Direct answers about the macOS app, local-first privacy model, LLM workflows, licensing, installation, and common troubleshooting paths.
What PastePrompt is, where it fits, and what it deliberately does not try to be.
PastePrompt is a local-first macOS app for building reproducible LLM context bundles from large codebases. It helps you select files, inspect token estimates, add Git context, apply prompt templates, run a local secret scan, and copy or export the result into your chosen LLM workflow. Start with the Getting Started overview.
PastePrompt is built for security reviewers, researchers, AI-heavy developers, code reviewers, consultants, and small audit teams that need repeatable context workflows on sensitive or large repositories.
No. PastePrompt is a context builder, not a full editor. It includes file preview and can open files in VS Code or Cursor, but your normal editor remains the place for editing, tests, navigation, and debugging. See Open in editor.
No. PastePrompt does not scan code for vulnerabilities by itself. It prepares structured context for your manual review and for LLM tools you already use.
No. PastePrompt can make context preparation faster and more reproducible, but auditors and developers still need to verify claims against source code, tests, traces, and project intent.
No. PastePrompt works at the repository and file-selection layer. The core workflow applies to general code review, security review, PR review, and large codebase analysis. See Security review.
How local processing, storage, clipboard use, and secret scanning work in practice.
The app is designed to build context locally and does not need to upload source code for repository analysis. Source leaves your Mac when you copy, export, paste, attach, sync, or otherwise share a generated bundle. Read the local-first model.
PastePrompt may store settings, workspace references, selected paths, prompt templates, prompt history metadata, output summaries or hashes, license metadata, and update preferences. See the local storage notes.
Full source contents should not be stored in prompt history by default. History should prefer metadata, selections, references, timestamps, summaries, and hashes unless a future release offers explicit full-bundle storage.
When enabled, the scanner runs locally before copy or export and looks for likely sensitive values such as private keys, API keys, access tokens, cloud credentials, webhook secrets, `.env` assignments, and high-entropy strings. See Secret scanning.
Yes. It can miss custom formats, encoded values, split strings, binary-file secrets, short tokens, generated credentials, and values that are sensitive only in your organization. Treat a clean scan as helpful, not as proof that a bundle is safe.
The generated bundle is placed on the macOS clipboard. It may be available to paste into other apps, and clipboard history tools may retain it. Review clipboard and export risks before using PastePrompt with sensitive code.
Yes, if your client and organization allow local tooling and the external LLM destination you choose. Keep selections narrow, use `.pastepromptignore`, review bundles, resolve secret warnings, and only paste into approved providers or workspaces.
PastePrompt is a bring-your-own-LLM workflow tool, not an LLM provider.
Yes. PastePrompt can generate XML-like or Markdown bundles that you can paste or attach in ChatGPT, subject to your ChatGPT plan, context limits, and workspace policy.
Yes. Use PastePrompt to prepare a focused bundle, then paste or attach it in Claude according to the limits and policy of your Claude account or workspace.
Yes. PastePrompt can prepare source context and instructions that can be used in Codex-style workflows by copying or exporting bundles. It does not control Codex behavior or guarantee model output.
Yes. You can use PastePrompt bundles with Cursor workflows and open selected files in Cursor when local integration is configured. See Open in editor.
No. PastePrompt does not include ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Codex, Cursor, local model access, API credits, or provider subscriptions. Those are separate from the PastePrompt app license.
XML-like output is useful when you want clear machine-readable boundaries between files and instructions. Markdown is easier to read and archive. See Context formats.
Use token estimates to remove low-value files, split the review by module, export separate bundles, or use Git diff mode for change-focused work. Token counts are estimates and can differ from provider UIs. See Token counting.
Pricing, license scope, and purchase expectations should stay explicit.
The Free plan is intended for basic local repo selection, file tree, search, preview, basic XML/Markdown copy, basic token counting, a 64k selected-token budget, secret scanner warnings, one workspace, limited prompt history, and best-effort support. See Pricing.
Pro is intended for repeatable professional workflows: unlimited workspaces, Git diff mode, custom templates, prompt history, Markdown export, reproducible snapshots when available, secret redaction, advanced token budgeting, editor integration, and updates while active. Launch Pro access is delivered through a signed personal license file.
Founder Lifetime is a limited launch offer delivered through a signed personal license file. The exact lifetime scope, update window, transfer rules, support terms, and limits are defined in the written purchase terms before payment.
Stripe sends receipts to the checkout email. If you need additional invoice details or a purchase record for your company, contact support.
Commercial use depends on the license terms attached to your purchase or plan. PastePrompt is positioned for professional auditors, consultants, reviewers, and developers, but the written terms should be treated as authoritative.
Free features should remain available. Pro feature access, support, and update access depend on the final license implementation and active subscription terms. Exported bundles you already created remain ordinary local files.
Open Billing and use Stripe Customer Portal to cancel future renewal. Your current signed license remains valid until the expiry date shown in the license email and in PastePrompt Settings > License.
Small teams can start with individual licenses. Team purchasing may be handled manually until a dedicated customer portal or team plan exists.
You may share the public DMG download. Do not share your license file: it is a personal credential issued to the buyer email. The initial offline-license flow verifies signatures locally and does not enforce a per-device activation count.
macOS distribution details, architecture choices, release status, and uninstall basics.
PastePrompt is macOS-first for the current product. Windows and Linux versions are not part of the stated V1 release unless a future roadmap or release note says otherwise.
Use the Universal DMG for the current release. It works on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. See the Download page.
The current v0.1.0 Universal DMG is Developer ID signed and Apple-notarized. The Download page and release notes remain the source of truth for each release artifact.
Updates may be manual DMG downloads, and some builds may include configured update checks. Update checks should not need repository contents or generated bundles. See Update checks.
Quit PastePrompt, remove the app from Applications, and remove local app data only if you no longer need settings, workspaces, templates, prompt history metadata, or license metadata. See Install on macOS.
Common install, repository, diff, token, and scanner issues.
Confirm the DMG came from the configured PastePrompt release link, verify the checksum when provided, and check the signing/notarization status for that release. See macOS install troubleshooting.
Re-select the repository through the file picker, check macOS permissions, verify the path still exists, and review ignored-file, symlink, binary-file, and permission warnings. See Repo scan errors.
Check that the selected folder is a Git repository, both refs exist locally, the clone is not missing required history, and the base/head pair is correct. See Git diff errors.
PastePrompt token counts are estimates. Provider UIs can count hidden prompts, message wrappers, tool metadata, attachments, and model-specific tokenization differently. See Token count mismatch.
False positives are expected, especially in tests, examples, docs, and fixtures. Inspect the warning, then redact, exclude, cancel, or explicitly override only when you are confident it is safe. See Secret scanner warnings.
PastePrompt helps you choose the right files, review token budget, run a local secret scan, and export structured context for the LLM tools you already use.