Comprehensive guide to using create-awesome-node-app
create-awesome-node-app is a powerful command-line tool designed to streamline the process of setting up modern Node.js applications. It provides a collection of carefully crafted templates and extensions that help developers quickly bootstrap projects with best practices and optimal configurations.
All generated projects now include a curated AGENTS.md file (powered by agents.md) that scopes how AI coding assistants (Cursor, GitHub Copilot Chat, PR bots) should interact with the repository. This keeps human documentation clean while giving AI precise operating guidelines.
Bootstrap projects in seconds with a single command
Choose from a variety of specialized project templates
Add only the features you need with optional extensions
Tailor templates to your specific requirements
Using create-awesome-node-app is straightforward. You can create a new project with a single command:
npx create-awesome-node-app my-appThis will launch an interactive CLI that guides you through selecting a template and optional extensions for your project.
Before using create-awesome-node-app, ensure you have the following installed:
The CLI supports several options to customize your project creation:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
-V, --version | Output the version number |
-v, --verbose | Print additional logs |
-i, --info | Print environment debug info |
--no-install | Generate package.json without installing dependencies |
-t, --template <template> | Specify a template for the created project |
--addons [extensions...] | Specify extensions to apply for the boilerplate generation |
--use-yarn | Use yarn instead of npm or pnpm |
--use-pnpm | Use pnpm instead of yarn or npm |
--interactive | Run in interactive mode to select options (default: false) |
--list-templates | List all available templates |
--list-addons | List all available addons |
-h, --help | Display help for command |
Create a project with interactive mode:
npx create-awesome-node-app my-app --interactiveCreate a project with a specific template:
npx create-awesome-node-app my-app --template react-vite-boilerplateCreate a project with a template and extensions:
npx create-awesome-node-app my-app --template react-vite-boilerplate --addons material-ui github-setupList all available templates:
npx create-awesome-node-app --list-templatesList all available extensions:
npx create-awesome-node-app --list-addonscreate-awesome-node-app offers a variety of templates for different types of applications:
Includes TypeScript, React Router, and modern tooling for frontend development.
Includes TypeScript, ESLint, and Prettier for building maintainable backend services.
Includes TypeScript, ESLint, and Prettier for rapid full-stack development.
Includes Turborepo, TypeScript, Changesets, and Workspaces for efficient multi-package management.
Includes React, Vite, TypeScript, and features like hot module replacement.
Includes WebdriverIO, TypeScript, and Selenoid for automated user acceptance testing.