Getting Started

Create Express Forge is designed to get you up and running with a production-grade Express backend in seconds.

Quick Start

The fastest way to create a new project is using npx. You don't even need to install the CLI globally!

npx create-express-forge@latest [project-name]

Instant Scaffolding

If you want to skip the prompts and use the recommended defaults, use the --yes flag:

npx create-express-forge@latest my-api --yes

TIP

You can scaffold a project in your current directory by using a period (.): npx create-express-forge@latest .

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Initialize Project

Run the command and follow the interactive prompts. You'll be asked to:

• Give your project a name.
• Select your preferred package manager (npm, pnpm, yarn).
• Choose an architecture (Modular or MVC).
• Select an ORM (Prisma, Sequelize, or none).
• Choose a Testing Framework (Vitest or Jest).

2. Enter Directory

cd my-awesome-api

3. Start Development

npm run dev

Your API will now be running at http://localhost:3000 with hot-reloading enabled.

Next Steps

• Explore the Architecture Patterns to understand how your code is organized.
• Check out the Core Features to see what's included out of the box.
• Configure your environment variables in the .env file.