About

anchor-init is a command-line tool designed to quickly scaffold Solana Anchor programs with best practices. It generates a new project with a custom programId, sets up the proper directory structure for Anchor development, and provides an interactive setup experience to get you coding faster.

Features

• Fast project scaffolding with custom programId generation
• Handlebars template system for easy customization
• Automatic initial build process
• Interactive setup with customizable steps
• Optional Git repository initialization
• Smart project name validation and conversion
• One-c0mmand full setup with --all flag
• Enhanced error detection and helpful suggestions

Installation

From npm

npm install -g anchor-init

From Source

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/priyanshpatel18/anchor-init.git
   cd anchor-init

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Link globally

   npm link

Usage

Basic Usage

anchor-init my_project

Advanced Usage

Full automated setup

anchor-init my_project --all --git

Available Options

• --all: Run all setup steps automatically (keys sync, build, install, deploy, test)
• --git: Initialize a Git repository automatically
• -h, --help: Display help information

What happens when you run anchor-init?

1. Project Creation: Creates a new directory with your project name (converted to snake_case if needed)
2. Program ID Generation: Generates a unique Solana program ID using a new keypair
3. Template Processing: Copies and processes Handlebars templates with your project context
4. Initial Build: Runs anchor build to ensure everything compiles
5. Interactive Setup: Prompts you to select additional steps to run:
   • anchor keys sync - Sync program keys
   • anchor build - Build the program
   • yarn install - Install dependencies
   • yarn deploy:local - Deploy to local validator
   • yarn test:local - Run tests
6. Git Initialization: Optionally initialize a Git repository

Examples

Basic project creation

anchor-init cool_project

Full setup with Git

anchor-init my-awesome-program --all --git

Manual step selection

anchor-init my_project
# Then select which steps to run from the interactive menu

Project Structure

After running anchor-init, you'll get a complete Anchor project structure:

my_project/
├── programs/
│   └── my_project/
│       ├── src/
│       │   └── lib.rs
│       └── Cargo.toml
├── tests/
│   └── my_project.ts
├── migrations/
├── app/
├── Anchor.toml
├── .gitignore
├── Cargo.toml
├── package.json
└── tsconfig.json

Error Handling

anchor-init includes intelligent error detection:

• Connection Issues: Detects when Solana test validator isn't running
• WebSocket Errors: Identifies validator connectivity problems
• Test Issues: Helps troubleshoot missing test files
• Build Failures: Provides clear error messages and suggestions

Development

Local Testing

git clone https://github.com/priyanshpatel18/anchor-init.git
cd anchor-init
npm install
npm link
anchor-init test_project

Template Development

The tool uses Handlebars templates located in the templates/ directory. Available template variables:

• {{projectName}} - Snake case project name
• {{programId}} - Generated program ID
• {{PascalCase projectName}} - Pascal case helper
• {{camelCase projectName}} - Camel case helper

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v14 or higher)
• Anchor CLI installed and configured
• Solana CLI tools
• Yarn package manager

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"anchor build failed"

• Ensure Anchor CLI is properly installed
• Check that Rust toolchain is up to date

"Connection refused" during deploy

• Start the Solana test validator: solana-test-validator
• Or use: anchor test-validator

"No test files found"

• Ensure test files exist in tests/**/*.ts
• Check that test files follow proper naming convention

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

License

MIT - see the LICENSE file for details.