trackcn

trackcn syncs files from GitHub into a codebase and records their upstream versions in trackcn.json. It protects local edits with a three-hash merge workflow so an agent can reconcile upstream changes deliberately.

Core loop

trackcn status --json
trackcn pull --dry-run --json
trackcn pull --json

Read trackcn.json before modifying a tracked file. A file listed under a source's files map is managed by trackcn. If you need a local override, prefer adding a separate file outside the managed path instead of hand-editing the tracked file.

Add a source

# Raw file
trackcn add https://example.com/config.txt

# GitHub file or directory
trackcn add https://github.com/owner/repo/tree/main/path/to/directory
trackcn add https://github.com/owner/repo/blob/main/path/to/file.ts
trackcn add owner/repo/path/to/directory
trackcn add owner/repo/tree/main/path/to/directory

# Gist, commit, commit range, or pull request
trackcn add https://gist.github.com/user/abc123
trackcn add https://github.com/owner/repo/commit/abc1234
trackcn add https://github.com/owner/repo/compare/v1.0...v2.0
trackcn add https://github.com/owner/repo/pull/42

Add a local destination as the last argument when the upstream path should not be written at the repository root:

trackcn add owner/repo/path/to/skill ./.cursor/skills/my-skill

For multiple sources, use a destination ending in /. trackcn derives one subdirectory per source:

trackcn add \
  owner/repo/skills/frontend-design \
  owner/repo/skills/testing \
  ./.cursor/skills/

Use --dry-run to preview writes, --force to overwrite local files deliberately, and --json when another tool will consume the result.

Install curated GitHub registry items

If a repository defines a root shadcn registry.json, inspect its install options and curated bundles with:

trackcn add owner/repo

Install and subscribe to a curated bundle with:

trackcn add owner/repo/item
trackcn add owner/repo/item#v1.0.0

Use trackcn add owner/repo . when the complete repository should be installed. For an unambiguous repository path, use owner/repo/tree/ref/path or owner/repo/blob/ref/path. A short owner/repo/path resolves a curated registry item first and falls back to the repository's actual default branch.

trackcn consumes shadcn's GitHub registry format instead of defining a competing catalog schema. Curated bundles are recorded in trackcn.json, so use trackcn status and trackcn pull to keep them current.

Pull updates

trackcn pull --dry-run --json
trackcn pull --json

When upstream changed and the local file still matches the stored hash, trackcn updates it directly. When both upstream and the local file changed, trackcn prepends a <<<<<<< trackcn marker block and reports the file in merged.

After a merge:

1. Open every file listed in merged.
2. Treat each marker block as an upstream diff and the content below the blocks as the local version. Successive upstream changes stack as separate blocks, newest first — apply them oldest-to-newest.
3. Reconcile the intended result in the file. The diff is upstream-only (old upstream → new upstream), so applying it never removes local edits.
4. Remove every marker block, including the <<<<<<< trackcn and >>>>>>> trackcn lines.
5. Run tests or validation for the affected code.
6. Run trackcn status --json and confirm there are no unresolved merges.

Do not run trackcn pull --force unless discarding local edits is intentional.

Check status

trackcn status
trackcn status --json

status exits 0 when all sources are current and managed files match their stored hashes. It exits 1 when an upstream moved, a managed file changed locally, or a merge marker is unresolved. In CI:

- run: npx trackcn status

Remove a source

# Stop tracking the source but leave its files on disk
trackcn remove owner/repo/path

# Stop tracking the source and delete its tracked files
trackcn remove owner/repo/path --hard

Use a partial URL when it uniquely identifies one source. Inspect trackcn.json first when using --hard.

Agent skills recipe

Agent skills are ordinary GitHub directories. Track project-specific skills inside the repository:

trackcn add https://github.com/owner/skills/tree/main/skills ./.cursor/skills
git add trackcn.json .cursor/skills

Run trackcn from $HOME instead when you want a user-level manifest and user-level skill directory:

cd ~
trackcn add https://github.com/owner/skills/tree/main/skills ./.cursor/skills

Do not hand-edit trackcn-managed skill files. Track a fork or place a local override outside the managed directory when different behavior is required.

Post-pull hooks

Attach a shell command that should run after a source changes:

trackcn add owner/repo/icons ./icons --post-pull "npm run build:icons"

Hooks execute shell commands from trackcn.json. Inspect unfamiliar manifests before pulling.

Authentication

Set TRACKCN_GITHUB_TOKEN, GITHUB_TOKEN, or GH_TOKEN when GitHub API requests need authentication or a higher rate limit:

TRACKCN_GITHUB_TOKEN=... trackcn pull

For interactive use, trackcn can store a browser login outside the manifest:

trackcn auth login
trackcn auth status
trackcn auth logout

A stored login lives in ~/.trackcn/auth.json, never in trackcn.json. In CI or headless environments, use a token env var instead — the browser flow only auto-starts at an interactive terminal.

Load this guide again

trackcn skills get trackcn
trackcn skills path trackcn