⚡ Exon CLI — Modern Express.js Generator with TypeScript, Swagger, Docker & ORM Support

🚀 What is Exon CLI?

Exon CLI is a modern Express.js project generator and TypeScript backend scaffolding CLI that helps developers create clean, scalable, production-ready REST API projects in seconds.

It is built as a modern alternative to the old express-generator, but with real-world backend features included:

• TypeScript and JavaScript ESM support
• Prisma, Mongoose, and Drizzle ORM setup
• Swagger/OpenAPI documentation
• Docker and Docker Compose
• Winston + Morgan logger
• Socket.IO realtime setup
• Plugin-based add and remove commands
• Clean scalable backend folder structure

npx exon-cli create my-api

⭐ Support Exon CLI

If Exon CLI saves your setup time, please consider giving it a star on GitHub.

👉 Star the repo: https://github.com/arpitbhatia23/exon

Your star helps more developers discover this project and motivates continued development.

⚡ Quick Demo

npx exon-cli create my-api --ts --mongoose --swagger --docker --logger --pnpm

cd my-api

pnpm dev

Open Swagger docs:

http://localhost:3802/docs

🔥 Why Developers Use Exon CLI

Setting up an Express.js backend manually takes time:

• TypeScript config
• Folder structure
• Error handling
• Environment setup
• Database connection
• Swagger docs
• Docker files
• Logger setup
• API response utilities

Exon CLI does this instantly.

It helps you go from idea to working backend much faster.

🆚 Exon CLI vs express-generator

| Feature | express-generator | Exon CLI | | --------------------------- | ----------------: | -------: | | TypeScript support | ❌ | ✅ | | JavaScript ESM support | ❌ | ✅ | | Prisma setup | ❌ | ✅ | | Mongoose setup | ❌ | ✅ | | Drizzle setup | ❌ | ✅ | | Swagger docs | ❌ | ✅ | | Docker setup | ❌ | ✅ | | Logger setup | ❌ | ✅ | | Socket.IO setup | ❌ | ✅ | | Add/remove plugins | ❌ | ✅ | | Production folder structure | Basic | ✅ |

📦 Installation

Use directly with npx:

npx exon-cli create my-api

Or install globally:

npm install -g exon-cli

exon create my-api

🛠️ Create a New Express App

Interactive Mode

npx exon-cli create my-api

With Flags

npx exon-cli create my-api --ts --prisma --docker --logger --swagger --pnpm

npx exon-cli create blog-api --ts --mongoose --swagger --npm

npx exon-cli create realtime-api --ts --socket --logger --pnpm

🔌 Add Features Later

You can start simple and add features whenever needed.

npx exon-cli add swagger
npx exon-cli add logger
npx exon-cli add mongoose
npx exon-cli add prisma
npx exon-cli add drizzle
npx exon-cli add docker
npx exon-cli add socket

🧹 Remove Features

npx exon-cli remove swagger

More plugin removal support is coming soon.

📁 Generated Folder Structure

my-api/
├── src/
│   ├── controllers/
│   ├── routes/
│   ├── middleware/
│   ├── db/
│   ├── models/
│   ├── utils/
│   ├── socket/
│   ├── app.ts
│   └── index.ts
├── .env
├── Dockerfile
├── docker-compose.yml
├── exon.config.json
└── tsconfig.json

🎯 Best For

Exon CLI is useful for:

• MERN stack projects
• REST API development
• SaaS backend setup
• College and portfolio projects
• Production Express.js boilerplates
• TypeScript Node.js backend projects
• Prisma/Mongoose/Drizzle starter projects
• Developers who want a faster alternative to express-generator

🔍 SEO Keywords

Exon CLI targets developers searching for:

• Express generator
• Express TypeScript generator
• Express.js boilerplate
• Node.js backend boilerplate
• Express project generator
• TypeScript Express starter
• Express Prisma boilerplate
• Express Mongoose boilerplate
• Express Swagger boilerplate
• Docker Express.js starter
• create express app
• express-generator alternative
• Node.js REST API starter
• MERN backend generator
• Express CLI scaffold

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome.

You can help by:

• Starring the repo
• Reporting bugs
• Suggesting plugin ideas
• Improving docs
• Creating new templates
• Submitting pull requests

git clone https://github.com/arpitbhatia23/exon.git
cd exon
npm install
npm run build

📢 Share Exon CLI

If you like this project, share it with other developers:

npx exon-cli create my-api

GitHub: https://github.com/arpitbhatia23/exon npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/exon-cli

🧑‍💻 Author

Made with ⚡ by Arpit Bhatia

If this project helped you, please give it a ⭐ on GitHub.