Installation

Create a New Project

Use the CLI to create a new CraftJS application:

npx create-craft-app my-ai-app

Or with other package managers:

# With pnpm
pnpm create craft-app my-ai-app
 
# With yarn
yarn create craft-app my-ai-app
 
# With bun
bunx create-craft-app my-ai-app

The CLI will guide you through the setup process and install all dependencies automatically.

CLI Options

The create-craft-app CLI supports the following options:

Interactive Mode

By default, the CLI runs in interactive mode and will prompt you for:

1. Project name - What your project will be called
2. Package manager - Choose between pnpm (recommended), npm, yarn, or bun
3. Confirmation - Review your choices before creating the project

Non-Interactive Mode

Use the -y or --yes flag to skip all prompts:

npx create-craft-app my-app -y --use-pnpm

This will install all required dependencies including:

• Next.js 16
• Tailwind CSS v4
• shadcn/ui components
• Better Auth
• Drizzle ORM
• Vercel AI SDK 6
• And more…

Configure Environment Variables

Copy the example environment file:

cp .env.example .env

Open .env and fill in your values. See the Configuration page for detailed instructions on each variable.

Set Up the Database

Push the database schema to your PostgreSQL database:

pnpm db:push

Start the Development Server

pnpm dev

Your app will be running at http://localhost:3000 .

Create a Neon Account

Go to neon.tech  and sign up for a free account.

Create a New Project

Click “New Project” and give it a name (e.g., “my-ai-app”).

Copy the Connection String

In your project dashboard, find the connection string and copy it.

Update Your Environment

Add the connection string to your .env file:

DATABASE_URL="postgresql://username:password@ep-xxx.region.aws.neon.tech/dbname?sslmode=require"