---
title: "Export Project"
url: https://docs.catalyst.zoho.com/en/cli/v1/export-and-import-projects/export-project/
description: "Catalyst enables you to export a project including its configurations and code as a ZIP file, and import the ZIP file into any new project."
last_updated: 2026-08-17T12:16:04Z
service: All Services
type: general
---

# Export Project

### Command Execution

When you export a project present in the local directory, the CLI will fetch the project's component configurations from the remote console. If no components have been configured, the default configurations will be written to the project-template JSON file.

> **Note:**

* The project must be mandatorily available in the remote console to be exported.
* If the console contains updated functions or client code that are not present in the local directory, they will be fetched automatically.

1. To export a project associated with a Catalyst project directory in your local system, execute the following command from the directory in your terminal:

```sh
 catalyst iac:export 
```

This will initiate the export job. Catalyst will assign a unique **Job ID** to the export operation. You can use this Job ID to [check the status](https://docs.catalyst.zoho.com/en/cli/v1/export-and-import-projects/export-import-job-status/) of the job at any time.

![CLI IaC Export](https://catalyst-docs-development.zohostratus.in/images/cli/export-and-import-projects/catalyst_cli_iac_export_1.webp)

2. After the export job is complete, the CLI will prompt you for the export ZIP file download. Press **Y** , then press **Enter** to download the ZIP into your project directory.

![CLI IaC Export](https://catalyst-docs-development.zohostratus.in/images/cli/export-and-import-projects/catalyst_cli_iac_export_2.webp)

The ZIP file will be available in the home directory of your project directory in the [standard format](https://docs.catalyst.zoho.com/en/cli/v1/export-and-import-projects/export-import-zip-file/) as discussed in the previous section, along with the `functions` and `client` directories, and the ` [catalyst.json](https://docs.catalyst.zoho.com/en/cli/v1/project-directory-structure/catalyst-json/) ` file.

> **Note:** You can export a project that is not associated with the current directory the command is being executed from, by using the `[\--project <name\_or\_project\_id>](https://docs.catalyst.zoho.com/en/cli/v1/cli-options/#-p----project-name_or_project_id)` option.

### Export Project Options

#### \--production

You can export the [production
environment](https://docs.catalyst.zoho.com/en/deployment-and-billing/environments/introduction/) of a project directly, instead of its development environment which is the default for all
CLI actions.

This can be done by pointing to the production environment using the `\--production` option while executing the command from the project directory like this:

```sh
 catalyst iac:export --production 
```

This will export the configurations of the project from its production environment in the same manner as discussed in the previous section.