Import/Export Brackets Themes and Extensions

If you have, or want, brackets installed on multiple operating systems (OS) then it could be rather cumbersome having to manually install all your favourite extensions. Enter Brackets-ExtensionsBulkInstall a handy brackets extension which enables the bulk installation of extensions and themes on other platforms. In the following tutorial I will be exporting from a Mac to a Linux machine

Let’s Get Started

First and foremost install the Bulk Install extension on all your brackets installations as this tutorial would be pretty useless without it!  Open up Extensions Bulk Install Shortcut – Ctrl(Cmd)+Alt+M on your version of Brackets, which you want to export.

Export File

Click on Export to File

Save the file, which is in JSON format, into a folder of your choice, Downloads is usually good here or save it to Dropbox or other cloud storage. The File path will be displayed on the right hand side.

The JSON File

If you open the JSON file in brackets you can see it will be something like in the example below. If there is something that you don’t want to install simply change true to false and the extension will bypass installing it.

{
  "extensions": {
    "mikaeljorhult.brackets-autoprefixer": true,
    "brackets-beautify": true,
    "mirorauhala.bootstrap-skeleton": true,
    "mikailcolak.brackets-color-picker": true,
    "camden.bracketsdash": true,
    "jeffbooher.bookmarks": true,
    "drewkoch.icons": true,
    "lamo2k123.brackets-file-tree": true,
    "zaggino.brackets-git": true,
    "hirse.outline-list": true,
    "notasz-uitheming": true,
    "brackets-wp-functions-hint": true,
    "camden.caniuse": true,
    "technet.clipbox": true,
    "brackets-code-folding": true,
    "brackets-css-shapes-editor": true,
    "csscomb-brackets": true,
    "brackets-emmet": true,
    "milosh86.extensions-bulk-installer": false,
    "dnbard.extensions-rating": true,
    "adobe.brackets.extract": true,
    "favourite-files": true,
    "brackets-fonts": true,
    "funcdocr": true,
    "talmand.html-templates": true,
    "http": true,
    "brackets-indent-guides": true,
    "interactive-linter": true,
    "szdc.cdn-suggestions": true,
    "globals": true,
    "pflynn.jump-to-matching-brace": true,
    "brackets-legibility": true,
    "brackets-livereload": true,
    "gruehle.markdown-preview": true,
    "bracket-match-highlighter": true,
    "brackets-minifier": true,
    "brackets-minimap": true,
    "brackets-morecsscodehints": true,
    "brackets-html5codehints": true,
    "insya.newdocument": true,
    "ohnnyj.numbertabs": true,
    "mackenza.php-smarthints": true,
    "pretty_json": true,
    "dnbard.projects": true,
    "brackets-response": true,
    "open.recent.file": true,
    "dkehrig.show-whitespace": true,
    "brackets-special-html-chars": true,
    "brackets-stripper-redo": true,
    "brackets.swatcher": true,
    "custom-work-for-brackets": true,
    "mikaeljorhult.brackets-todo": true,
    "carreau.visibletabs": true,
    "camden.w3cvalidation": true,
    "ws-sanitizer": true,
    "gbratsos.zurb-foundation": true
  }
}

Switch Computers and Import

Head over to your other computer and click on the Import from File. A  File loaded and parsed message will appear on the right hand side, under Status Board and soon after it will start downloading and installing the extensions.

You can check the progress of the installations and it will output if an extension is already installed or you may get server errors or not compatible with your version. A good fix would be to update your version of Brackets to the latest version on all platforms.

Alternative File Paths for Manual Install

The extensions folder is located in:

Mac –
/Users/YOUR USER NAME/Library/Application Support/Brackets/extensions/user
Windows –
C:Users/YOUR USER NAME/AppData/Roaming/Brackets/extensions/user
Linux –
/home/YOUR USER NAME/.config/Brackets/extensions/user

Using your file manager; Windows Explorer, Finder, Nemo etc. Navigate to the file path, specified above and simply copy the user folder and replace the existing one in your new/old installation.

Conclusion

For a simple no fuss way of installing extensions from one machine to another you can’t really go wrong. The alternative would be to back up the extensions folder and manually transfer them across which would probably be more time-consuming in the long run as the extensions are small so they wouldn’t take long to download and install. It’s early days for the extension so it does what it says on the tin and saves hassle in the process.