create-vue-turbo

CLI for scaffolding a Turborepo starter with Vue as the default frontend and selectable backend stacks.

Usage

Bun

bun create vue-turbo my-app
bun create vue-turbo my-app --backend laravel

npm

npm create vue-turbo@latest my-app
npm create vue-turbo@latest my-app -- --backend laravel

Alternatively (equivalent, explicit):

npx create-vue-turbo@latest my-app
npx create-vue-turbo@latest my-app --backend laravel

Yarn

yarn create vue-turbo my-app
yarn create vue-turbo my-app --backend laravel

pnpm

pnpm create vue-turbo my-app
pnpm create vue-turbo my-app --backend laravel

If no backend is passed, the CLI prompts you to choose one interactively.

Architecture

• Frontend is always Vue in apps/vue
• Backend is optional and added alongside Vue in apps/ only after a backend module is selected
• Backend dependency checks are backend-specific. Laravel checks run only when laravel is selected.
• Current backend options:
  • none
  • laravel

The CLI flow is:

parse args
prompt for project name when missing
prompt for backend when --backend is missing
scaffold base workspace + Vue
run selected backend setup module
print next steps

Backends are registered as modules:

export const backends = [noneBackend, laravelBackend];

Each backend owns its own validation, install prompts, and setup command:

export interface BackendDefinition {
  id: string;
  label: string;
  description: string;
  appDirectory?: string;
  setup(context: BackendSetupContext): Promise<BackendSetupResult>;
}

Backend modules can also apply backend-specific package transforms after their project is generated. Laravel uses updatePackageJsonScripts to replace the generated scripts with Turborepo-friendly commands:

await updatePackageJsonScripts(
  path.join(backendPath, "package.json"),
  {
    build: "echo 'Laravel build step'",
    migrate: "php artisan migrate",
    test: "php artisan test",
    dev: "php artisan serve",
  },
  {
    name: "laravel",
    private: true,
    strategy: "replace",
  },
);

Laravel uses this fallback chain:

1. If PHP, Composer, and Laravel CLI exist:
   laravel new laravel

2. Else if PHP and Composer exist:
   composer create-project laravel/laravel laravel

3. Else:
   show missing dependencies
   ask for Quick install, Manual instructions, or Skip backend setup

Quick install mode detects the host OS, shows the exact command before running it, asks for confirmation, streams installer output, then checks Composer again. Composer remains required for Laravel; the CLI does not bypass it.

Shared process helpers live in src/process.ts:

await commandExists("php");
detectOs();
await runCommand(
  "composer",
  ["create-project", "laravel/laravel", "laravel"],
  appsDir,
);
await runShellCommand(installCommand, projectDir);

To add another backend, create a module in src/backends/, export a BackendDefinition, and register it in src/backends/index.ts.

Local development

Run these commands from the repository root:

bun install
bun run dev

Or:

npm install
npm run dev

yarn
yarn dev

pnpm install
pnpm dev

You can also build and run the compiled output:

bun run build
node dist/index.js my-app
node dist/index.js my-app --backend laravel

Template layout

src/
  backends/
    index.ts
    laravel.ts
    none.ts
    types.ts
  process.ts

template/
  base/
  frontend/
    vue/
  backends/
    laravel/

template/base contains the shared workspace root and shared packages. template/frontend/vue is always copied into apps/vue. Backend modules may use commands, templates, or both, but their checks and setup logic stay inside the selected backend module.

Building checklist

bun run check-types
bun run build