A project is always a folder on disk. BLXAde does not store project source code in a cloud workspace; the folder is the workspace.

Workspace marker

A valid BLXAde workspace contains a .blxade/ directory:

Path	Role
`.blxade/workspace.json`	Stable workspace UUID
`.blxade/workspace.blxcanvas`	Canvas document (versioned, autosaved)
`.blxade/todo/<workspace-uuid>.md`	Project todo list (Markdown)
`.blxade/loops/<workspace-id>.json`	Project loop definitions
`.blxade/workspace.blxcanvas.backup-*`	Repair backups when needed

You do not open or save canvas files manually. The canvas workfile is internal and autosaved.

Create a project

Choose New project (wording may vary by language).
Pick a base folder and a project name.
BLXAde creates <base>/<name> and initializes .blxade/.

Open a project

Open a folder that already has .blxade/ — restores the canvas and bindings.
Open a plain folder — BLXAde can initialize .blxade in place so the folder becomes a workspace without moving files.

Recent projects

Up to ten recent workspace paths are stored per local profile. You can clear the recent list from Settings → General (Danger Zone) without deleting the folders themselves.

Switching and closing

When you switch project or leave the editor:

Pending canvas autosave is flushed.
On save failure you can retry, discard, or stay on the current project.

Closing a project does not delete the folder or the canvas workfile.

Canvas changes save after a short debounce (default on the order of ~750 ms). You can adjust the delay under Settings → General. Preference changes are global for your profile; they do not live inside the canvas file.

What is not stored in the canvas

Sensitive or high-volume runtime data stays out of .blxcanvas, for example:

full terminal history and agent transcripts
API keys and OAuth tokens
Music session credentials
generated image bytes and host paths
Loop run logs (stored in loop stores, not the drawing)

Node shells and layout positions are part of the scene; many node contents are reloaded from project files or native state. Details per node: Canvas nodes.

Tips

Keep projects in a folder you back up yourself (git, sync, disk images).
Renaming the folder is fine if you reopen it from BLXAde; workspace UUID bindings (e.g. todo file name) survive renames via workspace.json.
Do not hand-edit .blxcanvas unless you know the schema — use the app UI.

Projects