---
title: create
description: Scaffold a new ChatJS application
---

This is the default command. You can omit the word `create` and pass the directory directly.

```bash
npx @chat-js/cli@latest create [directory] [options]
npx @chat-js/cli@latest [directory] [options]
```

## Arguments

| Argument    | Description                                                          |
| ----------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `directory` | Target directory for the project. Prompted interactively if omitted. |

## Options

| Flag               | Default | Description                                                                          |
| ------------------ | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `-y, --yes`                         | `false` | Skip all prompts and use defaults (Vercel gateway, GitHub auth, no extra features). |
| `--no-install`                      | Not applicable | Skip automatic dependency installation.                                      |
| `--package-manager <bun\|npm\|pnpm\|yarn>` | Not applicable | Override which package manager the CLI uses for install + next steps.        |
| `--from-git <url>`                  | Not applicable | Clone from a git repository instead of the built-in template.                |
| `--storage-provider <provider>`     | Not applicable | Select a Files SDK provider such as `vercel-blob`, `s3`, `r2`, or `gcs`.      |
| `--storage-config <json>`           | Not applicable | Pass non-secret JSON options to the selected adapter. Credentials use env vars. |

## Interactive prompts

When run without `--yes`, the CLI walks you through:

1. **Project name:** the target directory name
2. **Gateway:** the AI gateway to use (e.g. Vercel AI Gateway, OpenRouter)
3. **Features:** optional features to enable (e.g. web search, image generation)
4. **File storage:** provider and non-secret adapter options when selected features store files
5. **Auth providers:** authentication method (e.g. GitHub OAuth)
6. **Electron desktop app:** optionally adds an `electron/` subfolder to package the app as a native desktop app (see [Desktop](/platforms/desktop))
7. **Install dependencies:** whether to run the package manager automatically

The CLI keeps `pnpm`, `yarn`, and `bun` when launched from those tools. If you launch through `npx`/npm, it defaults the generated app to npm unless you pass `--package-manager`.

## What gets generated

The `create` command copies the built-in template and writes a tailored `chat.config.ts` with your selections pre-filled:

```
my-app/
├── app/                    # Next.js App Router pages and layouts
│   ├── (auth)/             # Auth-related routes
│   ├── (chat)/             # Chat interface routes
│   ├── api/                # API route handlers
│   └── layout.tsx
├── components/             # Shared UI components
├── hooks/                  # React hooks
├── lib/                    # Core logic (AI, auth, DB, config schema)
├── providers/              # React context providers
├── trpc/                   # tRPC router
├── chat.config.ts          # Your app configuration (generated)
├── drizzle.config.ts       # Database schema config
├── next.config.ts
├── package.json
└── tsconfig.json
```

After scaffolding, the CLI prints the exact environment variables required for your chosen configuration.

## Examples

**Interactive setup (recommended)**

```bash
npx @chat-js/cli@latest create my-chat-app
```

**Skip prompts, use all defaults**

```bash
npx @chat-js/cli@latest create my-chat-app --yes
```

**Create without installing dependencies**

```bash
npx @chat-js/cli@latest create my-chat-app --no-install
```

**Use npm for install + printed next steps**

```bash
npx @chat-js/cli@latest create my-chat-app --package-manager npm
```

**Clone from a custom git repository**

```bash
npx @chat-js/cli@latest create my-chat-app --from-git https://github.com/your-org/your-fork
```

**Configure S3 storage without prompts**

```bash
npx @chat-js/cli@latest create my-chat-app --yes \
  --storage-provider s3 \
  --storage-config '{"bucket":"uploads","region":"us-east-1"}'
```

Keep credentials out of `--storage-config`. The generated `.env.example` and
final CLI checklist show the environment requirements for the selected
provider. See [File storage](../core/file-storage) for details.

**Full flow after scaffolding**

```bash
npx @chat-js/cli@latest create my-chat-app
cd my-chat-app
cp .env.example .env.local
# Fill in the env vars printed by the CLI
bun run db:push
bun run dev
```