CLI Reference

@chat-js/cli command reference

Overview

@chat-js/cli scaffolds new ChatJS applications. It walks you through selecting an AI gateway, features, and auth providers, then generates a fully configured Next.js project.

Installation

No installation required — run it directly with npx:

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

Or install globally:

npm install -g @chat-js/cli
chat-js create my-app

Commands

`create`

Scaffold a new ChatJS app. This is the default command — you can omit the word create and pass the directory directly.

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`	—	Skip automatic dependency installation.
`--package-manager <bun\|npm\|pnpm\|yarn>`	—	Override which package manager the CLI uses for install + next steps.
`--from-git <url>`	—	Clone from a git repository instead of the built-in template.
`-v, --version`	—	Print the CLI version.

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

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

`add`

npx @chat-js/cli@latest add [components...]

Add a component or feature to an existing ChatJS project.

Status: not yet implemented. This command is reserved for a future release that will let you add features, auth providers, and gateways to existing projects without re-scaffolding.

What gets generated

The create command copies the built-in template and then writes a tailored chat.config.ts. The generated project structure is:

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

chat.config.ts is written with your chosen gateway, features, and auth providers pre-filled. All other config fields are set to sensible defaults with inline comments.

Examples

Interactive setup (recommended)

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

Skip prompts, use all defaults

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

Defaults: Vercel AI Gateway, GitHub OAuth, Follow-up Suggestions only, bun install.

Create without installing dependencies

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

Use npm for install + printed next steps

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

Clone from a custom git repository

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

Full flow after scaffolding

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