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BCUP JSON
File conversion

Convert BCUP to JSON

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Aug 4, 2026
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Is it possible to convert BCUP to JSON?
Yes - BCUP converts to JSON.

There is no menu button for JSON, so this is a small scripting job. Load the vault in a Node.js project with buttercup-core, build a vault facade, and JSON.stringify it. The result is a structured .json snapshot of your groups and entries in plaintext.

Also to JSON: BDOB · EXPRESS · REPLIT

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Sep 2026

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Why convert BCUP to JSON?

A .bcup vault is Buttercup's encrypted database, and developers export to .JSON when they want to inspect, back up, or programmatically process their credentials outside the app. Buttercup's own facades are literally built to convert vaults to and from plain JSON objects.

How to convert BCUP to JSON

buttercup-core (Node.js) OPEN-SOURCE

In an ESM Node project, load the .bcup with a TextDatasource/Credentials, then call createVaultFacade(vault) and write JSON.stringify(facade) to a .json file.

buttercup-exporter (Node.js) OPEN-SOURCE

The official buttercup-exporter CLI unlocks a vault and emits its contents; capture the object output and save it as .json.

About these formats

.BCUP Buttercup Vault File

A .bcup file is an encrypted password vault created by Buttercup, a free open-source password manager. It holds logins, notes, and other secrets protected by AES-256 encryption and a master…

Open .BCUP details →
.JSON JavaScript Object Notation file

A JSON file is a plain-text data file in JavaScript Object Notation format, used by web APIs, app configurations, and data exports. Any text editor opens it - Notepad on Windows, TextEdit…

Open .JSON details →

Quality & what to watch

  • The facade JSON is unencrypted - it exposes every password in clear text, so store and delete it carefully.
  • buttercup-core is ESM-only and needs Node 14+, so you must run it in a matching project or bundler rather than a plain require script.
  • The JSON follows Buttercup's internal facade shape (groups, entries, fields), not a generic password-manager schema, so other apps won't import it directly.

Frequently asked questions

Does Buttercup have a JSON export button?
No. JSON output requires a short script using buttercup-core and its createVaultFacade serialisation helper.
Is the JSON structure documented?
Yes - Buttercup's facade format is documented in the buttercup-core repository and mirrors the vault's groups, entries and fields.
Can I edit the JSON and load it back?
Facades are designed for round-tripping, so a correctly-shaped facade can be applied back to a vault, but hand-editing risks breaking the structure.
Why can't I just require() it?
buttercup-core is published as ES modules; use import in an ESM project or a bundler like Webpack, not CommonJS require.