create-x-lite

A modern, interactive CLI for scaffolding production-ready Express.js projects.
Inspired by the developer experience of `create-vite`, `create-x-lite` removes the tedious boilerplate setup so you can start building your next great idea in seconds.

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This project was created as a submission for the boot.dev Hackathon (July 2025).

Table of Contents

• Introduction: The "Why"
• Quick Start
• A Dynamic Scaffolding Engine
• Features
• What You Get
• Advanced Usage
• Philosophy
• Contributing
• Roadmap
• License

Introduction: The "Why"

The time between deciding to build an API and writing the first line of business logic is often filled with tedious, repetitive setup. While tools like express-generator exist, I always found myself immediately replacing their outdated configurations.

I built create-x-lite to solve this problem for myself and others. It's the tool I wish I had: a single command that generates a complete, modern, and flexible Express.js project, letting me focus on what truly matters: the code.

Quick Start

Get started in seconds with a single command:

npx create-x-lite

The interactive guide will walk you through all configuration options. You can also specify a project name:

npx create-x-lite my-ts-project

Examples:

# Create with all defaults
create-x-lite my-app -y

# TypeScript project with Zod validation
create-x-lite my-api --typescript --zod

# Traditional structure with CommonJS
create-x-lite legacy-api --traditional --commonjs

A Dynamic Scaffolding Engine

Unlike simple template cloners, create-x-lite operates as a dynamic scaffolding engine. After you select a base template (e.g., TypeScript with ESM), the tool programmatically modifies and enhances it with optional features.

For example, when you opt-in to Zod validation, the tool will:

1. Add Dependencies: Inject zod into the package.json.
2. Copy Snippets: Add pre-built middleware and schema files from an internal library.
3. Generate Code: Use Handlebars templates to generate new, feature-specific files like a validated user route.
4. Modify Existing Code: Read the main index.ts file and inject the necessary import and app.use() statements to integrate the new feature.

This architecture allows the tool to be incredibly flexible and scalable.

Features

• Interactive & Intuitive: A step-by-step guided process to configure your project.
• Non-Interactive Mode: Use CLI flags for automated, scripted project setup.
• Automatic Git Initialization: Every new project is created as a Git repository with an initial commit.
• TypeScript and JavaScript: First-class support for both languages.
• Modern and Legacy Modules: Choose between modern ESM or legacy CommonJS.
• Flexible Folder Structures: Select a feature-based or traditional MVC-style structure.
• Optional Schema Validation: Add Zod for powerful, type-safe validation during setup.
• Out-of-the-Box Tooling: Every project comes pre-configured with ESLint, Prettier, Nodemon, and a .gitignore file.

What You Get

A create-x-lite project is more than just a folder of files; it's a production-ready foundation. Here's an example of a generated TypeScript, ESM, Feature-based project with Zod:

my_ts_project/
├── eslint.config.js
├── nodemon.json
├── package.json
├── tsconfig.json
├── .gitignore
└── src
    └── core
    │   └── middlewares
    │       └── zod.middleware.ts
    └── features
    │   ├── healthcheck
    │   │   └── healthcheck.routes.ts
    │   └── user
    │       ├── user.routes.ts
    │       └── user.schema.ts
    └── index.ts

Strictly Typed from the Start

For TypeScript projects, the generated tsconfig.json is configured with a strict ruleset ("strict": true, noUnusedLocals, etc.) to encourage robust, type-safe code from day one.

Modern Linting and Formatting

Projects come with the latest ESLint "flat config" (eslint.config.js) and a pre-configured Prettier setup to ensure code quality and consistency across your entire codebase.

Advanced Usage

Global Installation (Optional)

For frequent use, you can install create-x-lite globally:

npm install -g create-x-lite
# Then use it anywhere
create-x-lite my-project

Command line Flags

Skip the interactive prompts using command-line flags:

Flag	Alias	Description	Default (if -y)
--yes	-y	Skip all prompts and use defaults	N/A
--typescript	-t	Use TypeScript instead of JavaScript	JavaScript
--commonjs	-c	Use CommonJS instead of ESM	ESM
--traditional	-T	Use traditional structure	Feature-based
--zod		Add Zod for validation	Disabled
--no-git		Skip Git initialization	Enabled

Philosophy

create-x-lite is built on a simple philosophy: empower developers with modern tools, but get out of their way.

Inspired by the fantastic developer experience of tools like create-vite, this project aims to provide an opinionated yet flexible foundation. While express-generator provides a starting point, create-x-lite provides a launchpad, configured with the tools and standards that professional developers expect in a modern backend project.

Contributing

This project was born in a weekend hackathon, but I have a long-term vision for it. Contributions are absolutely welcome as it grows. This is a community tool, and I'm excited to see where we can take it together. The best ways to get involved are to:

• Open an issue with bug reports or feature suggestions.
• Submit a pull request for bug fixes or new features.
• Share the project with other developers who might find it useful.

Roadmap

My goal is for create-x-lite to become a comprehensive toolkit for backend development. The immediate roadmap includes:

• A powerful plugin system for databases (Prisma, TypeORM), authentication, and more.
• Support for other frameworks like Koa and Fastify.
• Automatic resource generators (npx x-lite g resource user).

License

Released under the MIT License.