Create-rails-app NPM

create-rails-app

A CLI tool to bootstrap Ruby on Rails projects using RVM.

Prerequisites

Node.js (version 14 or higher)
RVM (Ruby Version Manager)

Usage

npm create rails-app@latest [options]

Or you can run this tool directly using npx:

npx create-rails-app [options]

Or install it globally:

npm install -g create-rails-app

# Then use it:
create-rails-app [options]

Options

--ruby <version>: Specify Ruby version (default: 3.3.7)
--name <name>: Specify project name (default: myapp)
--skip-rails: Skip generating the Rails app, only setup the Ruby version and gemset. When used, other options related to Rails app configuration are ignored.
--database <db>: Specify database (options: postgresql, mysql, sqlite3; default: postgresql)
--no-database: Skip database setup. If used, the application will use the default in-memory SQLite. (default: uses selected database or prompts for one).
--css <css>: Specify CSS framework (options: tailwind, sass, postcss; default: uses vanilla CSS for full-stack, no CSS for API only). This option is only valid when the --api flag is not present.
--test <framework>: Specify testing framework (options: minitest, rspec; default: minitest)
--no-test: Skip test setup. If used, no testing framework will be set up. (default: uses the selected test framework or prompts for one).
--api: Create an API-only Rails project (default: full-stack). If used, no CSS framework is included by default.
--help: Show this help message

Examples

npm create rails-app@latest
npm create rails-app@latest -- --ruby 3.2.0 --name my-rails-app
npm create rails-app@latest -- --skip-rails --name my-bare-app --ruby 3.3.6
npm create rails-app@latest -- --ruby 3.2.0 --rails 7.1.0 --name my-rails-app --database postgresql
npm create rails-app@latest -- --api --database postgresql
npm create rails-app@latest -- --database mysql
npm create rails-app@latest -- --no-database
npm create rails-app@latest -- --css tailwind --name my-tailwind-app
npm create rails-app@latest -- --css sass --name my-sass-app
npm create rails-app@latest -- --css postcss --name my-postcss-app
npm create rails-app@latest -- --test minitest
npm create rails-app@latest -- --test rspec
npm create rails-app@latest -- --no-test

# Or using npx (no installation required)
npx create-rails-app
npx create-rails-app --ruby 3.2.0 --name my-rails-app
npx create-rails-app --skip-rails --name my-bare-app --ruby 3.3.6
npx create-rails-app --ruby 3.2.0 --rails 7.1.0 --name my-rails-app --database sqlite3
npx create-rails-app --api --database sqlite3
npx create-rails-app --no-database
npx create-rails-app --css tailwind --name my-tailwind-app
npx create-rails-app --css sass --name my-sass-app
npx create-rails-app --css postcss --name my-postcss-app
npx create-rails-app --test minitest
npx create-rails-app --test rspec
npx create-rails-app --no-test

# Or if installed globally
create-rails-app
create-rails-app --ruby 3.2.0 --name my-rails-app
create-rails-app --skip-rails --name my-bare-app --ruby 3.3.6
create-rails-app --ruby 3.2.0 --rails 7.1.0 --name my-rails-app --database postgresql
create-rails-app --api --database postgresql
create-rails-app --no-database
create-rails-app --css tailwind --name my-tailwind-app
create-rails-app --css sass --name my-sass-app
create-rails-app --css postcss --name my-postcss-app
create-rails-app --test minitest
create-rails-app --test rspec
create-rails-app --no-test

Features

Automatically installs specified Ruby version using RVM.
Creates a new RVM gemset for project isolation.
Installs Rails with the specified version (unless --skip-rails is used).
Sets up .ruby-version and .ruby-gemset files.
Interactive prompts with default values.
Supports multiple CSS framework options: tailwind, sass, postcss, only valid for full-stack applications, and defaults to vanilla CSS for full-stack, and no CSS for API only.
When using postcss, this tool configures your application to use the cssbundling-rails gem for CSS bundling.
Supports testing framework selection with options minitest, rspec.
Supports skipping the database setup with the --no-database flag.
Supports skipping test setup with the --no-test flag.
Supports API-only mode with --api flag. If used, no CSS framework is included by default.
Supports skipping Rails app generation with the --skip-rails flag.