Start with an ordinary folder
A Folderbase can contain source repositories, PDFs, Word documents, spreadsheets, images, media, database files, and formats the engine has never seen. The file bytes and native applications remain authoritative.
One clear action at a time.
Folderbase is designed to make a technically rigorous protocol feel understandable at the folder level. This product plate shows the intended experience without hiding the underlying authority or version boundary.
ORDINARY FOLDERLaunch Kit4 mixed files
$
folderbase init ./launch-kitADDED.folderbase/Original files unchanged
Set Up a Folderbase Without Moving Your Files
Inspect before changing anything
The open Core can inspect metadata, boundaries, ignored or generated paths, nested Folderbases, and potential questions without modifying the folder.
Preview the additive plan
A dry run explains the protocol artifacts Folderbase intends to add. Initialization should never overwrite an existing file or silently reinterpret a nested security boundary.
Initialize explicitly
After review, Folderbase adds its protocol surface. The folder still opens normally in Finder, terminals, IDEs, office applications, Git, media tools, and local agents.
What the workflow must preserve.
- No file conversion
- No automatic reorganization
- No account required for local Core
- Nested Folderbases remain independent
- Validation never mutates content
Common questions about setup.
Does Folderbase upload my files during setup?
No. Local Core initialization does not require an account or cloud activation. Managed sync is a separate, explicit Folderbase Cloud capability.
Can I use the folder without the Folderbase App?
Yes. Files remain normal files, and the open Core and CLI define the local protocol. The App is the commercial local experience and sync bridge.
What file types can a Folderbase contain?
Any ordinary file type. Folderbase can treat unsupported or very large formats metadata-first rather than pretending every file is editable text.