---
title: add
description: Install registry tools and generate their ChatJS registrations
---

```bash
npx @chat-js/cli@latest add <tools...> [options]
```

Accepts built-in names, standard `@namespace/item` addresses, complete item URLs, and local registry JSON paths. Run inside a ChatJS app with `chat.config.ts`.

| Flag              | Default           | Description                   |
| ----------------- | ----------------- | ----------------------------- |
| `-y, --yes`       | `false`           | Skip ChatJS confirmation      |
| `-o, --overwrite` | `false`           | Replace existing source files |
| `-c, --cwd <cwd>` | Current directory | Destination app               |

```bash
npx @chat-js/cli@latest add word-count get-weather --yes
npx @chat-js/cli@latest add @acme/my-tool
npx @chat-js/cli@latest add ./my-tool.json --cwd apps/chat
```

Configure namespaces in `components.json`. The former `--registry` flag is removed. shadcn installs source and packages using the project's detected package manager, then ChatJS syncs local tool descriptors into typed registrations.

After direct shadcn installation, regenerate registrations explicitly:

```bash
npx @chat-js/cli@latest sync --cwd apps/chat
```

If wiring fails after source installation, the command exits unsuccessfully with recovery instructions. Repair the reported descriptor or index and rerun `sync`.

- [Tool Registry](../tools/overview) explains customizations and migration.
- [Tools](../tools/authoring) explains authoring.