What is Dev-Crew?

Dev-Crew is a free, open-source CLI that builds complete apps from a single prompt — and gives you 35 specialized AI agents for every stage of development.

npm install -g dev-crew

# Build a complete app
dev-crew create "build an uber clone with React and Node.js"

# Or use any of the 35 agents
dev-crew review @src/app.ts
dev-crew test @src/auth.ts
dev-crew security @src/

No API keys needed. Works on top of Claude Code (free). Zero config.

Build an App in One Command

dev-crew create "build a todo app with Next.js and PostgreSQL"

Dev-Crew asks you a few questions, then runs a 6-stage AI pipeline:

  Step 1: Requirements    — AI business analyst scopes your app
  Step 2: Architecture    — Tech lead designs the system
  Step 3: Code Generation — App creator writes every file
  Step 4: Database & API  — DB architect refines schema
  Step 5: Tests           — Test agent generates test suite
  Step 6: DevOps          — Docker, CI/CD, deployment configs

Result: A complete, runnable project written to disk with npm install and git init done automatically.

# Options
dev-crew create "SaaS dashboard" --stack "nextjs+postgres" --yes
dev-crew create "chat app" --output ./my-chat-app --no-install

Why Dev-Crew Over Other AI Tools?

| Problem | Dev-Crew's Answer | |---|---| | Want to build a full app but don't know where to start | dev-crew create — describe your app, get runnable project scaffolding | | Generic AI gives surface-level reviews | 35 domain-expert agents — security agent knows OWASP, DevOps agent knows Kubernetes | | Need to copy-paste code into ChatGPT | Auto-detects your framework, DB, ORM and builds context automatically | | Locked to one AI provider | 5 providers — Claude, OpenAI, Copilot, Aider, Ollama + simulation fallback | | AI doesn't know your codebase | Smart context engine gathers files, schemas, configs, git history | | Expensive token usage | Smart context engine strips comments and selects relevant files (savings vary by codebase) | | Can't try without API keys | Simulation mode — preview command formats and output structure (example output only, not real analysis) | | AI forgets your preferences | Feedback system — teach agents your rules, they remember across sessions | | Want to use in CI/CD | CI mode — dev-crew review src/ --ci returns exit code 2 on critical issues |

🚀 Quick Start

Install

# Install globally (recommended)
npm install -g dev-crew

# Or use npx (no install)
npx dev-crew

# Or install from source
git clone https://github.com/vasoyaprince14/dev-crew.git
cd dev-crew && npm install && npm run build && npm link

Requirements

• Node.js 18 or higher
• AI provider (optional) — any one of: Claude Code, Aider, GitHub Copilot, OpenAI CLI, or Ollama
• Works without any AI installed using simulation mode

First Run

# Start interactive mode (default)
dev-crew

# Or initialize in your project
dev-crew init

# Check everything works
dev-crew doctor

Your First Commands

# Review code
dev-crew review src/

# Fix a bug
dev-crew fix src/api/handler.ts --issue "null reference on line 42"

# Generate tests
dev-crew test src/services/auth.ts

# Security audit
dev-crew security src/

# Ask anything
dev-crew ask "how does authentication work in this project?"

🤖 All 35 Agents

Core Agents

| Agent | Command | What It Does | |---|---|---| | Reviewer | review [path] | Deep code review — knows your framework, DB, patterns | | Fixer | fix <file> | Suggests fixes with diffs, can auto-apply | | Debugger | debug <input> | Root cause analysis from logs, errors, stack traces | | Tester | test <file> | Generates unit/integration/e2e tests for your test runner | | Q&A | ask <question> | Ask anything about your codebase | | Explainer | explain <file> | Detailed walkthrough of how code works |

Architecture & Leadership

| Agent | Command | What It Does | |---|---|---| | Tech Lead | tech-lead [question] | Architecture decisions with trade-off analysis | | Business Analyst | ba <requirement> | Turns requirements into technical specs | | CTO | cto review | Strategic review across 7 dimensions | | PR Reviewer | pr review | Full pull request review with git diff analysis | | Security | security [path] | OWASP Top 10 audit with fix guidance | | Designer | designer api\|schema | API and schema design review |

DevOps & Infrastructure

| Agent | Command | What It Does | |---|---|---| | DevOps | devops [question] | Docker, CI/CD, Terraform, Kubernetes help | | Cost Optimizer | cost-optimizer | Cloud cost analysis for AWS/GCP/Azure/Vercel | | Monitoring | monitoring | Observability, alerting, and logging strategy | | Deploy | deploy | Complete deployment strategy for your stack |

Full-Stack & Database

| Agent | Command | What It Does | |---|---|---| | Scaffold | scaffold <desc> | Generate entire project structures | | DB Architect | db-architect | Schema design, query optimization, indexing | | API Architect | api-architect | REST/GraphQL design, versioning, rate limiting |

Mobile Development

| Agent | Command | What It Does | |---|---|---| | Flutter | flutter [input] | Dart/Flutter review and best practices | | React Native | react-native [input] | RN performance, navigation, native modules | | iOS | ios [input] | Swift/SwiftUI, memory management, App Store guidelines | | Android | android [input] | Kotlin/Jetpack Compose, lifecycle, Play Store compliance |

Quality & Performance

| Agent | Command | What It Does | |---|---|---| | Performance | performance [path] | Frontend + backend performance audit | | Accessibility | accessibility [path] | WCAG 2.1 AA compliance audit |

💬 Interactive Mode

The fastest way to use Dev-Crew. Just type naturally:

dev-crew         # starts interactive mode
dev-crew i       # shorthand

❯ review @src/controllers/auth.ts
  ████████░░ 8/10
  ● Missing rate limiting on login endpoint
    → Add express-rate-limit middleware
  ✓ Good JWT token validation
  ✓ Password hashing with bcrypt
  review · 2,341 tokens · 3.2s

❯ fix the authentication bug in @src/auth.ts
❯ write tests for the user service
❯ is there any security issue in the API?
❯ explain how the middleware chain works
❯ how much would it cost to deploy on AWS?

Slash Commands

| Command | Description | |---|---| | /help | Show all commands and usage examples | | /agents | List all 35 agents with descriptions | | /clear | Clear screen | | /diff | Show recent git changes | | /provider <name> | Switch AI provider | | /project | Show detected project info | | /doctor | Check setup and providers | | /tokens | Session token usage stats | | /feedback <agent> <msg> | Teach an agent your preferences | | /export [file] | Save last response to file | | /quit | Exit (or Ctrl+C twice) |

Tips

• Use @path/to/file to include files in your query
• Use \ at end of line for multi-line input
• Tab completion works for file paths, agents, and slash commands
• Ctrl+C cancels the current operation
• Ctrl+C twice exits Dev-Crew

📖 Complete Guide

Code Review

# Basic review
dev-crew review src/

# Quick review (less detail, faster)
dev-crew review src/ --depth quick

# Deep review with explanations
dev-crew review src/controllers/ --depth deep --explain

# Review with git history analysis
dev-crew review src/api/ --git-aware

# CI mode (JSON output, exit code 2 on critical issues)
dev-crew review src/ --ci

Fixing Code

# Auto-detect issues and suggest fixes
dev-crew fix src/services/user.ts

# Fix a specific issue
dev-crew fix src/api/handler.ts --issue "handle null response from API"

# Show diff without applying
dev-crew fix src/utils/parser.ts --dry-run

# Auto-apply without confirmation
dev-crew fix src/config.ts --auto-apply

Testing

# Generate unit tests
dev-crew test src/services/auth.ts

# Integration tests
dev-crew test src/api/ --type integration

# E2E tests
dev-crew test src/routes/ --type e2e

Security Auditing

# Full security audit
dev-crew security src/

# In interactive mode
❯ check if there are any SQL injection vulnerabilities
❯ review @src/api/auth.ts for security issues

DevOps & Deployment

# Docker and CI/CD guidance
dev-crew devops "how to set up GitHub Actions for this project"

# Deployment strategy
dev-crew deploy "deploy to AWS with auto-scaling"

# Cost analysis
dev-crew cost-optimizer "compare AWS vs GCP for our stack"

# Monitoring setup
dev-crew monitoring "set up alerting for API latency"

Database & API Design

# Schema review
dev-crew db-architect "review our user schema for performance"

# API design
dev-crew api-architect "design REST endpoints for user management"

Mobile Development

# Flutter
dev-crew flutter "review state management in @lib/providers/"

# React Native
dev-crew react-native "optimize list rendering performance"

# iOS
dev-crew ios "review memory management in @Sources/Networking/"

# Android
dev-crew android "check Jetpack Compose performance"

Multi-Agent Workflows

# Full feature pipeline: BA → Tech Lead → Security → Tests → Review
dev-crew feature "Add JWT authentication with refresh tokens"

# Prioritized refactoring plan
dev-crew refactor-plan src/

# Change impact analysis
dev-crew impact src/core/auth.ts

Teaching Agents Your Preferences

# In CLI
dev-crew feedback review "Always flag console.log in production code"
dev-crew feedback security "We use Helmet.js, don't flag HTTP headers"
dev-crew feedback test "We prefer describe/it blocks over test() calls"

# In interactive mode
❯ /feedback review never suggest class components, always hooks
❯ /feedback fix preserve existing comments when fixing code

Token Management

# Estimate tokens before running
dev-crew tokens estimate src/

# View usage history
dev-crew tokens usage

CI/CD Integration

# .github/workflows/review.yml
name: Code Review
on: [pull_request]
jobs:
  review:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: 20
      - run: npm install -g dev-crew
      - run: dev-crew review src/ --ci
        # Exit code 0 = pass, 2 = critical issues found

🔌 Multi-Provider Support

Dev-Crew works on top of existing AI tools — no extra API keys needed. Just install Claude Code (or any provider) and Dev-Crew uses it automatically.

| Provider | Detection | Priority | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | Claude Code | claude --version | 1 (default) | No extra setup — just works | | Aider | aider --version | 2 | | | GitHub Copilot | gh copilot | 3 | | | OpenAI CLI | openai --version | 4 | | | Ollama | ollama --version | 5 | Free, runs locally | | Claude API | ANTHROPIC_API_KEY | Optional | Direct API — real streaming, exact tokens | | Simulation | Always available | Fallback | Works without any AI installed |

Default Setup (Zero Config)

# If you have Claude Code installed, Dev-Crew just works
npm install -g dev-crew
dev-crew

Optional: Direct Claude API

For power users who want real token-by-token streaming and exact token counts:

# Optional — only if you want direct API access
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
npm install @anthropic-ai/sdk

# Then switch in interactive mode
❯ /provider claude-api

Switching Providers

# Check available providers
dev-crew doctor

# Switch in interactive mode
❯ /provider claude-code    # Default
❯ /provider ollama         # Local, free
❯ /provider simulation     # No AI needed

No providers installed? Dev-Crew runs in simulation mode — explore every command without any AI backend.

⚙️ Configuration

Initialize Project Config

dev-crew init

Creates .dev-crew/config.yml:

project:
  name: my-app
  stack: nestjs
  database: postgresql
  orm: prisma
  test_framework: vitest

settings:
  max_tokens_per_request: 8000
  show_token_usage: true
  auto_include_schema: true
  confirm_before_apply: true

agents:
  review:
    severity: normal
    rules:
      - "Always check for SQL injection in raw queries"
      - "Enforce strict TypeScript — no 'any' types"
    ignore:
      - "**/*.spec.ts"
      - "src/generated/**"
    focus:
      - security
      - performance
      - error-handling
  test:
    framework: vitest
    coverage_target: 80

Configuration Commands

# View full config
dev-crew config show

# Get a setting
dev-crew config get settings.max_tokens_per_request

# Update a setting
dev-crew config set settings.max_tokens_per_request 16000

🛠️ Supported Stacks

Dev-Crew auto-detects your technology stack:

| Category | Supported | |---|---| | Languages | TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, Go, Rust, Java, Kotlin, Swift, Dart, C#, Ruby, PHP, C/C++ | | Web Frameworks | NestJS, Express, Fastify, Hono, Next.js, Nuxt, React, Vue, Angular, Svelte, Astro, Django, Flask, FastAPI, Rails, Laravel, Spring Boot | | Mobile | Flutter, React Native, SwiftUI/UIKit, Jetpack Compose | | Databases | PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis, SQLite | | ORMs | Prisma, Drizzle, TypeORM, Sequelize, Mongoose, Knex | | Testing | Vitest, Jest, Mocha, Pytest, Go testing | | CI/CD | GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, CircleCI | | Package Managers | npm, pnpm, yarn, bun |

📋 All 48 Commands

Setup

| Command | Description | |---|---| | dev-crew init | Initialize Dev-Crew in your project | | dev-crew doctor | Check system setup and requirements |

Core

| Command | Description | |---|---| | dev-crew review [path] | Code review (--depth, --explain, --git-aware, --ci) | | dev-crew fix <file> | Fix issues (--issue, --auto-apply, --dry-run) | | dev-crew debug <input> | Debug from logs/errors/stack traces | | dev-crew test <file> | Generate tests (--type unit\|integration\|e2e) |

Advanced

| Command | Description | |---|---| | dev-crew tech-lead [question] | Architecture decisions | | dev-crew ba <requirement> | Requirements to specs | | dev-crew cto <action> | Strategic technical review | | dev-crew pr <action> | PR review (--branch) | | dev-crew security [path] | Security audit | | dev-crew designer <type> | API/schema design review |

Smart Features

| Command | Description | |---|---| | dev-crew ask <question> | Codebase Q&A | | dev-crew explain <file> | Code explanation | | dev-crew onboard | New developer guide | | dev-crew watch [path] | Auto-review on file changes | | dev-crew impact <file> | Change impact analysis | | dev-crew resolve | Merge conflict resolution | | dev-crew interactive | Interactive REPL mode |

Multi-Agent

| Command | Description | |---|---| | dev-crew feature <desc> | BA → Tech Lead → Security → Tests → Review | | dev-crew refactor-plan <path> | Prioritized refactoring plan |

Code Health

| Command | Description | |---|---| | dev-crew debt <action> | Technical debt tracker | | dev-crew migration-check <path> | Migration safety check | | dev-crew deps <action> | Dependency health scanner |

DevOps

| Command | Description | |---|---| | dev-crew devops [question] | Docker, CI/CD, infrastructure | | dev-crew cost-optimizer [question] | Cost analysis | | dev-crew deploy [question] | Deployment strategy | | dev-crew monitoring [question] | Observability and alerting |

Full-Stack

| Command | Description | |---|---| | dev-crew create <desc> | Build complete app from a prompt | | dev-crew scaffold <desc> | Scaffold new project | | dev-crew build <desc> | Build a feature (--stack) | | dev-crew fullstack-builder <desc> | Full-stack architecture | | dev-crew db-architect [input] | Database design | | dev-crew api-architect [input] | API design |

Mobile

| Command | Description | |---|---| | dev-crew flutter [input] | Flutter/Dart | | dev-crew react-native [input] | React Native | | dev-crew ios [input] | iOS/Swift | | dev-crew android [input] | Android/Kotlin |

Quality

| Command | Description | |---|---| | dev-crew performance [path] | Performance audit | | dev-crew accessibility [path] | WCAG compliance |

Analytics

| Command | Description | |---|---| | dev-crew tokens <action> | Token management | | dev-crew analytics | Developer analytics | | dev-crew sprint-report | Sprint summary (--days) | | dev-crew stats | npm download stats |

Configuration

| Command | Description | |---|---| | dev-crew agents <action> | List/inspect agents | | dev-crew config <action> | Manage config | | dev-crew feedback <agent> <msg> | Teach agents | | dev-crew patterns | View learned patterns |

What Can You Build with Dev-Crew?

Dev-Crew can generate any type of application. Here are example prompts:

# SaaS & Web Apps
dev-crew create "build a project management tool like Jira with Next.js and PostgreSQL"
dev-crew create "build a SaaS analytics dashboard with Stripe billing"
dev-crew create "build an e-commerce store with product catalog, cart, and checkout"
dev-crew create "build a blog platform with markdown editor and SEO"

# Marketplaces & Platforms
dev-crew create "build an Airbnb clone with booking system and payments"
dev-crew create "build a freelancer marketplace with job posting and bidding"
dev-crew create "build a food delivery app like DoorDash"

# Real-Time & Social
dev-crew create "build a real-time chat app with WebSocket and file sharing"
dev-crew create "build a social media platform with feeds, likes, and comments"
dev-crew create "build a video conferencing app with screen sharing"

# AI & Developer Tools
dev-crew create "build an AI chatbot with RAG and document upload"
dev-crew create "build a URL shortener with analytics dashboard"
dev-crew create "build a REST API with authentication, rate limiting, and docs"

# Mobile Apps
dev-crew create "build a fitness tracking app with React Native"
dev-crew create "build a ride-sharing app like Uber with real-time GPS"

Each prompt generates a complete, runnable project — not just boilerplate. You get real authentication, database schemas, API routes, frontend pages, tests, Docker configs, and CI/CD pipelines.

Architecture

dev-crew
├── bin/dev-crew.ts              # CLI entry point (Commander.js)
├── src/
│   ├── agents/                  # 35 specialized AI agents
│   │   ├── base-agent.ts        # Shared execution engine
│   │   ├── registry.ts          # Agent factory
│   │   ├── app-creator/         # Full app generation agent
│   │   └── */agent.ts           # Individual agents
│   ├── commands/                # CLI command handlers
│   │   ├── create.ts            # App builder command
│   │   └── interactive.ts       # REPL mode
│   ├── pipelines/               # Multi-agent orchestration
│   │   └── create-pipeline.ts   # 6-stage app build pipeline
│   ├── core/
│   │   ├── provider-bridge.ts   # Multi-provider abstraction
│   │   ├── discovery.ts         # Interactive Q&A for app builder
│   │   ├── file-writer.ts       # Safe file writing utility
│   │   ├── nlp-router.ts        # Natural language → agent routing
│   │   ├── context-engine.ts    # Smart context gathering
│   │   └── project-detector.ts  # Stack auto-detection
│   ├── features/                # Debt tracker, patterns, analytics
│   └── types/                   # TypeScript interfaces
├── .github/workflows/           # CI + npm stats
└── tsup.config.ts               # Build config (ESM, Node 18+)

Dev-Crew vs Other Tools

| Feature | Dev-Crew | Claude Code | GitHub Copilot | Cursor | v0 / Bolt | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Build complete apps from prompt | ✅ | Manual | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | | 35 specialized agents | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | Code review with framework context | ✅ | ✅ | Limited | ✅ | ❌ | | Security audit (OWASP) | ✅ | Manual | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | Test generation | ✅ | Manual | ❌ | Limited | ❌ | | DevOps/Docker/K8s guidance | ✅ | Manual | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | Mobile (Flutter/RN/iOS/Android) | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | DB schema + migrations | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | Limited | | API architecture review | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | Multi-provider (5 backends) | ✅ | Claude only | Copilot only | Multiple | Proprietary | | Works without API key | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | Feedback/learning system | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | CI/CD integration | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | Open source | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | Free | Yes | Paid | Paid | Paid | Freemium |

Dev-Crew is the best free, open-source alternative to v0, Bolt, Lovable, and other AI app builders — but it runs locally, works on top of Claude Code, and gives you full control over the generated code.

Troubleshooting

"No AI provider found"

Dev-Crew needs at least one AI tool installed. Install any of:

# Claude Code (recommended)
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

# Or Ollama (free, runs locally)
# See: https://ollama.ai

# Or use simulation mode (no install needed)
dev-crew    # auto-falls back to simulation

"Timeout" errors

For large codebases, target specific files:

# Instead of reviewing entire src/
dev-crew review @src/controllers/auth.ts

# In interactive mode
❯ review @src/services/user.ts

Command not found after install

# Check install location
npm list -g dev-crew

# If using nvm, ensure correct node version
nvm use 20
npm install -g dev-crew

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I build an app with AI for free?

Install Dev-Crew (npm install -g dev-crew) and run dev-crew create "describe your app". It works on top of Claude Code — no API keys or subscriptions needed. Dev-Crew's 6-stage AI pipeline generates requirements, architecture, complete code, database schemas, tests, and deployment configs automatically.

What's the best free alternative to v0, Bolt, or Lovable?

Dev-Crew is a free, open-source CLI that generates complete applications from a single prompt — similar to v0, Bolt.new, and Lovable, but runs locally and gives you full control. Unlike those tools, Dev-Crew also includes 35 specialized agents for code review, testing, security auditing, and DevOps.

How do I generate a full-stack app from the command line?

npm install -g dev-crew
dev-crew create "build a SaaS dashboard with Next.js, PostgreSQL, and Stripe"

Dev-Crew asks clarifying questions, then generates every file — frontend, backend, database, auth, tests, Docker, and CI/CD configs.

Can I use Dev-Crew for vibe coding?

Yes. Dev-Crew is built for vibe coding — describe what you want in plain English and get runnable project scaffolding. Use dev-crew create for new apps, or use any of the 35 agents in interactive mode for ongoing development.

What AI tools does Dev-Crew work with?

Dev-Crew works on top of Claude Code (default), Aider, GitHub Copilot, OpenAI CLI, Ollama, or the direct Claude API. It auto-detects which tools you have installed and uses the best available option. No configuration needed.

How do I do AI code review from the terminal?

npm install -g dev-crew
dev-crew review src/          # Review entire directory
dev-crew review @src/app.ts   # Review specific file
dev-crew security src/        # OWASP security audit

Is Dev-Crew better than using ChatGPT for coding?

Dev-Crew is purpose-built for software engineering with 35 specialized agents, automatic project context detection, framework-aware analysis, and file-level precision. Instead of copy-pasting code into ChatGPT, Dev-Crew reads your codebase, understands your stack, and gives targeted feedback. It also generates complete apps, runs security audits, creates tests, and integrates with CI/CD.

How do I scaffold a new project with AI?

dev-crew create "describe your project"   # Full app with all files
dev-crew scaffold "project description"   # Just the structure
dev-crew build "feature description"      # Add feature to existing project

Does Dev-Crew support mobile app development?

Yes. Dev-Crew has dedicated agents for Flutter, React Native, iOS (Swift), and Android (Kotlin). Use dev-crew flutter, dev-crew react-native, dev-crew ios, or dev-crew android for mobile-specific code review and guidance.

Use Cases

• Startup founders: Go from idea to MVP in minutes with dev-crew create
• Solo developers: Get code reviews, security audits, and architecture guidance without a team
• Students: Learn best practices through AI-powered code analysis
• Teams: Integrate into CI/CD for automated code review on every PR
• Open source maintainers: Auto-review contributions, generate tests, audit security
• Freelancers: Scaffold client projects faster, maintain consistent quality
• Hackathon participants: Build and deploy apps in record time

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Please open an issue or submit a pull request.

git clone https://github.com/vasoyaprince14/dev-crew.git
cd dev-crew
npm install
npm run dev     # Watch mode
npm test        # Run tests
npm run build   # Production build

License

MIT License — see LICENSE for details.