Migrate Selected Content Using the Query Export Plugin

The Query Export plugin (cm:stacks:export-query) lets you export selected content types from a stack based on query criteria.

Use it when you need to export a subset of stack content instead of a full stack export.

Prerequisites

Before running the export, ensure the following:

• CLI v1.44+ installed and authenticated. Run csdx auth:login or use a management token alias.
• Query Export plugin installed (one-time)
  csdx plugins:install @contentstack/cli-cm-export-query
• Management token available (Delivery tokens are not supported.)
• Export directory defined: specify the -d path; optionally use --branch or --branch-alias (default: main).

Export Content Types Using CLI Commands

Use the following examples to export content types based on different query methods.

Export by Content Type Title

csdx cm:stacks:export-query -k <stack_api_key> -d ./export --query '{"modules":{"content-types":{"title":{"$in":["Blog","Author"]}}}}'

Export by Content Type UID

csdx cm:stacks:export-query -k <stack_api_key> -d ./export --query '{"modules":{"content-types":{"uid":{"$in":["blog","author"]}}}}'

Export Using a Query File

csdx cm:stacks:export-query -k <stack_api_key> -d ./export --query ./my-query.json

Example my-query.json:

{
  "modules": {
    "content-types": {
      "$and": [
        { "uid": { "$in": ["blog_post", "author"] } }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Export from a Specific Branch

csdx cm:stacks:export-query -k <stack_api_key> -d ./export --branch main --query '{"modules":{"content-types":{"title":{"$in":["Blog"]}}}}'

Query Format

• The top-level key must be modules; under it use content-types (the only queryable module for this plugin).
• Use Delivery API–style operators (e.g. $in, $regex, $gte).
• The query filters content types only. Entries and assets are not directly filtered in the query JSON. All entries under matched content types are exported; only assets referenced by those exported entries are included.

Export Output Structure

The export generates the same folder structure as a standard stack export:

<data-dir>/<branch>/

For example: ./export/main/

Within this structure, the export creates the following primary directories:

• content_types/
• entries/
• assets/
• locales/
• environments/

In addition to this directory structure, Query Export automatically includes the following components:

• stack settings
• locales
• environments
• queried content types
• global fields
• extensions
• marketplace apps
• taxonomies
• entries for the matched content types
• referenced assets

Import the Exported Content into a Stack

Use the export folder (e.g., ./export/main) as -d in import or import-setup.

Import into an Empty Stack

csdx cm:stacks:import -k <target_stack_api_key> -d ./export/main

Import into a Stack with Existing Content

Step 1: Run import-setup

This generates a backup and prepares the mapper for entries and their dependencies (assets, extensions, marketplace-apps, taxonomies).

csdx cm:stacks:import-setup -k <target_stack_api_key> -d ./export/main --module entries

Note the backup path printed in the output (for example, ./_backup_456).

Step 2: Import with overwrite

csdx cm:stacks:import -k <target_stack_api_key> -d ./export/main --backup-dir ./_backup_456 --replace-existing --module entries