> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.base44.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# base44 eject

> Download the code for an existing Base44 project to your local machine.

<Warning>
  This page is part of an AI coding agent skill and is written for agents, not humans. For the human-readable Base44 docs, see the [developer documentation](/developers).
</Warning>

# base44 eject

Download the code for an existing Base44 project to your local machine.

## Syntax

```bash theme={null}
npx base44 eject [options]
```

## Options

| Option              | Description                                                                                            | Required |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------- |
| `-p, --path <path>` | Path where to write the project                                                                        | No       |
| `--app-id <id>`     | App ID to eject (skips interactive selection) — global flag, also accepted via `BASE44_APP_ID` env var | No       |
| `-y, --yes`         | Skip confirmation prompts                                                                              | No       |

## What It Does

The `eject` command allows you to download the source code of a Base44 project that was created or managed through the platform:

1. Lists all ejectable projects (projects with managed source code)
2. Lets you select a project interactively (or specify via `--app-id`)
3. Downloads the project code to a local directory
4. Creates a new project as a copy (named "\{Original Name} Copy")
5. Links the downloaded code to the new project
6. Creates `.env.local` with the new project ID
7. Optionally installs dependencies, builds, and deploys the project

## Examples

```bash theme={null}
# Interactive mode - select project from list and specify path
npx base44 eject

# Specify the output path
npx base44 eject -p ./my-project

# Non-interactive - specify app ID and skip confirmations
npx base44 eject --app-id abc123 -p ./my-project -y
```

## Workflow

When you run `eject`:

1. **Project Selection**: Choose from available ejectable projects
2. **Path Selection**: Specify where to create the project (defaults to `./{project-name}` or `./` if current directory is empty)
3. **Download**: The project code is downloaded to the specified path
4. **New Project Creation**: A copy of the project is created in Base44 (e.g., "My App Copy")
5. **Linking**: The local code is linked to the new project
6. **Optional Deployment**: If the project has build commands configured, you'll be asked if you want to deploy
   * Runs the install command (e.g., `npm install`)
   * Runs the build command (e.g., `npm run build`)
   * Deploys all resources with `base44 deploy`

## Requirements

* Must be authenticated (run `npx base44 login` first)
* The project must be ejectable (have managed source code)
* In non-interactive mode, both `--app-id` and `--path` are required

## Use Cases

* Download a project created through the Base44 dashboard
* Clone a managed project for local development
* Create a copy of an existing project to customize

## Notes

* The command creates a **new project** as a copy, preserving the original
* The new project will be named "\{Original Name} Copy"
* The downloaded code is automatically linked to the new project
* If the current directory is empty, the default path is `./`
* If the current directory has files, the default path is `./{kebab-case-project-name}`
* Only projects with `isManagedSourceCode !== false` can be ejected
* If no ejectable projects exist, the command exits with "No projects available to eject."

## Related Commands

| Command         | Description                                    |
| --------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| `base44 create` | Create a new Base44 project from a template    |
| `base44 link`   | Link an existing directory to a Base44 project |
| `base44 deploy` | Deploy all project resources                   |