file · Command reference

`qzx createZip`

What it does

Compresses a file or directory into an atomic ZIP archive with custom exclusion rules

Command maturity: Alpha

Available for real use and feedback while its interface and behavior can still evolve. This is the current development-checkout assessment. Every future immutable release tag preserves the exact assessment shipped by that version. Available in PyPI 0.2.2.0.9. This page documents the 0.2.2.0.9 alpha development checkout.

Behavior and built-in protections

Live mode applies the changes you request

Direct execution for this operation

Works without invoking native programs

Works without network access

Uses your current permissions; results can vary

Builds the archive in a sibling staging file and atomically commits it, skips symbolic links, and preserves existing destinations by default. --overwrite requires a fail-closed backup of the prior ZIP.

QZX creates a recovery archive before live changes; use --dangerously-bypass-approvals-and-sandbox/--yolo only when you deliberately choose to skip it.

This safety classification was reviewed by OpenAI GPT-5.6 Pro against implementation digest sha256:ee0976439603ebc86ae05188b804c51c0f0e159b474900af8d2e22b1852dbbc9 on 2026-08-25.

Exact syntax

qzx createZip <zip_path> <source_path> [exclude_patterns] [overwrite] --json

Parameters

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Name	Type	Required	Default	Description
zip_path	str	Yes	Not declared	Target path for the created ZIP archive (e.g. project.zip)
source_path	str	Yes	Not declared	Local file or directory to compress
exclude_patterns	str	No	".git,node_modules,__pycache__,.venv,env,dist,build"	Comma-separated folders, files, or wildcards to exclude (defaults to standard caches)
overwrite	bool	No	false	Replace an existing ZIP after creating a safety backup

Input examples

qzx createZip project.zip .

Compress the current directory into a new project.zip

qzx createZip src.zip src

Compress the src folder into a new src.zip

qzx createZip project.zip . --overwrite

Replace project.zip after creating a safety backup

For the complete structured payload, add --json: qzx createZip <zip_path> <source_path> [exclude_patterns] [overwrite] --json

Representative output example

This illustrative JSON is derived from the current implementation-backed result contract. It shows what the command can return without claiming a recorded execution; values vary with inputs, host, permissions, and optional tools.

Example command: qzx createZip project.zip . --json

{
    "success": true,
    "message": "Compresses a file or directory into an atomic ZIP archive with custom exclusion rules. In this illustrative example, the command completed successfully.",
    "meta": {
        "command": "createZip",
        "command_maturity": {
            "stage": "alpha",
            "label": "Alpha",
            "sequence": 2,
            "public_executable": true,
            "stability": "interface_may_change",
            "summary": "Available for real use and feedback while its interface and behavior can still evolve.",
            "promotion_review_required": false,
            "assessment_scope": "development_checkout"
        },
        "duration_ms": 0,
        "schema_version": 1
    },
    "compressed_bytes": 4096,
    "compression_ratio_percent": 42.7,
    "details": {
        "summary": "Additional structured context is included here."
    },
    "files_archived": "C:\\project\\example.txt",
    "original_bytes": 4096,
    "overwrite": true,
    "sha256": "Example value",
    "skipped_symlinks": [
        {
            "name": "example",
            "status": "ok"
        }
    ],
    "source_path": "C:\\project\\example.txt",
    "zip_path": "C:\\project\\example.txt"
}

View the JSON result contract

{
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "required": [
        "success",
        "message",
        "meta"
    ],
    "properties": {
        "success": {
            "type": "boolean"
        },
        "message": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "meta": {
            "type": "object",
            "required": [
                "command",
                "command_maturity",
                "duration_ms",
                "schema_version"
            ],
            "properties": {
                "command": {
                    "type": "string"
                },
                "command_maturity": {
                    "type": "object",
                    "required": [
                        "stage",
                        "label",
                        "sequence",
                        "public_executable",
                        "stability",
                        "summary",
                        "promotion_review_required",
                        "assessment_scope"
                    ],
                    "properties": {
                        "stage": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "label": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "sequence": {
                            "type": "integer"
                        },
                        "public_executable": {
                            "type": "boolean"
                        },
                        "stability": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "summary": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "promotion_review_required": {
                            "type": "boolean"
                        },
                        "assessment_scope": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "note": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "review": {
                            "type": "object",
                            "required": [
                                "reviewed_on",
                                "rationale",
                                "evidence"
                            ],
                            "properties": {
                                "reviewed_on": {
                                    "type": "string",
                                    "format": "date"
                                },
                                "rationale": {
                                    "type": "string"
                                },
                                "evidence": {
                                    "type": "array",
                                    "minItems": 1,
                                    "items": {
                                        "type": "string"
                                    }
                                },
                                "replacement": {
                                    "type": "string"
                                }
                            },
                            "additionalProperties": false
                        }
                    },
                    "additionalProperties": true
                },
                "duration_ms": {
                    "type": "number"
                },
                "schema_version": {
                    "type": "integer"
                }
            },
            "additionalProperties": true
        },
        "compressed_bytes": [],
        "compression_ratio_percent": [],
        "details": [],
        "error": [],
        "error_code": [],
        "files_archived": [],
        "original_bytes": [],
        "overwrite": [],
        "sha256": [],
        "skipped_symlinks": [],
        "source_path": [],
        "zip_path": []
    },
    "additionalProperties": true
}

Errors and limits

The public contract requires success=false and a descriptive message on failure. This catalog does not yet declare a command-specific error taxonomy; inspect the result and do not invent error codes.

QZX is alpha software. Optional dependencies, permissions, and host capabilities can change the result.

Evidence workflow: requires a controlled privileged environment.

Evidence and provenance

Implementation: src/qzx/commands/file/create_zip.py
Tests: tests/test_file_commands/test_create_zip.py
Documentation channel: Development documentation 0.2.2.0.9 · main · sha256:cfba936e39931c286ca23add0ae546693db17d8b316e7cbc3891d26642d9b7e8
Availability: 0.2.2.0.9 or earlier

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