my-project/.gitnexus/
├── graph.kuzu # Your code graph (stays in your repo)
├── graph.kuzu.wal # Database write-ahead log
├── graph.kuzu.lock # Database lock file
└── meta.json # Index metadata (commit hash, stats)
```text
**Global Registry:**
```text
~/.gitnexus/
└── registry.json # List of indexed repos (paths only)
```text
The global registry contains **only file paths and metadata** - no code content.
### Automatic Gitignore
GitNexus **automatically adds** `.gitnexus/` to your `.gitignore`:
```bash
# Added by gitnexus analyze
.gitnexus/
```text
This prevents accidentally committing:
- Parsed code content
- Knowledge graph database
- Embedding vectors
If your repo is already tracked by git, the index stays local and never gets pushed.
## Web UI Privacy Model
### Browser-Only Processing
The web UI at [gitnexus.vercel.app](https://gitnexus.vercel.app) is **100% client-side**:
- **No server backend** - Static HTML/JS/CSS only
- **No file upload** - Code is parsed in your browser
- **No analytics** - No tracking scripts
- **No cookies** - No session or user tracking
### How It Works
1. **You select files** - Browser file picker (no upload)
2. **Client-side parsing** - Tree-sitter WASM runs in browser
3. **IndexedDB storage** - Graph stored in browser's local database
4. **Local inference** - Embeddings run via WebGPU/WASM
Your code **never touches a server**.
### Local Backend Mode
Run GitNexus locally and connect the web UI:
```bash
gitnexus serve
```text
This starts a **local HTTP server** (default: `http://localhost:3000`).
**Privacy in Local Mode:**
- Server runs on `localhost` - not exposed to internet
- No external requests - all data flows CLI ↔ browser
- Your code stays on your machine
- Web UI becomes a local UI for your indexed repos
## API Key Security
### Chat Features (Optional)
The web UI supports **optional AI chat** via OpenAI/Anthropic APIs:
- **Your API keys** - You provide your own API keys
- **Client-side only** - Keys stored in browser `localStorage`
- **Direct API calls** - Requests go directly from browser to OpenAI/Anthropic
- **No proxy** - GitNexus servers never see your keys
**Storage:**
```javascript
localStorage.setItem('openai_api_key', 'sk-...')
```text
**Never stored on disk or transmitted to GitNexus.**
### Clearing API Keys
Remove keys from browser:
```javascript
// In browser console
localStorage.removeItem('openai_api_key')
localStorage.removeItem('anthropic_api_key')
```text
Or clear all site data via browser settings.
## Data Retention
### CLI Data
**Per-Repo Index:**
- Stored in `.gitnexus/` inside your repository
- Persists until you delete it
- Removed with `gitnexus clean`
**Global Registry:**
- Stored in `~/.gitnexus/registry.json`
- Contains only repo paths and metadata
- Removed with `gitnexus clean --all --force`
**Embedding Models:**
- Cached in `~/.cache/huggingface/` (Linux/Mac) or `%LOCALAPPDATA%\huggingface\` (Windows)
- Shared across all repos
- Can be deleted manually if needed
### Web Data
**IndexedDB:**
- Stored in browser's IndexedDB
- Persists until you clear browser data
- Can be deleted via browser DevTools → Storage
**localStorage:**
- API keys stored in `localStorage`
- Cleared when you clear site data
## Security Best Practices
### Don't Commit `.gitnexus/`
✅ **Automatic gitignore** - GitNexus adds `.gitnexus/` to `.gitignore`
❌ **Never manually commit** - The index contains parsed code content
If you accidentally committed `.gitnexus/`:
```bash
# Remove from git history
git rm -r --cached .gitnexus/
git commit -m "Remove .gitnexus from version control"
```text
### Avoid Indexing Secrets
GitNexus parses all code files, which may include:
- `.env` files (if not in `.gitignore`)
- `config.json` with API keys
- Hardcoded credentials
Best practices:
- Keep secrets in environment variables
- Use `.env` and gitignore it
- Never hardcode credentials in code
**Note:** GitNexus doesn't scan `.env` files by default, but it will parse any code files that import them.
### Multi-User Systems
On shared systems, be aware:
- `.gitnexus/` is readable by all users with repo access
- Global registry (`~/.gitnexus/`) lists your repo paths
- File permissions match your repository's permissions
If you need stricter access control:
```bash
chmod 700 .gitnexus/
```text
## Open Source Transparency
GitNexus is **open source** under the PolyForm Noncommercial license:
- **Source code**: [github.com/abhigyanpatwari/GitNexus](https://github.com/abhigyanpatwari/GitNexus)
- **Audit the code** - See exactly what GitNexus does
- **No black boxes** - All algorithms are public
- **Community review** - Anyone can inspect and verify privacy claims
## Third-Party Dependencies
GitNexus relies on:
### Required Dependencies
- **KuzuDB** - Embedded graph database (no network)
- **Tree-sitter** - AST parsing library (no network)
- **Node.js** - Runtime environment
### Optional Dependencies
- **transformers.js** - AI embeddings (downloads model from Hugging Face)
- **ONNX Runtime** - Model inference (no network after model download)
All dependencies are **well-established open-source projects**.
## Compliance
### GDPR (EU)
- **No personal data collection** - GitNexus doesn't collect user data
- **Local processing** - Data never leaves your device
- **No data transfers** - No cross-border data movement
- **User control** - You own and control all data
### CCPA (California)
- **No sale of data** - We don't collect or sell any data
- **No data brokers** - No third-party data sharing
- **No tracking** - No analytics or user profiling
### SOC 2 / Enterprise
For enterprise use:
- All processing is local - no cloud data transfer risks
- Audit logs are git commits (via `meta.json` commit tracking)
- Access control via file system permissions
- No vendor lock-in - data stored in open formats (KuzuDB, JSON)
## Frequently Asked Questions
### Does GitNexus "call home"?
**No.** GitNexus makes zero network requests during indexing or querying.
### Can GitNexus access files outside my repo?
**No.** GitNexus only reads files inside the repository you're indexing.
### What if I use the MCP server with Claude/Cursor?
**Safe.** The MCP server:
- Runs locally on your machine (`stdio` communication)
- Only sends data you explicitly query for (via MCP tools)
- Doesn't send code unless you ask it to (e.g., via `context` tool)
- Editor connections are local (no internet)
Your AI editor may send MCP tool **results** to its cloud API (e.g., Claude, GPT), but GitNexus itself doesn't send anything.
### Is the web UI safe?
**Yes.** The web UI:
- Runs entirely in your browser (no server)
- Doesn't upload files
- Stores everything in IndexedDB (local to your browser)
If you use the AI chat feature, your API calls go directly to OpenAI/Anthropic (not through GitNexus).
### Can I use GitNexus for proprietary code?
**Yes.** GitNexus is designed for proprietary codebases:
- No external transmission
- Local-only processing
- No licensing restrictions on indexed code
*Note: The GitNexus tool itself is under PolyForm Noncommercial (commercial license available).*
### What happens if GitNexus is compromised?
**Low risk.** Even if GitNexus had a security vulnerability:
- Your code stays on your machine (not uploaded)
- No remote access or command execution
- Worst case: corrupted local index (re-run `gitnexus analyze`)
## Reporting Security Issues
Found a security issue?
- **Email**: [Security contact in repo](https://github.com/abhigyanpatwari/GitNexus#readme)
- **GitHub Issues**: [github.com/abhigyanpatwari/GitNexus/issues](https://github.com/abhigyanpatwari/GitNexus/issues)
We take security seriously and will respond promptly.