Packkit 📦

A highly configurable scaffolder for modern npm packages and CLIs — pick your stack from a CLI or a web configurator, and get a ready-to-ship repo.

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Most scaffolders lock you into one stack, one language, and the terminal. Packkit lets you choose — TypeScript or JavaScript, library or CLI, ESM/CJS/dual, your bundler, test runner, linter, git hooks, release flow, GitHub Actions and more — and it works from a CLI or a browser page that downloads your project as a zip.

Quick start

# interactive wizard
npm create packkit@latest
# or with npx
npx create-packkit

# skip the wizard with a preset
npx create-packkit ts-lib my-lib
npx create-packkit cli my-tool
npx create-packkit --preset full my-pkg --pm pnpm

Then cd, and you already have a working project — build, test, and lint all pass out of the box.

Or configure it on the web

No install needed: danmat.github.io/create-packkit — tick the options, preview the file tree, and download a zip (or copy the equivalent npx create-packkit command). Everything runs in your browser.

Options reference

Every flag, its values (default in bold), and what it's for. Prefer the interactive web configurator — the same descriptions appear as you hover. This table is generated from the schema (npm run gen:reference).

<!-- OPTIONS:START -->

Package

Flag	Values	What it does
--name	—	The npm package name. Scoped names like @you/pkg are fine.
--description	—	One-line summary — used in package.json and the README heading.
--author	—	Your name (and optionally email/URL). Populates package.json + LICENSE.
--keywords	—	Comma-separated npm keywords to help people discover the package.
--repo	—	Git repository URL. Wires up repository/bugs/homepage links and CI badges.

Core

Flag	Values	What it does
--language	ts · js	TypeScript (strict, recommended) or plain ESM JavaScript. TS gives you types, editor help, and generated .d.ts for consumers.
--module	esm · dual · cjs	How the package is consumed. ESM-only (default) is the modern, leanest choice — Node 20.19+/22.12+ can require() ESM. Pick dual only if you must support older CJS-only consumers; cjs-only is rarely needed.
--server	hono · fastify · express	For the service target: Hono (fast, web-standard, tiny — default), Fastify (batteries-included, plugins, schema validation), or Express (ubiquitous, huge ecosystem).
--target	library · cli · service · app	What you are building — mix and match: a library (importable package), a CLI (ships a bin), an HTTP service, or an app (Vite SPA).
--monorepo	on / off (default: off)	Generate a pnpm + Turborepo workspace with two linked example packages and Changesets. Only worth it when ≥2 packages share code.
--framework	none · react · vue · svelte	UI framework for component libraries and apps: React, Vue, or Svelte (or none for a plain package).
--pm	npm · pnpm · yarn · bun	Which package manager the scripts, lockfile, and CI target: npm, pnpm, yarn, or bun.
--node	22 · 24 · 26	Minimum Node line to support. Choices track Node’s own release schedule (Active LTS is the default); this sets engines + .nvmrc.

Build

Flag	Values	What it does
--bundler	tsup · tsdown · unbuild · rollup · none	How the library is built. tsup (default, esbuild-fast) and tsdown suit most libs; unbuild for zero-config; rollup for full control; none = tsc-only (or no build).
--minify	on / off (default: off)	Minify the build output. Best for CLIs and browser bundles; usually unnecessary for libraries (consumers minify).
--no-sourcemaps	on / off (default: on)	Ship source + JS/declaration maps so consumers can step into and go-to-definition on your original code when debugging. On by default for libraries.

Quality

Flag	Values	What it does
--test	vitest · jest · node · none	Test runner: Vitest (fast, Vite-native, default), Jest (classic, huge ecosystem), or Node’s built-in node:test (zero deps).
--no-coverage	on / off (default: on)	Collect code-coverage reports (v8) and add a coverage script. Pairs with the Codecov workflow.
--storybook	on / off (default: off)	Add Storybook to develop and document components in isolation. Component libraries only.
--e2e	on / off (default: off)	Add Playwright end-to-end tests for app targets: a config that boots your dev server, an example spec, and a CI job.
--env	on / off (default: off)	Type-safe environment variables: a Zod-validated src/env.ts that fails fast on misconfig, plus a .env.example. For services and CLIs.
--pkg-checks	on / off (default: off)	Verify the published package is correct with publint + are-the-types-wrong (exports map, types resolution, ESM/CJS). Highly recommended for libraries.
--knip	on / off (default: off)	Find unused files, dependencies, and exports so the project doesn’t accumulate dead weight.
--size-limit	on / off (default: off)	Add a bundle-size budget (size-limit) that measures your built entry and fails CI if it exceeds the limit — catches accidental bloat.
--doctor	on / off (default: off)	Add an env doctor (npm run doctor) that warns when the local Node / package manager don’t match what the project expects. Warn-only.
--lint	eslint-prettier · biome · oxlint · none	Linter + formatter: ESLint + Prettier (default, most compatible), Biome (one fast tool for both), or oxlint (Rust-fast linting).
--hooks	simple-git-hooks · husky · lefthook · none	Pre-commit hooks that run lint-staged: simple-git-hooks (tiny, default), husky (popular), or lefthook (fast, parallel).

Release

Flag	Values	What it does
--canary	on / off (default: off)	Add a workflow that publishes snapshot builds (x.y.z-canary-<hash>) to a canary dist-tag so people can test unreleased changes. Requires Changesets.
--release	changesets · release-it · np · none	How you version + publish: Changesets (default, great for libraries and monorepos), release-it, np, or none.
--jsr	on / off (default: off)	Also publish to JSR, the TypeScript-first registry. For plain ESM TypeScript libraries.

CI / CD

Flag	Values	What it does
--workflows	ci · npm-publish · pages · codeql · codecov · stale	GitHub Actions to include: ci (lint/test/build), npm-publish (provenance), pages (deploy Storybook/site), codeql (security), codecov (coverage), stale.
--deps	renovate · dependabot · none	Automated dependency updates: Renovate (default, powerful) or Dependabot (built into GitHub).

Repository

Flag	Values	What it does
--license	MIT · Apache-2.0 · ISC · none	Open-source license for the LICENSE file and package.json (MIT recommended), or none.
--no-community	on / off (default: on)	Community health files: CONTRIBUTING, CODE_OF_CONDUCT, SECURITY, and issue/PR templates.
--no-agents	on / off (default: on)	AI-agent instructions (AGENTS.md + CLAUDE.md) so coding agents know how to build, test, and work in the repo.
--no-vscode	on / off (default: on)	VS Code workspace settings + recommended-extensions so the repo is set up consistently on open.
--no-editorconfig	on / off (default: on)	An .editorconfig so every editor uses the same indentation and line endings.
--no-git	on / off (default: on)	Run git init and make an initial commit after scaffolding.
--no-install	on / off (default: on)	Install dependencies automatically after scaffolding.

<!-- OPTIONS:END -->

Presets

Named bundles of the options above — npx packkit <preset> <name> -y.

<!-- PRESETS:START -->

Preset	Shortcut	What you get
ts-lib	lib	TypeScript library — ESM-only, tsup, Vitest, ESLint.
js-lib	jslib	JavaScript (ESM) library — tsup, Vitest, ESLint.
ts-cli	—	TypeScript CLI + library — ESM, ships a bin.
cli	—	TypeScript CLI tool — ESM, ships a bin.
react-lib	rlib	React component library (TS) — JSX, peer deps, jsdom tests.
react-lib-js	—	React component library (JS) — JSX, peer deps, jsdom tests.
react-app	rapp	React SPA — Vite dev server, build, Testing Library.
vue-lib	vlib	Vue component library — Vite lib build (SFCs), ESM + types.
vue-app	vapp	Vue SPA — Vite dev server, build, Testing Library.
svelte-lib	slib	Svelte component library — ships source, peer svelte, jsdom tests.
svelte-app	sapp	Svelte SPA — Vite dev server, build, Testing Library.
node-service	svc, service	Node HTTP service (Hono) — tsx dev, tsup build, Dockerfile.
monorepo	—	pnpm + Turborepo workspace — two example packages, Changesets, CI.
oss	—	Full open-source library — coverage, CodeQL, Codecov, Renovate, Changesets.
minimal	—	Bare TS library — tsup only, no tests/lint/CI.
full	—	Everything on — library + CLI, all workflows and extras.

<!-- PRESETS:END -->

Team profiles: save a partial config as packkit.config.json (or any file) and reuse it with npx create-packkit my-lib --from ./packkit.config.json — flags still override the file.

For AI agents & automation

Packkit is safe to drive non-interactively — every option is a flag, so no prompts are needed. Agents can introspect the whole interface as JSON:

npx create-packkit --schema      # all options, presets, and aliases as JSON
npx create-packkit my-lib ts-lib --no-install --no-git   # deterministic scaffold

There's also an llms.txt (served at danmat.github.io/create-packkit/llms.txt) describing the commands for LLMs.

MCP server — packkit-mcp exposes Packkit as a native Model Context Protocol tool (schema / preview / scaffold). Add to your agent's MCP config:

{ "mcpServers": { "packkit": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "packkit-mcp"] } } }

How it works

Packkit is a pure config → { files } core that runs in both Node and the browser:

• the CLI writes the files to disk, runs git init, and installs dependencies;
• the web configurator zips the same files client-side (no server).

Both drive from one options schema (src/core/options.js), so the CLI and the web page always stay in sync.

Staying fresh

Two GitHub Actions keep the templates honest:

• Dependency freshness — a weekly check flags any version Packkit writes into generated projects that's fallen a major behind (versions Dependabot can't see), and opens an issue.
• Integration — on any change to generation logic or a template dependency, it generates every preset, installs it, and runs its real checks (build/test/lint, and actually starts services) — so an update can't silently break the projects you'd get.

License

MIT © DanMat