@auto-engineer/create-auto-app

A CLI tool for creating new Auto Engineer applications with minimal configuration. This package scaffolds complete project structures, including templates, dependencies, and configuration for the Auto Engineer ecosystem.

Installation

Install the create-auto-app package globally to use it as a CLI tool:

npm install -g create-auto-app

Usage

Run the CLI to create a new Auto Engineer project:

create-auto-app my-auto-app

This will prompt you to configure your project interactively. Alternatively, you can specify options directly:

create-auto-app my-auto-app --template=shopping-app --preset=full --use-pnpm --install

Options

• [project-name]: Name of the project directory (use "." for current directory)
• -t, --template <template>: Project template (e.g., shopping-app, default: shopping-app)
• -p, --preset <preset>: Package preset (minimal or full, default: full)
• --no-install: Skip dependency installation
• --use-npm: Use npm as the package manager
• --use-yarn: Use yarn as the package manager
• --use-pnpm: Use pnpm as the package manager

What does this package do?

The create-auto-app CLI scaffolds new Auto Engineer projects with pre-configured templates or presets. It sets up project structure, installs dependencies, and configures the Auto Engineer CLI with the necessary plugins for building event-driven applications.

Key Features

Project Scaffolding

• Creates project directories with a consistent structure
• Generates package.json with appropriate dependencies
• Sets up auto.config.ts for Auto Engineer CLI plugins
• Includes .gitignore and basic README.md

Template Support

• Shopping App Template: A full e-commerce example with client and server components
• Customizable through command-line options or interactive prompts

Preset Options

• Minimal Preset: Includes essential packages (@auto-engineer/flow, @auto-engineer/server-generator-apollo-emmett)
• Full Preset: Includes all Auto Engineer plugins for a complete setup

Package Manager Support

• Automatically detects preferred package manager (npm, yarn, or pnpm)
• Allows explicit selection via command-line flags
• Installs dependencies in monorepo or standalone projects

Dependency Management

• Fetches latest versions of Auto Engineer packages
• Updates package.json files with correct versions
• Supports monorepo setups with pnpm-workspace.yaml

Generated Project Structure

For the shopping-app template:

my-auto-app/
├── client/                    # Frontend application
├── server/                    # Backend application
├── flows/                     # Flow specifications
├── .context/                  # Context files
├── auto.config.ts             # Auto Engineer CLI configuration
├── package.json               # Root package configuration
├── pnpm-workspace.yaml        # Monorepo workspace configuration
├── .gitignore                 # Git ignore file
└── README.md                  # Project documentation

For minimal/full preset:

my-auto-app/
├── flows/                     # Flow specifications
├── .context/                  # Context files
├── auto.config.ts             # Auto Engineer CLI configuration
├── package.json               # Project dependencies
├── .gitignore                 # Git ignore file
└── README.md                  # Project documentation

Getting Started

1. Create a new project:

   create-auto-app my-auto-app

2. Follow the interactive prompts to select:

   • Project name
   • Setup type (template, minimal, or full)
   • Whether to install dependencies

3. Navigate to the project directory:

   cd my-auto-app

4. Install dependencies (if not done during creation):

   npm install

5. Start development:

   npm run start

Available Commands (in generated project)

• auto generate:server: Generate server from flows
• auto generate:client: Generate client application
• auto check:frontend: Run frontend checks
• auto check:server: Run server checks

Integration with Auto Engineer Ecosystem

The generated project integrates with the following Auto Engineer plugins (depending on preset):

• @auto-engineer/flow: Define business flows
• @auto-engineer/server-generator-apollo-emmett: Generate GraphQL servers
• @auto-engineer/frontend-generator-react-graphql: Generate React clients
• @auto-engineer/server-implementer: AI-powered server implementation
• @auto-engineer/frontend-implementer: AI-powered frontend implementation
• @auto-engineer/server-checks: Server validation
• @auto-engineer/frontend-checks: Frontend validation
• @auto-engineer/design-system-importer: Design system integration
• @auto-engineer/information-architect: Information architecture generation
• @auto-engineer/message-bus: Event-driven communication

Example Workflow

# Create a project with the shopping-app template
create-auto-app my-shop --template=shopping-app --use-pnpm

# Navigate to the project
cd my-shop

# Install dependencies (if not already installed)
pnpm install

# Start development
pnpm run start

Configuration

The CLI generates an auto.config.ts file with the appropriate plugins based on the selected preset or template:

export default {
  plugins: [
    '@auto-engineer/flow',
    '@auto-engineer/server-generator-apollo-emmett',
    // ... other plugins based on preset
  ],
};

Quality Assurance

• Type Safety: Generates TypeScript-compatible projects
• Dependency Management: Ensures latest package versions
• Error Handling: User-friendly prompts for directory conflicts
• Monorepo Support: Configures pnpm-workspace.yaml for multi-package projects

Changelog

See CHANGELOG.md for version history and updates.

Learn More

Visit the Auto Engineer Documentation for more details on the Auto Engineer ecosystem.