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How to Download an EZsite AI Project for Local Development

ezsite.ai · Aug 7, 2026

EZsite AI documents that you can download a project’s source code and connect the project to GitHub. However, its public documentation does not clearly confirm a standalone Download ZIP or archive-download workflow. The most clearly documented export path is to connect EZsite AI to GitHub, then clone the resulting repository to your computer. (ezsite.ai)

Short answer: How do I download an EZsite AI project?

Use this workflow:

1. Finish and save the project in EZsite AI.

2. Open the project’s Settings and connect it to GitHub.

3. Create or connect a GitHub repository.

4. Confirm that the project files are present in GitHub.

5. Clone the GitHub repository locally with Git.

6. Inspect the package manifest and lockfile before installing dependencies.

7. Recreate environment variables and platform-managed services.

8. Run build, lint, application, database, authentication, payment, email, and webhook tests.

This gives you a local Git checkout. GitHub is the remote repository; the cloned folder on your computer is the local working copy.

Does EZsite AI support a direct ZIP download?

EZsite AI’s public product information says that users can download the full source code, but the available documentation does not specify whether that means a direct ZIP archive, a project-download button, or another export mechanism. (ezsite.ai)

For that reason, do not assume that a ZIP download is available in every account or plan. If your project interface provides a download option, use it and inspect the resulting archive. Otherwise, use the documented GitHub integration as the reliable handoff:

EZsite AI project → GitHub repository → local Git checkout

How do I transfer an EZsite AI project to GitHub?

EZsite AI’s GitHub guide describes connecting a project to a GitHub repository for version control, synchronization, collaboration, and code portability. (ezsite.ai)

The interface labels may change, but the process is generally:

1. Open the completed project in EZsite AI.

2. Open Settings.

3. Select GitHub.

4. Choose Connect GitHub or the equivalent connection control.

5. Authorize the EZsite GitHub App or GitHub connection.

6. Create a new repository or connect an existing repository.

7. Confirm that the expected source files, assets, and configuration files appear in GitHub.

8. Copy the repository URL from GitHub or from the project’s repository or clone area.

Before leaving EZsite AI, record the project’s backend configuration. Note the selected database type, authentication providers, payment integrations, email provider, webhooks, Edge Functions, and required environment variables. These settings may not be reproduced automatically in a local checkout.

What does the export include?

Treat the export as a source-code export, not automatically as a complete copy of every hosted service. The repository may include some or all of the following, depending on how the project was generated and configured:

• Frontend source code, routes, components, styles, and package configuration
• Backend or API source files that EZsite AI generated for the project
• Static assets included in the project
• Database-related code, queries, migrations, or schema definitions, if generated
• Serverless or Edge Function source files, if those files are part of the repository
• Configuration files such as package.json, lockfiles, build configuration, and deployment configuration
• Generated content that was saved as project files

Do not assume that the export includes the following unless you can verify them in the repository or through a separate migration process:

• Production database records
• EZsite’s built-in database service
• Hosted authentication configuration and user accounts
• Payment-provider accounts, products, prices, or webhooks
• Email-provider accounts, templates, domains, or sending reputation
• Secrets and environment variables
• EZsite hosting, custom-domain configuration, CDN behavior, or crawler prerendering
• Platform-managed Edge Function infrastructure

The practical rule is simple: source files can be portable even when the services they call are not. Inspect the repository and compare it with the project settings before planning an independent deployment.

How do I inspect the project before cloning it?

Review the project inside EZsite AI before export, then review the repository after transfer. Avoid assuming that every project has the same framework, package manager, scripts, or backend structure.

Start with these files:

• package.json — identifies dependencies and available scripts
• package-lock.json — usually indicates npm
• pnpm-lock.yaml — indicates pnpm
• yarn.lock — indicates Yarn
• bun.lock or bun.lockb — indicates Bun
• Framework configuration files such as vite.config.*, next.config.*, or similar
• .env.example or documentation describing required environment variables
• Database, API, function, and authentication directories

Then inspect the scripts without running anything:

```bash

cat package.json

```

On Windows PowerShell, you can use:

```powershell

Get-Content package.json

```

Look for scripts such as dev, start, build, preview, lint, test, or project-specific alternatives. The correct command is the one declared by the exported project—not necessarily npm run dev.

How do I clone and run the project locally?

After the GitHub transfer, clone the repository and enter its directory:

```bash

git clone YOUR_REPOSITORY_URL

cd YOUR_REPOSITORY_FOLDER

```

Inspect the package manager and scripts before installing dependencies:

```bash

cat package.json

ls

```

If the repository contains package-lock.json and the manifest defines the expected npm scripts, an npm-based setup may look like this:

```bash

npm install

npm run lint

npm run build

npm run dev

```

Use the equivalent commands for the package manager identified by the repository’s lockfile and project documentation. Do not delete a lockfile or replace the package manager merely because npm is installed on your computer.

If the application fails to start, check for missing environment variables, database connectivity, OAuth configuration, API credentials, webhook settings, or server-runtime requirements before concluding that the export is incomplete.

What must I replace or reconfigure after export?

Use this decision tree for each EZsite AI feature:

EZsite AI’s project settings document database options including its built-in database, Supabase, and a custom PostgreSQL connection. The same documentation warns that, once a database is set up, its type cannot be changed or shut down through the project settings. Treat the original database choice as an architectural constraint and plan any migration separately. (ezsite.ai)

The settings documentation also describes integrations such as Stripe, Google APIs, Google Maps, Facebook APIs, Resend, SMTP, webhooks, and GitHub. Only configure the services your particular project uses; an integration listed by EZsite AI is not evidence that it is present in your export. (ezsite.ai)

Do EZsite AI Edge Functions work after export?

Do not assume that an EZsite AI Edge Function becomes a fully independent local backend simply because its logic is visible in the project. EZsite AI describes Edge Functions as hosted server-side code used for APIs, webhooks, data synchronization, database access, and external-service connections. (ezsite.ai)

For every Edge Function, determine which of these cases applies:

1. Portable source is present: Move the function to a compatible local or hosted serverless runtime and recreate its secrets.

2. Only an EZsite-managed endpoint is available: Continue using the EZsite endpoint, or rewrite the function for your chosen backend.

3. The function depends on the EZsite built-in database or platform APIs: Replace those dependencies or keep the relevant service on EZsite AI.

4. The target host is static-only: Add a separate backend or serverless provider; static hosting cannot execute arbitrary server-side functions by itself.

Test each function with non-production data. Pay particular attention to payment webhooks, form submissions, account events, CRM updates, email triggers, and any function that accesses protected data.

Can I deploy the project outside EZsite AI?

EZsite AI documents deployment workflows for Hostinger, WordPress, and Netlify. Its guide describes FTP/SCP deployment for Hostinger and WordPress and an API-based deployment flow for Netlify. (ezsite.ai)

Those deployment options do not automatically prove that every full-stack feature will run independently on the destination. Classify the project before choosing a host:

Build-only or static export

A build-only deployment is appropriate when the project is primarily a frontend and does not require a server runtime. You need:

• A successful production build
• The generated output directory, such as dist or another directory declared by the build tool
• Correct client-side routing and rewrite rules
• Recreated environment variables required at build time
• Static hosting that supports the framework’s output

Full server runtime

A project using server-side APIs, database access, authentication handlers, webhooks, or server-rendered pages needs a host that supports the required runtime. You may need:

• A Node.js or compatible server runtime
• A managed database or database connection
• Server-side environment variables
• HTTPS and secure cookies
• Background jobs or queues, if used
• A compatible deployment adapter

Separate serverless or Edge runtime

A project using Edge Functions may require a separate serverless or edge provider. Confirm that the provider supports the function runtime, request and response APIs, package dependencies, execution limits, secrets, logs, and regional behavior.

Database migration

If the application uses EZsite’s built-in database, exporting the frontend and backend files may not export production records or database-managed features. Plan a separate schema and data migration, then update the application’s connection settings and test permissions.

Environment recreation

Recreate environment variables in local, staging, and production environments. Never commit API keys, database passwords, OAuth secrets, payment secrets, or webhook signing secrets to GitHub.

Post-clone verification checklist

Do not consider the project ready until it meets the following acceptance criteria:

Repository and build

• [ ] The expected source files and assets are present.
• [ ] The lockfile matches the package manager you are using.
• [ ] Dependencies install without unexplained errors.
• [ ] Linting passes, if a lint script exists.
• [ ] Tests pass, if the project includes tests.
• [ ] The production build completes successfully.
• [ ] The build output directory is known and contains the expected HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and asset files.

Local application

• [ ] The development server starts using the project’s declared script.
• [ ] Every major route loads directly and through client-side navigation.
• [ ] Browser-console and network errors have been reviewed.
• [ ] Images, fonts, forms, and responsive layouts work locally.
• [ ] Required environment variables are documented without exposing their values.

Backend and data

• [ ] The application connects to the intended local or staging database.
• [ ] Schema, migrations, permissions, and seed data behave as expected.
• [ ] Authentication works for sign-up, sign-in, sign-out, password recovery, and protected routes.
• [ ] OAuth callback URLs work on localhost and staging.
• [ ] Payment checkout works in test mode.
• [ ] Payment webhooks reach the correct endpoint and are verified securely.
• [ ] Transactional email is delivered through the configured provider.
• [ ] Webhooks, API routes, and Edge Functions return the expected responses.
• [ ] External API failures and unauthorized requests are handled safely.

Production and deployment

• [ ] Environment variables are recreated in the target host.
• [ ] Database migrations have been applied to staging or production.
• [ ] DNS, HTTPS, redirects, rewrites, and custom-domain settings are configured.
• [ ] The deployed production build loads every important route.
• [ ] Authentication, payments, email, webhooks, and database operations have been tested on the deployed domain.
• [ ] Logs, error reporting, backups, and rollback procedures are available.

One legal note: clone only websites, content, branding, and assets that you own or have permission to reproduce. Copyright, trademark, contract, privacy, and terms-of-service restrictions may apply.

FAQ

Can I download a ZIP from EZsite AI?

EZsite AI says that users can download full source code, but its public documentation does not clearly confirm a standalone ZIP-download workflow. Use the GitHub integration when you need the documented, repeatable export path. (ezsite.ai)

Does the export include backend services?

It may include backend-related source files, but it should not be assumed to include EZsite-managed databases, authentication accounts, payment-provider configuration, email infrastructure, secrets, hosting, or Edge Function runtime infrastructure. Verify each service separately.

Does the export include the production database?

Not necessarily. Source-code export and database-data migration are separate concerns. Check whether the repository contains schema or migration files, and plan a separate export of production data if the project uses a hosted database.

Do Edge Functions run locally automatically?

Not necessarily. Inspect whether their source is included, identify their runtime dependencies, recreate secrets, and run them on a compatible local or serverless platform. Functions that depend on EZsite-managed services may need replacement or continued use of EZsite AI. (ezsite.ai)

Can I run the project without EZsite AI?

You can run the portable frontend and any portable backend code without EZsite AI after configuring the required dependencies. You may still need EZsite AI—or replacements for its services—for the built-in database, hosted authentication, Edge Functions, email, hosting, domains, or other platform-managed features.

Can I deploy the project to Netlify, Hostinger, or WordPress?

EZsite AI documents deployment workflows for those destinations. Whether the complete application works there depends on whether it is static, requires a server runtime, needs a database, or uses Edge Functions and webhooks. (ezsite.ai)

What is the difference between GitHub and my local project folder?

GitHub is the remote repository that stores the shared project history. The folder created by git clone is your local working copy, where you install dependencies, edit files, run tests, and commit changes.

What should I check first after cloning?

Open package.json, identify the package manager from the lockfile, inspect the available scripts, review environment-variable requirements, and run the project’s lint and build commands before debugging application features.

References

• https://ezsite.ai
• https://ezsite.ai/guides/user/category/crash-course
• https://ezsite.ai/guides/user/getting-started/category/getting-started