runable create

Use runable create to configure a Runable application interactively. The command presents the application workflows and then asks only the questions needed for the selected workflow.

pnpm create runable@latest

npm create runable@latest

yarn create runable

bun create runable@latest

deno -A npm:create-runable@latest

If @runablejs/cli is already installed in the project, the equivalent command is:

runable create

Create an application

Running the command without an option presents two choices:

• Add to an existing project — wires Runable into a backend project you already have.
• Start with a starter — scaffolds a new project from a full starter template.

The module workflow is intentionally not included in this prompt. Use the dedicated --module option when authoring a reusable module.

The starter workflow asks for a project name, backend framework, package manager, and whether dependencies should be installed. It includes complete templates for Express, Fastify, NestJS, AdonisJS, Hono, and Koa.

Each starter contains:

• a backend entry point with an /api/health route and the matching Runable adapter;
• a Vue application with a ready-to-edit home page;
• runable.config.ts with server-side rendering enabled;
• development, build, prepare, and typecheck scripts;
• the runtime and development dependencies required by the selected backend.

After creation, start the project with the selected package manager's dev script. The generated server listens on http://localhost:3000 by default.

Create a Runable module

Pass --module to skip the application selector and start the module scaffolder directly:

pnpm create runable@latest --module

npm create runable@latest -- --module

yarn create runable --module

bun create runable@latest --module

deno -A npm:create-runable@latest --module

With a locally installed CLI, run runable create --module.

The module workflow asks for:

1. Module name — a valid lowercase npm package name, optionally scoped.
2. Config key — the property consumers use in runable.config.ts; it defaults to the module name.
3. Directories — appDir, outputDir, distDir, and publicDir.
4. Package manager — detected from the current project when possible.
5. Install dependencies now?

It creates a new directory named after the module. The generated package contains the application template, AGENTS.md, a publishable package.json, and a runable.config.ts defined with defineModule() instead of defineConfig(). Because these packages are only needed to develop and build the module, runable, vue, and vue-router are added to devDependencies rather than its runtime dependencies.

See Modules for the module API and authoring conventions.

Add to an existing project

Prompts, in order:

1. Backend framework — Express, Fastify, NestJS, AdonisJS, Hono, Koa, or "Other" (you configure the adapter yourself).
2. Directories — appDir (default app), outputDir (default .app), distDir (default .output), publicDir (default public). Press enter to accept the default.
3. Server entry file — offered only when a template exists for the selected framework (currently Express only). Declining, or picking another framework, skips this step; wire the adapter into your existing entry point manually — see Integrations for your backend.
4. Package manager — auto-detected from a lockfile in the current directory when possible.
5. Install dependencies now?

This mode then:

• copies the default Vue application into appDir (see app/);
• creates AGENTS.md at the project root;
• generates runable.config.ts with the chosen directories (see runable.config.ts);
• adds runable, vue, and vue-router to dependencies, and @runablejs/cli plus app:build/app:prepare scripts, into an existing package.json — without touching anything already declared there (see package.json);
• copies the server entry file, if requested;
• installs dependencies, if requested.

Any file that already exists (an app directory, server.ts, AGENTS.md, runable.config.ts) triggers an overwrite confirmation instead of being silently replaced.