A universal CLI for professional developers to automate project scaffolding and streamline workflows.

Scaffolder-Toolkit (dk) is a powerful command-line tool designed to boost your productivity by automating repetitive tasks. Whether you're setting up a new machine or starting a new project, dk is your essential solution for project automation.

Built to fit the modern developer workflow, dk seamlessly integrates into monorepos and supports a wide range of features to help you start coding faster.

• Unified Command: Access all features with the short, intuitive command dk.
• Intelligent Scaffolding: Create new projects from a wide variety of popular frameworks with a single, intuitive command. You can also use custom templates for a consistent workflow. See the list of supported templates below.
• Robust Configuration: The tool reliably finds your configuration file (.devkit.json) in any project or monorepo structure. It uses a clear priority system to manage both local and global settings.
• Powerful Cache Management: Optimize project setup speed with flexible caching strategies for your templates. These strategies are mainly applied when using a GitHub URL:
  • always-refresh: Always pull the latest template from the remote repository.
  • never-refresh: Use the local cached template without checking for updates.
  • daily (default): Refresh the cache only once every 24 hours.
• Seamless Internationalization (i18n): The CLI supports multiple languages, with all commands and descriptions dynamically translated. It will automatically use the language defined in your configuration files or detect your system's language as a fallback for a seamless out-of-the-box experience.
• Centralized Settings: Manage your preferred package manager (npm, yarn, pnpm, bun) and cache strategy with a single command.

The Scaffolder CLI streamlines development workflows in various environments:

• Globally Installed CLI: Install scaffolder-toolkit globally for a universal scaffolding tool on your machine.
• Monorepo: A single configuration file at the root can manage settings and templates for all projects, ensuring consistency across your entire codebase.
• Multiple Repositories: Each project can have its own .devkit.json file for unique settings, allowing for flexible project management.

The CLI's internationalization (i18n) feature dynamically translates commands and descriptions. Currently, the following languages are supported:

• English (en)
• French (fr)

Ensure you have Node.js (v20.19.0 or higher) and a package manager installed.

Install Scaffolder globally using your preferred package manager.

# using bun
bun install -g scaffolder-toolkit

# using npm
npm install -g scaffolder-toolkit

# using pnpm
pnpm install -g scaffolder-toolkit

# using yarn
yarn global add scaffolder-toolkit

Since this is a Node.js-based CLI, you can run it using your package manager's runner.

# using bun
bunx dk --help

# using npm
npx dk --help

# using pnpm
pnpx dk --help

# using yarn
yarn dk --help

Advice: To use the command directly as dk, consider creating an alias in your shell configuration file (e.g., .bashrc, .zshrc, or config.fish).

# Example for Bash or Zsh
echo 'alias dk="bunx dk"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

Scaffolder comes with a set of pre-configured templates for popular frameworks and libraries. You can use these templates out of the box with the dk new command.

Here's how to get started with the Scaffolder CLI.

The new command now takes a language and a project name as arguments. You can then specify the template with the -t or --template flag.

# Create a new Vue project
dk new javascript my-awesome-app -t vue

The add-template command allows you to easily register a new template with your CLI. It intelligently updates the configuration file in your current context. You must provide a language and alias (or template name) for the template, as well as a --description.

You must provide a description using the --description flag. Other options like --alias, --cache-strategy, and --package-manager are available to customize the template.

• Global: You can explicitly add the template to your global (~/.devkitrc) file using the --global flag.
• Local: It updates the .devkit.json file in the root of your current project.
• Monorepo: It updates the shared configuration at the monorepo's root.

# Example: Add a new template from a GitHub repository
dk add-template javascript react-ts-template https://github.com/my-user/my-react-ts-template --description "My custom React TS template"

# Example: Add a new template from a local folder
dk add-template javascript my-local-template ./path/to/my-template-folder --description "My local template"

The update command allows you to modify an existing template's properties. This is useful for changing a template's alias, location, or associated package manager. You can update one or more properties in a single command.

You can also update the template's name using the --new-name flag, which is useful for correcting typos or renaming a template.

• Global: Use the --global flag to update the template in your global (~/.devkitrc) file.
• Local: It updates the .devkit.json file in the root of your current project.

# Update the description and alias for a template
dk update javascript my-template --description "A new and improved description" --alias "my-alias"

# Update a template's package manager and remove its alias
dk update javascript my-template --package-manager bun --alias null

# Change a template's name and its description in a single command
dk update javascript my-template --new-name my-cool-template --description "A newly renamed template"

The remove-template command allows you to delete a template from your configuration file. You can identify the template by its name or a configured alias.

• Global: You can explicitly remove the template from your global (~/.devkitrc) file using the --global flag.
• Local: It removes the template from the .devkit.json file in the root of your current project.

# Remove the 'react-ts-template' for 'javascript' from the local config
dk remove-template javascript react-ts-template

# Remove the 'node-api' template from the global config
dk remove-template node node-api --global

The list command allows you to view all available templates defined in your configuration. You can filter the list using optional flags to specify the configuration scope.

# List all templates, prioritizing the local config
dk list

# List templates for a specific language (e.g., 'javascript')
dk list javascript

The list command now uses the following options to control which templates are displayed:

• --local: Only list templates from the local configuration file (.devkit.json).
• --global: Only list templates from the global configuration file (~/.devkitrc).
• --all: List templates from both the local and global configurations, merging them into a single list.

Here are some examples of how to use the new options:

# List templates only from the local configuration file
dk list --local

# List templates only from the global configuration file
dk list --global

# List templates from both local and global configs
dk list --all

The config set command allows you to update one or more CLI settings. By default, it updates the local configuration file. Use the --global flag to update your global settings instead.

# Set your default package manager to pnpm and the language to French in a single command (local)
dk config set pm pnpm language fr

# Set your default package manager to npm in your global config
dk config set pm npm --global

The config get command allows you to view the current value of a configuration setting. If no key is specified, it will show the entire configuration file.

# Get the value of the 'defaultPackageManager' setting
dk config get pm

# Get the value of the 'language' setting from the global config
dk config get language --global

# Display the entire local configuration file
dk config get

Use the config cache command to update the cache strategy for a specific template.

# Set the cache strategy for the 'react' template to 'always-refresh'
dk config cache react always-refresh

For a faster workflow, the following commands have shortcuts:

• devkit -> dk
• init -> i
• config -> cf
• cache -> c
• update -> up
• add-template -> at
• remove-template -> rt
• list -> ls

Manage your configuration either through the CLI or by manual editing.

Scaffolder now loads settings with a clear priority to give you maximum control and flexibility.

1. Local Project Configuration (./.devkit.json): This file, at the root of your project, takes the highest priority.
2. Global Configuration (~/.devkitrc): This file, stored in your user's home directory, is used for all projects on your machine and is overridden by a local configuration.
3. System Language Detection: If a language setting is not found in either the local or global configuration, dk will automatically detect your system's language and load the corresponding translations.
4. Default: If none of the above are found, the language will default to English (en).

Scaffolder allows you to create and use your own templates in three simple steps.

First, build your template. This is a standard project directory containing all the files you want to use. You can use any type of project, from a simple boilerplate to a complex custom setup.

Once your template project is ready, use the add-template command to register it with the CLI. This command adds the template's details to your .devkit.json file, making it available for use.

# Add a template from a local folder to your global config
dk add-template javascript custom-js-app /Users/myuser/projects/my-template --description "My personal JavaScript boilerplate" --global

After running the add-template command, you can scaffold a new project from your template using dk new.

# Create a new project from the template we just added
dk new javascript my-awesome-project -t custom-js-app

The init command allows you to initialize a configuration file at different scopes.

Note: If a configuration file already exists at the specified location, you will be prompted to confirm if you want to overwrite it.

• To initialize a local configuration file in your current project, use the --local flag, or run the command without any flags. The file will be named .devkit.json.
• To initialize a global configuration file, use the --global flag. The file will be named .devkitrc.

# Initialize a local configuration file in the current directory (default)
dk init

# Initialize a local configuration file in the current directory (explicit)
dk init --local

# Initialize a global configuration file
dk init --global

To get autocompletion and validation for your .devkit.json or .devkitrc file, you have two options.

This is the recommended approach for most developers. Simply add the $schema property as the very first key in your .devkit.json or .devkitrc file. Modern editors like VS Code will automatically read this property and apply the schema without any additional configuration.

{
  "$schema": "https://gist.githubusercontent.com/IT-WIBRC/baab4cc74a28af5b23936f5cf576f8e6/raw/ed7445f123554cf5ed7fc6fb727d1faae22a9bed/devkit-schema.json",
  "settings": {
    "language": "fr",
    "defaultPackageManager": "npm",
    "cacheStrategy": "daily"
  },
  "templates": {
    "javascript": {
      "templates": {
        "react": {
          "description": "A robust React project with TypeScript",
          "location": "https://github.com/IT-WIBRC/react-ts-template.git",
          "alias": "rt"
        },
        "nextjs": {
          "description": "A Next.js project with ESLint and TypeScript",
          "location": "{pm} create next-app@latest",
          "packageManager": "npm"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

If you do not want to add the $schema property directly to your file, you can configure your IDE's settings to link the file name to the schema URL. This is useful for monorepos or when you need a global setting.

For VS Code, open your settings.json file and add the following entry:

{
  "json.schemas": [
    {
      "fileMatch": [".devkit.json", ".devkitrc"],
      "url": "https://gist.githubusercontent.com/IT-WIBRC/baab4cc74a28af5b23936f5cf576f8e6/raw/ed7445f123554cf5ed7fc6fb727d1faae22a9bed/devkit-schema.json"
    }
  ]
}

Scaffolder provides a set of default templates and we'll progressively add more. The location property for a custom template can be an absolute path, a relative path, a GitHub URL, or a command. Note that cache strategies are only applied when using a GitHub URL.

You can also define an alias to make it easier to reference a specific template. An alias is a simple shortcut for a template's name.

{
  "templates": {
    "javascript": {
      "templates": {
        "my-local-template": {
          "description": "A template from my local machine",
          "location": "/Users/myuser/projects/my-local-template"
        },
        "from-github": {
          "description": "A template from a GitHub repository",
          "location": "https://github.com/my-user/my-template-repo.git",
          "alias": "gh-template",
          "cacheStrategy": "daily"
        },
        "from-create-command": {
          "description": "Uses the native `create` command",
          "location": "{pm} create nuxt@latest",
          "packageManager": "bun"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Once an alias is configured, you can use it in place of the full template name for faster commands.

# Create a new project using the alias 'gh-template'
dk new javascript my-new-project-name -t gh-template

This project is in its early stages. We're committed to building a comprehensive developer toolkit.

• Multi-Programming Language Support: We'll progressively add templates for various frameworks and ecosystems (e.g., Python, Ruby, Go, Rust).
• Advanced Documentation: Detailed guides on creating and managing custom templates, with examples for various frameworks.

We're always working to improve the Scaffolder CLI. For a complete list of planned features, bug fixes, and development tasks, please see our TODO list.

We welcome contributions! Please see our Contributing Guide for details on how to get started.

MIT

Copyright (c) 2025, WAFFEU Ivany Botrel Rayn Contact Ivany Botrel Rayn WAFFEU - [email protected]