exportSnapshot

The exportSnapshot function fetches a project’s content snapshot from the export endpoint and resolves with the parsed ContentSnapshot. It validates the snapshot’s shape and schema version, and — when you pass a snapshotPath — also writes the snapshot JSON to that path.

Note

Snapshot exports include all project content, schemas, and metadata required to resolve content reads locally.

Media assets such as images, videos, documents, and other uploaded files are not embedded in the snapshot. Media fields continue to reference CDN URLs, and the assets themselves remain served from the CDN.

Unlike most of the library, exportSnapshot is a package-level function (like createClient), not a method on the ApiClient. You import it directly from @content-island/api-client.

It is the same function the CLI (npx content-island export) is built on, so reach for it directly from a Node script when you need more control than the CLI offers — for example, post-processing the snapshot before writing it.

Example:

import { exportSnapshot } from '@content-island/api-client';

const snapshot = await exportSnapshot({
  accessToken: process.env.CONTENT_ISLAND_ACCESS_TOKEN!,
  snapshotPath: './content-island-snapshot.json',
});

console.log(snapshot.meta.exportedAt, snapshot.contents.length);

Tip

See the Snapshot mode guide for how snapshots are exported and served, and the Export Project endpoint for the underlying REST contract.

Interface

The exportSnapshot function accepts an options object and returns a promise that resolves with the parsed ContentSnapshot.

import { exportSnapshot } from '@content-island/api-client';

function exportSnapshot(options: ExportSnapshotOptions): Promise<ContentSnapshot>;

When you provide a snapshotPath, the file is written atomically — first to a temporary file, then renamed into place — so a failed export never leaves a half-written or corrupt snapshot on disk: you either get the complete file or the previous one untouched. Omit snapshotPath to just get the parsed object back without touching the filesystem.

The exported view is token-driven: a PREVIEW_-prefixed access token exports the preview view, otherwise the published view. See Preview mode for what preview tokens are and how they work.

Parameters

The exportSnapshot function accepts a single ExportSnapshotOptions object:

interface ExportSnapshotOptions {
  accessToken: string;
  snapshotPath?: string;
  domain?: string;
  secureProtocol?: boolean;
  apiVersion?: string;
}

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
accessToken	string	Yes	Identifies the project to export. A PREVIEW_-prefixed token exports the preview view; otherwise the published view.
snapshotPath	string	No	When given, writes the snapshot JSON to this path. Omit it to just receive the parsed object.
domain	string	No	Override the API domain.
secureProtocol	boolean	No	Whether to use HTTPS.
apiVersion	string	No	Override the API version.

Output

The exportSnapshot function resolves with the parsed ContentSnapshot, which has the following structure:

interface ContentSnapshot {
  meta: SnapshotMeta; // { schemaVersion, exportedAt, projectId, view }
  project: Project;
  contents: Content[];
}

If the export endpoint returns a non-2xx response, the call rejects with the standard wire-contract ApiClientError. In particular, a 429 response — the export endpoint’s per-project rate limit — surfaces as an ApiClientError with code RATE_LIMITED.