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.

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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

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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.

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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