<p>Today, the main focus in the field of metal corrosion is using the biocompatible and non-toxic coatings and inhibitors so, that they can be a suitable alternative to toxic and dangerous materials such as phosphates, chromates, azole compounds, etc. In this paper, the anti-corrosion effect of a constructed film based on the chitosan (Chit) as a green matrix, graphene oxide nanosheets (GON), rosemary plant extract (ROS) and Zn-ion (Zn) on copper metal was investigated as a green and smart coating. The characterization study of the synthesized materials was investigated using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FT-IR) and X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD) techniques. The anti-corrosion property of the synthesized coating was studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) Tafel polarization carve. The Chit/GON/ROS/Zn coating demonstrated the highest corrosion protection, exhibiting a maximum transfer resistance of 2.46 × 10⁴ Ω.cm². Comparative analysis revealed that this Zn-containing nanocomposite significantly outperformed other formulations, maintaining its superior corrosion protection efficiency over time. The surface studies were performed using SEM and EDX techniques and finally the release of the inhibitor was investigated using UV-Visible spectroscopy. The highest amount of inhibitor released after 24&#xa0;h in acidic environment was reported to be 65.79 ppm.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>