Past Build Export

Generate valid JSON for importing software projects into pastbuild.com – a platform for preserving and showcasing past builds.

Quick Start

When a user asks to “export to Past Build”, “create Past Build JSON”, or similar:

1. Analyze the codebase – Look for package.json, README, source files to extract:

   • Project name
   • Description/summary
   • Tech stack (dependencies, frameworks)
   • Project structure and features

2. Generate the JSON using the schema below

3. Present the output for the user to paste into Past Build’s JSON import

JSON Schema

{
  "version": 1,
  "name": "Project Name",
  "description": "Brief description of what the project does",
  "projectStatus": "ongoing" | "finished",
  "projectDate": "YYYY-MM-DD",
  "sections": [
    {
      "id": "uuid-v4",
      "title": "Section Title",
      "subtitle": "Optional subtitle",
      "order": 0,
      "media": []
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    {
      "id": "uuid-v4",
      "text": "GitHub",
      "url": "https://github.com/..."
    }
  ],
  "exportedAt": "2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"
}

Field Requirements

Section Structure

Each section should cover a distinct aspect of the project:

{
  "id": "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
  "title": "Tech Stack",
  "subtitle": "Libraries and frameworks used",
  "order": 0,
  "media": []
}

Suggested section titles:

• Overview / Introduction
• Tech Stack
• Features
• How It Works
• Challenges & Solutions
• Key Learnings
• Demo / Screenshots
• Future Improvements

Extracting Project Info

Common Sources

Project Status Heuristics

• ongoing: Actively maintained, recent commits, planned features
• finished: Completed project, no active development, side project that reached its goals

Project Date

Estimate from:

• Git history (git log --reverse --format=%ai)
• File creation dates
• README mentions (“built in 2023”)

Example Outputs

Simple Web App

{
  "version": 1,
  "name": "Task Tracker",
  "description": "A minimal task management app with drag-and-drop reordering and local storage sync",
  "projectStatus": "finished",
  "projectDate": "2024-06-15",
  "sections": [
    {
      "id": "overview-section",
      "title": "Overview",
      "subtitle": "What this project does",
      "order": 0,
      "media": []
    },
    {
      "id": "tech-section",
      "title": "Tech Stack",
      "subtitle": "Built with",
      "order": 1,
      "media": []
    },
    {
      "id": "features-section",
      "title": "Features",
      "subtitle": "Key capabilities",
      "order": 2,
      "media": []
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    {
      "id": "github-link",
      "text": "GitHub Repository",
      "url": "https://github.com/username/task-tracker"
    }
  ],
  "exportedAt": "2024-06-15T12:00:00.000Z"
}

CLI Tool

{
  "version": 1,
  "name": "Image Optimizer CLI",
  "description": "Batch image compression tool with WebP conversion and smart quality detection",
  "projectStatus": "finished",
  "projectDate": "2024-03-20",
  "sections": [
    {
      "id": "what-it-does",
      "title": "What It Does",
      "subtitle": "Problem solved",
      "order": 0,
      "media": []
    },
    {
      "id": "how-it-works",
      "title": "How It Works",
      "subtitle": "Technical approach",
      "order": 1,
      "media": []
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    {
      "id": "github",
      "text": "Source Code",
      "url": "https://github.com/username/img-opt"
    },
    {
      "id": "npm",
      "text": "NPM Package",
      "url": "https://npmjs.com/package/img-opt"
    }
  ],
  "exportedAt": "2024-03-20T09:30:00.000Z"
}

UUID Generation

Generate UUIDs for id fields. Python example:

import uuid
print(str(uuid.uuid4()))
# Output: a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890

Tips for Quality Output

1. Read multiple sources – Check package.json, README, and source files for complete picture
2. Keep descriptions concise – 1-2 sentences that capture the essence
3. Use consistent section ordering – Overview → Tech Stack → Features → Details
4. Include relevant links – GitHub, live demo, documentation
5. Match user’s framing – Use terminology from their project

Resources

• Schema Reference: See SCHEMA.md for complete type definitions
• Examples: See EXAMPLES.md for more output examples