens (signatures only)
Saved 78,553 tokens (95.3% reduction)
Files scanned 247
Files included 89 (dropped 158 under budget)
Languages TypeScript, Python, Go, CSS
Secrets found 0 (clean)
Output: .github/copilot-instructions.md
.github/copilot-instructions.md (excerpt)
# Code signatures
## src/api/users.ts
export interface User
export class UserService
async findById(id: string): Promise<User>
async create(data: CreateUserDto): Promise<User>
async delete(id: string): Promise<void>
## src/auth/jwt.ts
export function signToken(payload: JwtPayload): string
export function verifyToken(token: string): JwtPayload
...89 more files...

Configuration

## Customise the output

Create `gen-context.config.json` in your project root. All fields optional.

gen-context.config.json
{
"output": ".github/copilot-instructions.md",
"outputs": ["copilot", "claude", "cursor"],
"srcDirs": ["src", "app", "lib"],
"maxTokens": 6000,
"secretScan": true,
"monorepo": false,
"diffPriority": true
}
outputs
string[] — default: ["copilot"]
Write to multiple target files in one run. Supports `copilot`, `claude`, `cursor`, `windsurf`.
srcDirs
string[] — default: ["src","app","lib","packages","services","api"]
Directories to scan. Relative to project root. Nested paths are scanned recursively up to maxDepth.
maxTokens
number — default: 6000
Token budget for the output file. Files are dropped in priority order when the budget is exceeded.
maxDepth
number — default: 6
Maximum directory depth to recurse into. Increase for deeply nested monorepos.
secretScan
boolean — default: true
Scan extracted signatures for API keys, tokens, passwords, and secrets before writing. Redacts matches automatically.
diffPriority
boolean — default: true
Files changed in recent git commits are prioritised within the token budget. Keeps the most relevant code front-and-center.
monorepo
boolean — default: false
When enabled, generates a separate context file per package in a monorepo, using the package name as the section header.
routing
boolean — default: false
Appends a model routing recommendation section: which AI model tier to use for each file based on its complexity score.
📄
.contextignore
Create a `.contextignore` file in your project root using the same gitignore syntax to exclude specific paths. This file is compatible with `.repomixignore` — you can symlink them to share one exclusion list.

All CLI flags

## Command reference

Every flag the CLI accepts.

node gen-context.js --help
SigMap v3.5.0 · Latest
Usage: sigmap [flag] or node gen-context.js [flag]
(no flags) Generate context and exit
--watch Generate and watch for file changes
--setup Generate + install git hook + start watcher
--adapter <name> Output for specific adapter (copilot, claude, cursor, windsurf, openai, gemini)
--monorepo Generate per-package context files in a monorepo
--each [<dirs>] Run context generation separately for each sub-directory
--mcp Start MCP server on stdio
--report Print token reduction stats to stdout
--report --json Token report as JSON (for CI pipelines)
--diff Generate context for git-changed files only
--diff --staged Generate context for staged files only
--health Composite 0-100 health score (grade A-D)
--suggest-tool Recommend fast/balanced/powerful model tier
--track Log run metrics to .sigmap/runs.jsonl
--init Write gen-context.config.json.example
--version Print version string
--help Show this message

IDE Plugins

## Use from your IDE

Native plugins for VS Code, Open VSX compatible editors, and all JetBrains IDEs — regenerate context without leaving your editor.

🔵
VS Code & Open VSX Extension
VS Code, VSCodium, Cursor, Windsurf, Antigravity & any Open VSX compatible editor

- Status bar token count — always visible
- Command Palette: SigMap: Regenerate Context
- File watcher: auto-regenerates on save
- Inline token budget warning when over limit
- Multi-adapter support (copilot, claude, cursor, windsurf)
- Supports all CLI flags via settings panel

VS Code Marketplace Open VSX
🟠
JetBrains Plugin
IntelliJ IDEA, WebStorm, PyCharm, GoLand, CLion, Rider, RubyMine, RustRover, PhpStorm, DataGrip, DataSpell, Android Studio, MPS, JetBrains Gateway, JetBrains Client, Code With Me Guest

- Toolbar action: Regenerate Context
- File watcher: auto-regenerates on changes (opt-in)
- Settings panel: srcDirs, maxTokens, routing presets
- Context file viewer — open directly from toolbar
- Passes JetBrains Plugin Verifier
- Published on JetBrains Marketplace

JetBrains Marketplace

What's next

## Explore further

v1.1
Context strategies
Full vs per-module vs hot-cold with case-by-case recommendations and token trade-offs.
29 languages and formats
Language support
See what gets extracted for TypeScript, Python, Go, Rust, and 25 more languages and formats.
Integration guide
Repomix + SigMap
Stack both tools for the two-layer caching strategy. SigMap for daily; Repomix for deep sessions.
v0.1 → v3.3
Full roadmap
All major versions shipped. 97% token reduction. 360 tests. MIT license.