create-mono-init

A CLI scaffolding tool that generates opinionated pnpm + Turborepo monorepos in one command.

Usage

pnpm dlx @abduljamac/create-mono-init

Or with npx:

npx @abduljamac/create-mono-init

You'll be prompted to choose:

1. Project name — the folder to create
2. Project type:
   • (Barebone) Web + API — minimal Next.js + Express apps with root tooling
   • Web + API — Next.js + Express
   • App + API — Expo (with NativeWind) + Express
   • Full monorepo — Next.js + Expo + Express
3. Install dependencies — runs pnpm install
4. Initialize git — runs git init

You can also choose the project type non-interactively:

pnpm dlx @abduljamac/create-mono-init my-project --kind barebones --description "My app"
pnpm dlx @abduljamac/create-mono-init my-project --barebones --description "My app" --no-install --no-git

What you get

Opinionated modes

my-project/
├── apps/
│   ├── api/          # Express API (TypeScript, tsx watch)
│   ├── web/          # Next.js (App Router, Tailwind)
│   └── app/          # Expo (NativeWind / Tailwind)
├── packages/
│   └── shared/       # Shared TypeScript types across all apps
├── turbo.json        # Turborepo pipelines (dev, build, check, format)
├── biome.json        # Biome linting & formatting
├── pnpm-workspace.yaml
├── .npmrc
├── AGENTS.md            # AI/LLM project guidelines (the source of truth)
├── CLAUDE.md            # Points to AGENTS.md (Claude Code)
└── COPILOT.md           # Points to AGENTS.md (GitHub Copilot)

Apps included depend on the project type you choose. In the opinionated Web/App/Full modes, the packages/shared package is included — it contains shared TypeScript types (API response shapes, etc.) that keep your API contracts in sync across apps. Import from any app with:

import type { HelloResponse } from "shared";

Barebone mode

Barebone mode keeps the root Turborepo/Biome setup but skips the opinionated app folders, shared package, tests, middleware, routes, and generated coding rules.

my-project/
├── apps/
│   ├── api/
│   │   └── src/index.ts     # Minimal Express listener
│   └── web/
│       └── app/page.tsx     # Hello world page
├── packages/                # Empty
├── turbo.json
├── biome.json
├── pnpm-workspace.yaml
├── .npmrc
├── AGENTS.md                # Empty
└── CLAUDE.md                # Points to AGENTS.md

The barebone API starts with:

app.listen(port, () => {
  console.log(`[api] listening on http://localhost:${port}`);
});

The barebone web page starts with:

export default function Page() {
  return <h1>Hello world</h1>;
}

Stack

• Monorepo: Turborepo + pnpm workspaces
• API: Express + TypeScript + tsx
• Web: Next.js (App Router, Tailwind CSS)
• App: Expo + NativeWind (Tailwind for React Native)
• Linting/Formatting: Biome

Development

pnpm install
pnpm build        # Build the CLI
pnpm dev          # Watch mode

Testing locally

After making changes, you can test the CLI locally without publishing to npm:

# Build the CLI
pnpm build

# Run it directly
node dist/index.js

# Or link it globally so you can run it by name
pnpm link --global
create-mono-init

# When done, unlink it
pnpm unlink --global

Publishing

Changes on GitHub do not auto-publish to npm. To publish a new version:

# Bump the version
npm version patch   # or minor / major

# Build and publish
pnpm build
npm publish --access public