Bolt says the project is too large

Symptom

Prompts fail with a project-size or prompt-size error. Bolt is reading more source than the context window can hold.

Root cause

Bolt's troubleshooting guide says that as a project grows, Bolt has to process more source to answer a prompt. Large files, often thousands of lines, fill the context window. The documented remedies are to download a backup first, remove unused files, and split files. The guide gives a prompt to list files over about 700 lines, then refactor one file at a time, keeping the original as a router. It also documents running npx knip in the Bolt terminal so the cleanup does not spend tokens.

Do not change files yet. Scan this Bolt project and list every file over 700 lines. For each one, show the path and the line count, longest first.

After I approve the list, refactor one file at a time. Split it into smaller files, keep the original as a router so the app still runs, and add a short comment at the top of each new file. Stop after each file so I can test.

Do not delete files until I confirm a backup exists.

Paste this into the coding tool that has your own project open.

2-minute self-check

These steps are for an app you own. Do not run them against someone else's project.

1. Download your own Bolt project, or confirm Version History has a point from before cleanup.
2. Ask Bolt only for the list of long files. Save that list outside the chat.
3. After one refactor, run your own app and confirm the screen you split still works before you do the next file.

Sources

• Bolt: Issues (project size)