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 0.2.2.0.6a11. This page documents the 0.2.2.0.6a11 alpha development checkout.

Safety and effects

Can mutate state

No documented dry-run parameter

No native program invocation in the current classification

No documented network use

Outcome may depend on permissions

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.

Before mutation, QZX creates a recovery archive; --dangerously-bypass-approvals-and-sandbox/--yolo explicitly skips it.

This safety classification was reviewed by OpenAI Codex (authorized project audit) against implementation digest sha256:f9315cad551273a5f7b4bfe2aefcb0d0d2bc186d3a05aebdb8b5ee7effe49414 on 2026-07-30.

Exact syntax

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

Parameters

Swipe or use the horizontal scrollbar to see every column.

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,
    "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": [],
        "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 0.2.2.0.6a11 · main · sha256:d1bf56371df81b2a79619d8219eed92ccf790be1584c528e211381ca7aa85302
Availability: 0.2.2.0.6a11 or earlier

Keep exploring

These commands also belong to the file category. Compare them to choose the operation that best fits your task.

Explore all QZX commands