Start prepares a new Next.js repository for product work without inventing the product.

The useful part of a starter is not a prebuilt dashboard or a page you will delete. It is the durable work that otherwise gets repeated: a current UI foundation, versioned tooling, strict checks, browser verification, CI, agent instructions, and one command that proves the repository is healthy.

Start v0.6.10 makes that setup explicit. Start in the terminal, choose the workspace foundations, inspect the generated plan, and approve it only when it looks right.

npx @bishoymly/start@latest

Prefer a repeatable setup? Create a portable blueprint in the web builder, then review its plan before anything is written:

pnpm dlx @bishoymly/start@latest my-app --blueprint v3.<token> --plan

What Start does—and does not—own

Start calls the official shadcn CLI with your selected foundation and preset, then installs every available shadcn component. The resulting template, page, CSS, components, and fonts remain upstream-owned output. Start does not replace them with a generic shell.

After that, Start can add only the durable pieces selected in the blueprint:

  • Pinned Node, package-manager, framework, test, and browser-tool versions; Git hooks; and one verify command for formatting, linting, types, unit tests, browser tests, and a production build.
  • CI that installs the matching package-manager version and runs that same verification gate.
  • An AGENTS.md, native entry points for the selected agents, local skills, shared agent commands, /docs, and browser-verification guidance.
  • Optional durable plumbing for a database, authentication, storage, AI, observability, and deployment—only when selected.

It deliberately does not add product routes, navigation, entities, queries, dashboards, sign-in screens, upload flows, chat interfaces, or a suggested first task.

What changed since launch

The latest release makes the generated repository more complete without making it more prescriptive:

  • The interactive npx path is now the primary quick start, with a compact terminal review and numbered execution progress.
  • Start installs the full shadcn component catalog through the official CLI, using the current --overwrite behavior where required.
  • Generated projects receive a practical contributor README, environment setup notes, project structure guidance, agent instructions, and a documented verification path.
  • New repositories are initialized on main and receive an initial verified baseline commit after a successful run.
  • The project’s own CI now performs a full fresh-generation check, in addition to testing its planning and rendering logic.

The plan is the contract

The browser builder and terminal flow both collect the same durable decisions: project, agents, UI foundation and shadcn preset, infrastructure, quality, and review. The final section shows the exact order of operations, including:

  • Official commands and Start-owned configuration operations.
  • Installed skills and their selected agents.
  • Required and optional environment variables.
  • Capability contracts, compatibility warnings, and the complete verification path.

The same normalized plan is available through the CLI. A v3 blueprint is safe to share because it records setup intent, not product requirements, source code, or secrets.

Reruns stay safe

Start rejects unsafe target paths and symbolic links. It records the exact blueprint and upstream command in .start/, so a matching run can resume. If it finds an unknown existing shadcn workspace, it stops for inspection instead of assuming ownership. Start-owned configuration is replaced to match the selected blueprint; official shadcn source remains upstream-owned.

The generated START_READINESS.md records executed and skipped operations, the versions actually resolved, warnings, and verification results. Its final instruction is intentional: inspect the repository, then wait for a PRD or requirements before beginning product work.

Start here

Open the Start builder to create a reviewable blueprint, or launch the terminal flow directly:

pnpm dlx @bishoymly/start@latest

The goal is modest and practical: replace a pile of setup decisions with one reviewable, verified run—then leave product thinking where it belongs, with the product requirements.