gnaw
Output formats
gnaw renders the selected files through a template chosen by --output-format
(short -F). The default is Markdown.
gnaw . -F xml
gnaw . --output-format markdown -O context.md| Value | Output |
|---|---|
markdown (default) | Path headers with fenced code blocks |
xml | XML-tagged structure (below) |
json | See the caveat below |
Markdown
Each file is introduced by its path and wrapped in a fenced code block tagged with the file's extension, preceded by a directory tree. This is the most human-readable form and pastes cleanly into most chats.
XML
The XML form wraps everything in explicit tags, which models like Claude parse precisely — useful when file contents themselves contain Markdown that could blur boundaries. gnaw's tags are:
| Tag | Contents |
|---|---|
<directory> | The absolute project path |
<source-tree> | The directory tree |
<files> | Wraps all file entries |
<file path="…"> | One file; its code in a fenced block unless --no-codeblock |
<git-diff> | Present when a diff was requested (see git context) |
Related rendering flags
| Flag | Effect |
|---|---|
--no-codeblock | Omit the fenced code fences around file contents |
--token-format raw|format | Print token counts as 1234 (raw) or 1,234 (format) |
-t, --template <NAME_OR_PATH> | Use a built-in or custom Handlebars template instead of the format default |
-l, --line-numbers | Prefix code lines with line numbers |
Choosing a format selects gnaw's built-in template for that format; --template
overrides it entirely with a named built-in (for example claude-xml) or a path
to your own.