What is Captured

Workstate follows a strict inclusion model (whitelist). Instead of trying to guess what to exclude, it only captures what you explicitly tell it to. This approach ensures your backups are lean, secure, and predictable.

The .workstateinclude File

The core of Workstate’s selection engine is the .workstateinclude file. It works similarly to a .gitignore, but in reverse: only the paths and patterns listed here will be captured.

Default Inclusions

When you run workstate init, a minimalist .workstateinclude is created with sensible defaults:

• .workstateinclude (it always tracks its own config)
• src/ (core source code)
• pyproject.toml / package.json (dependency definitions)
• README.md

Why Whitelisting?

1. Security: You never accidentally backup sensitive logs or binaries that weren’t meant to be shared.
2. Performance: Smaller snapshots mean faster uploads and downloads.
3. Control: You know exactly what constitutes your “work state”.

Critical Files Auto-Inclusion

Even if not explicitly listed, Workstate ensures the following are always handled correctly:

• Config: The .workstateinclude file itself is always included.
• Metadata: Internal metadata used for restoration is automatically managed.

Legacy Support (Blacklist)

If you have an existing project using .workstateignore, Workstate will still respect it as a fallback. However, new projects always use .workstateinclude, and we strongly recommend migrating legacy projects to the inclusion model.

Heads Up

If both files exist, .workstateinclude takes precedence and the ignore file will be bypassed.