Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/fulsomenko/kanban/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Overview
The export and import commands allow you to back up your kanban data to JSON files and restore it later. This is useful for:
- Creating backups of your boards
- Migrating data between systems
- Sharing board templates with teams
- Version controlling your kanban data
Export Command
Export board data to JSON format:
kanban export [--board-id <BOARD_ID>]
Optional board ID to export. If not specified, exports all boards and their data.
Export All Boards
Export all boards, columns, cards, and sprints:
kanban export > backup.json
Export a Specific Board
Export only a specific board and its related data:
kanban export --board-id 550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000 > project-backup.json
Example Output
The exported JSON contains all board data:
{
"boards": [
{
"id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
"name": "My Project",
"card_prefix": "PROJ",
"description": "Project board",
"sprint_prefix": "SP",
"created_at": "2024-03-05T12:00:00Z",
"updated_at": "2024-03-05T12:00:00Z"
}
],
"columns": [
{
"id": "6ba7b810-9dad-11d1-80b4-00c04fd430c8",
"board_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
"name": "Todo",
"position": 0,
"wip_limit": null,
"created_at": "2024-03-05T12:00:00Z",
"updated_at": "2024-03-05T12:00:00Z"
}
],
"cards": [
{
"id": "7c9e6679-7425-40de-944b-e07fc1f90ae7",
"board_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
"column_id": "6ba7b810-9dad-11d1-80b4-00c04fd430c8",
"title": "Implement feature",
"description": "Add new functionality",
"priority": "high",
"status": "todo",
"points": 5,
"position": 0,
"sprint_id": null,
"due_date": null,
"archived": false,
"created_at": "2024-03-05T12:00:00Z",
"updated_at": "2024-03-05T12:00:00Z"
}
],
"sprints": [
{
"id": "8d0e7680-8536-41ef-a945-f17fc1f90ae8",
"board_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
"name": "Sprint 1",
"prefix": "SP",
"status": "active",
"start_date": "2024-03-01",
"end_date": "2024-03-14",
"created_at": "2024-03-05T12:00:00Z",
"updated_at": "2024-03-05T12:00:00Z"
}
]
}
Import Command
Import board data from a JSON file:
kanban import --file <FILE>
Path to the JSON file to import.
Import from File
kanban import --file backup.json
The import command will merge the data with existing boards. If there are UUID conflicts, the import may fail.
Import to a New Kanban File
Import data to a fresh kanban file:
kanban --file ~/new-kanban.json import --file backup.json
{
"boards": [<Board>],
"columns": [<Column>],
"cards": [<Card>],
"sprints": [<Sprint>]
}
Required Fields
- All
id fields must be valid UUIDs
- Foreign keys (
board_id, column_id, sprint_id) must reference existing entities
- Dates must be in ISO 8601 format
- Positions must be non-negative integers
Use Cases
Daily Backups
Create automated daily backups:
#!/bin/bash
BACKUP_DIR=~/kanban-backups
DATE=$(date +%Y-%m-%d)
mkdir -p $BACKUP_DIR
kanban export > "$BACKUP_DIR/kanban-$DATE.json"
# Keep only last 30 days
find $BACKUP_DIR -name "kanban-*.json" -mtime +30 -delete
Template Creation
Create a board template to share with teams:
# Export a template board
kanban export --board-id $TEMPLATE_BOARD_ID > team-template.json
# Share the template file
# Team members can import it:
kanban import --file team-template.json
Migration Between Systems
# On old system
kanban --file ~/old-kanban.json export > migration.json
# Transfer migration.json to new system
# On new system
kanban --file ~/new-kanban.json import --file migration.json
Version Control
Track kanban data in git:
#!/bin/bash
REPO_DIR=~/kanban-repo
cd $REPO_DIR
# Export current state
kanban export > kanban-data.json
# Commit if changed
if ! git diff --quiet kanban-data.json; then
git add kanban-data.json
git commit -m "Update kanban data $(date +%Y-%m-%d)"
git push
fi
Selective Board Backup
# Export each board separately
kanban board list | jq -r '.[] | .id' | while read board_id; do
board_name=$(kanban board get $board_id | jq -r '.name' | tr ' ' '-')
kanban export --board-id $board_id > "backup-$board_name.json"
done
Merge Multiple Exports
Combine multiple exported files:
# Merge exported JSON files
jq -s '{boards: [.[].boards[]], columns: [.[].columns[]], cards: [.[].cards[]], sprints: [.[].sprints[]]}' \
backup1.json backup2.json backup3.json > merged-backup.json
# Import merged data
kanban import --file merged-backup.json
# Export
kanban export > original.json
# Transform (e.g., change all priorities)
jq '(.cards[].priority) |= if . == "high" then "critical" else . end' \
original.json > transformed.json
# Import to new file
kanban --file ~/transformed-kanban.json import --file transformed.json
Best Practices
Regular Backups
- Export data regularly (daily or weekly)
- Store backups in multiple locations
- Test restore procedures periodically
File Naming
Use descriptive names with timestamps:
kanban export > "kanban-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S).json"
Validation
Validate exported data before archiving:
# Check JSON is valid
kanban export | jq empty && echo "Valid JSON" || echo "Invalid JSON"
# Check required fields
kanban export | jq '.boards, .columns, .cards, .sprints' > /dev/null
Compression
Compress large exports:
# Compress
kanban export | gzip > kanban-backup.json.gz
# Decompress and import
zcat kanban-backup.json.gz | kanban import --file /dev/stdin
