cursor-history
=================

A fast CLI for exporting and searching Cursor conversation history, built with TypeScript + oclif.

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Installation — TL;DR

``bash


with npm

npm install -g @johnlindquist/cursor-history

with pnpm ≥ 10 (read the next section!)

PNPM_ENABLE_PREBUILDS=true pnpm add -g @johnlindquist/cursor-history
`

> Why two commands? cursor‑history depends on better‑sqlite3, a native add‑on. npm will download a ready‑made binary for your platform; pnpm won't unless you flip an opt‑in flag. Details below.
> When the binary is missing you'll get the famous Could not locate the bindings file stack‑trace at runtime.

---

Basic usage

`bash


Export the latest conversation to a Markdown file + clipboard

chi

Extract all conversations to ./conversations//*

chi --extract

Fuzzy‑search by title and copy the chosen conversation to clipboard

chi --search

Interactively browse any workspace and pick a conversation

chi --browse

Manage old exports (delete older than 30 d)

chi --manage --older-than 30d
`

See chi --help for the full command list.

---

Troubleshooting checklist

1. node -p "process.versions.modules" returns 115 on Node 20; match that to the folder name in better-sqlite3/lib/binding. (github.com)
2. Make sure you're actually running the pnpm‑installed binary: which chi.
3. Delete stale global installs (pnpm uninstall -g, npm uninstall -g) before switching package managers.

---

Troubleshooting: Native Module Version Mismatch (better-sqlite3)

$3

`
The module 'better_sqlite3.node' was compiled against a different Node.js version using NODE_MODULE_VERSION 127. This version of Node.js requires NODE_MODULE_VERSION 115. Please try re-compiling or re-installing the module (for instance, using npm rebuild or npm install).
`

$3

Run this command:

`sh
cd $(pnpm root -g)/better-sqlite3 && npm rebuild better-sqlite3
`

This will rebuild the native binary for your current Node.js version and architecture. After running this, your CLI should work globally.

#### Why is this needed?
- pnpm's global store does not always trigger a native rebuild for dependencies like better-sqlite3 when installing a tarball or linking.
- The native binary may be left in an old or missing state after a Node.js upgrade or a global install.
- Manually running npm rebuild in the global store directory ensures the binary is rebuilt for your current environment.

#### If you still have issues
- Make sure you are using the same Node.js version for both the install and when running the CLI.
- You may need to remove and reinstall the global package if the error persists.

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Using pnpm with native modules

$3

| Step | npm | pnpm ≤ 10 default |
|------|-----|-------------------|
| Install better‑sqlite3 | Downloads pre‑built better_sqlite3.node that matches your Node ABI (node‑v115‑darwin‑arm64, etc.) | Skips the prebuild and blocks the post‑install compile script unless the package is in the allow‑list |
| Runtime | require('better-sqlite3') finds the binary and works | Throws Could not locate the bindings file |

The pnpm behaviour is intentional: it prevents unreviewed packages from running arbitrary build scripts on your machine. You have three ways to opt‑in:

1. Turn on the prebuild switch (the quickest fix) 🟢

`bash
PNPM_ENABLE_PREBUILDS=true pnpm add -g @johnlindquist/cursor-history
`

The env‑var (or the matching .npmrc key enable-prebuilt-binary=true) tells pnpm to download official prebuilt binaries for all packages that ship them, including better‑sqlite3. No compilation needed. (github.com, github.com)

2. Manually approve the build scripts 🟡

If you forgot the flag and saw

`
Ignored build scripts: better-sqlite3, sqlite3.
Run "pnpm approve-builds -g" to pick which dependencies should be allowed to run scripts.
`

just do it:

`bash
pnpm approve-builds -g # interactive prompt ‑ pick better‑sqlite3 & sqlite3
`

This whitelists the packages globally and re‑runs their install/postinstall scripts, compiling the native addon from source. Docs: pnpm approve-builds was added in v10.1 and gained the ‑g flag in v10.4. (pnpm.io, github.com)

3. Force a rebuild 🔧

`bash
# prerequisite tool‑chain once per machine
xcode-select --install # macOS — installs clang & make
pnpm install -g node-gyp # wrapper around gyp

# then, inside the global store path
cd "$(pnpm root -g)/.pnpm/better-sqlite3@*/node_modules/better-sqlite3"
pnpm rebuild # runs node-gyp from source
`

Use this when you need a from‑source build (e.g. bleeding‑edge Node version without prebuilds). (github.com, github.com)

$3

* Do I have to do this every time?
No. Set the flag once in your user npmrc:
pnpm config set enable-prebuilt-binary true or export the env variable from your shell profile.
* What if I see arm64e vs arm64 errors?
You're probably mixing Rosetta and native Node builds. Re‑install Node with the same architecture as your terminal session. (github.com)
* Is there a prebuild‑only fork?
Yes, better-sqlite3-with-prebuilds` publishes the binary directly in the tarball, avoiding the download step altogether. Feel free to swap it in your own projects. cite turn1search9

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Contributing

PRs and issues are welcome! If you have ideas for smoothing out the native‑module install story (post‑install hook, binary‑safe fork, Docker build, etc.) open a discussion.

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© 2025 John Lindquist — MIT