File formats
DeepSnap keeps its on-disk formats small, readable, and easy to move through source control. You do not need to memorize the envelopes to be productive. Knowing what each file is for helps you choose the right artifact at the right time.
.deepsnap: a frozen object graph
A .deepsnap file is one captured object graph. Format version 2.
Think of it as a JSON envelope with metadata plus a backend-specific payload:
- Identity and display name
- Capture time (UTC)
- Backend that wrote the payload
- Target details such as type, asset path/guid, and Unity kind
- Options used for the capture
- The serialized graph text itself
Create these files from selection, drag and drop, or other snapshot workflows. Consume them in Examine, Comparison, and exports to JSON, HTML, or Markdown.
This is the file you keep when the live Editor state must not be the only record.
.deepsnapdiff: saved proof of change
A .deepsnapdiff file stores a comparison result. Format version 1.
It keeps enough context to reopen a diff without running Compare again: backends, left and right paths and names, counts, payloads, and the diff tree.
Save one when a result matters beyond the current session. Load it later from Comparison when the same question returns.
.json: free-form documents in the JSON Editor
The JSON Editor imports and saves ordinary .json files. These are not .deepsnap envelopes. They are free-form documents for editing, validation, Inspector binding, and Live Class Preview.
To move from a snapshot into that workspace, copy or export JSON from Examine, then paste or import it into the JSON Editor.
Backend compatibility at a glance
| Role | Options |
|---|---|
| Snapshot write | Newtonsoft.Json · FullSerializer |
| Comparison | Compare-NET-Objects · ObjDiff |
Prefer a consistent snapshot backend when comparison is part of the plan. Mixing backends can still open files, but payload shapes may differ enough to muddy the diff.
For the workflows these formats support, see Snapshots, Comparison, and JSON Editor.