exports-md

exports-md is a small command line tool for inspecting the exported API surface of a TypeScript module or package export map. It compiles a target module to declaration output with the target project's local TypeScript install, then renders the exported declarations, external re-export statements, and TSDoc comments as Markdown.

It is designed for agent-readable API context: enough exported shape to work with a module without loading implementation details.

Install

Install the CLI in a project:

pnpm add exports-md

Install the companion skill that teaches agents when and how to use exports-md:

npx skills add aleclarson/exports-md/skills

Usage

Print documentation for every exported symbol in a module:

exports-md src/index.ts

Query one or more exported symbols:

exports-md src/index.ts -- generateMarkdownForModule findNearestTypescript

Print documentation for multiple inputs:

exports-md src/index.ts src/feature.ts

Print symbol sections in reverse order:

exports-md src/index.ts -r

Render property TSDoc comments below declaration code blocks as a **Properties** list:

exports-md src/index.ts --propertyDocs list

Append a GitHub code search link to each symbol section:

exports-md src/index.ts --github.repository aleclarson/leylines --github.searchLinks

Write the Markdown to a file with normal shell redirection:

exports-md src/index.ts -- generateMarkdownForModule > src/index.md

Print documentation for every declaration entry point in a package export map:

exports-md package.json

Package inputs follow relative imports and re-exports to their declarations by default. For a module input, enable either behavior explicitly:

exports-md src/index.ts -f
exports-md src/index.ts -i
exports-md src/index.ts -e

Write package entry point docs to an output directory:

exports-md package.json -o docs/api

How it works

exports-md resolves the nearest node_modules/typescript from the current working directory, so declaration emit uses the TypeScript version installed by the target project.

The tool emits declarations in memory, parses the resulting .d.ts, and renders Markdown sections from exported declarations and their leading TSDoc comments. Property TSDoc comments stay inside declaration code blocks by default. With --propertyDocs list, property comments are removed from interface and object type code blocks and rendered below the block as a **Properties** list. When a symbol query is provided, the output includes requested exports plus local declaration dependencies needed to understand their signatures. With --groupBySyntax, same-module export sections are grouped under H2 headings by category: functions, classes, constants, remaining non-types, then types. Symbols inside those groups use H3 headings. With --sortByName, same-module export sections are printed alphabetically, with lowercase symbols first and all-caps symbols last. When both sort options are used, export category takes precedence over symbol name. With --reverseSymbols, rendered symbol sections are printed in reverse order after sorting while heading and reference import/re-export blocks stay in place.

With --github.searchLinks, every symbol section ends with a GitHub code search link. Set --github.repository to the owner/repo repository name used by those links.

When the input is package.json, the tool reads the exports field and renders each declaration entry point with a separate H1 based on the package name and export subpath, such as foo for . and foo/bar for ./bar. Export-map entries with types targets use those targets. Entries without types targets use string .js or .mjs targets rewritten to .d.ts. With --outDir, each entry point is written as a .md file under the output directory, preserving the entry point folder structure relative to their shared common root.

Module inputs include import and re-export reference lines by default. With --follow, relative imports and re-exports are followed to their declarations. Import-only symbols referenced by exported declaration signatures are omitted instead of rendered as standalone API sections; when those symbols come from declaration files, the JavaScript API returns warnings because the public signature is exposing an unreachable type. With --followReExports, or for package inputs by default, relative re-exports are followed to their declarations, including bundled patterns that import aliased names from a relative chunk and export those names through a local export list. Exported imported aliases are rendered with the rest of the normal symbols, so --groupBySyntax uses one set of syntax category headings per document. Non-relative package imports, non-relative package re-exports, and namespace imports/re-exports are still rendered as reference lines.

Rendered Markdown is cached in the system temp directory using the input path, source content, tsconfig content, requested symbols, heading, package version, and renderer version. Output that follows imports or re-exports is not cached, because it depends on additional declaration files.