feathersjs · daffl · Feb 3, 2026
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
diff --git a/packages/create-feathers/bin/create-feathers.js b/packages/create-feathers/bin/create-feathers.js
@@ -1,20 +1,28 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
-'use strict';
+'use strict'
 
-import path from 'path'
-import { existsSync } from 'fs'
-import { mkdir } from 'fs/promises'
-import { Command, commandRunner, chalk } from '@feathersjs/cli'
+import path from 'node:path'
+import { existsSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { mkdir } from 'node:fs/promises'
+import { Command } from 'commander'
+import { generate, getContext } from '../lib/index.js'
+
+const color = {
+  green: (text) => `\x1b[32m${text}\x1b[0m`,
+  red: (text) => `\x1b[31m${text}\x1b[0m`,
+  grey: (text) => `\x1b[90m${text}\x1b[0m`
+}
 
 const program = new Command()
-const generateApp = commandRunner('app')
 
 program
-  .name('npm init feathers')
-  .description(`Create a new Feathers application 🕊️
+  .name('npm create feathers')
+  .description(
+    `Create a new Feathers application 🕊️
 
-${chalk.grey('npm init feathers myapp')}
-`)
+${color.grey('npm create feathers myapp')}
+`
+  )
   .argument('<name>', 'The name of your new application')
   // .version(version)
   .showHelpAfterError()
@@ -28,21 +36,23 @@ ${chalk.grey('npm init feathers myapp')}
 
       await mkdir(cwd)
 
-      await generateApp({
+      const ctx = getContext({
         name,
         cwd,
         ...options
       })
 
+      await generate(ctx)
+
       console.log(`
 
-${chalk.green('Hooray')}! Your Feathers app is ready to go! 🚀
-Go to the ${chalk.grey(name)} folder to get started.
+${color.green('Hooray')}! Your Feathers app is ready to go! 🚀
+Go to the ${color.grey(name)} folder to get started.
 
-To learn more visit ${chalk.grey('https://feathersjs.com/guides')}
+To learn more visit ${color.grey('https://feathersjs.com/guides')}
 `)
     } catch (error) {
-      console.error(`${chalk.red('Error')}: ${error.message}`)
+      console.error(`${color.red('Error')}: ${error.message}`)
       process.exit(1)
     }
   })

diff --git a/packages/create-feathers/package.json b/packages/create-feathers/package.json
@@ -42,16 +42,24 @@
     "*.js"
   ],
   "scripts": {
-    "test": "bin/create-feathers.js --help"
+    "test": "bin/create-feathers.js --help",
+    "prepublish": "npm run compile",
+    "compile": "shx rm -rf lib/ && tsc"
   },
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public"
   },
-  "dependencies": {
-    "@feathersjs/cli": "^5.0.34"
-  },
   "gitHead": "90caf635aec850550b9d37bea2762af959d9e8d5",
   "devDependencies": {
+    "@types/node": "^24.1.0",
+    "@vitest/coverage-v8": "^3.2.4",
+    "shx": "^0.4.0",
+    "typescript": "^5.8.0",
     "vitest": "^3.2.4"
+  },
+  "dependencies": {
+    "@featherscloud/pinion": "^0.5.5",
+    "commander": "^12.1.0",
+    "type-fest": "^0.21.3"
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/create-feathers/src/commons.ts b/packages/create-feathers/src/commons.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+import fs from 'node:fs'
+import { join, dirname } from 'node:path'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
+import { PackageJson } from 'type-fest'
+import { Callable, PinionContext, loadJSON, fromFile, getCallable, exec } from '@featherscloud/pinion'
+
+// Set __dirname in es module
+const __dirname = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url))
+
+export const { version } = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(join(__dirname, '..', 'package.json')).toString())
+
+export type DependencyVersions = { [key: string]: string }
+
+export type FeathersAppInfo = {
+  packager: 'yarn' | 'npm' | 'pnpm'
+
+  platform: 'node' | 'deno' | 'bun'
+
+  sse: boolean
+}
+
+export interface AppPackageJson extends PackageJson {
+  feathers?: FeathersAppInfo
+}
+
+export interface FeathersBaseContext extends PinionContext {
+  /**
+   * Information about the Feathers application (like chosen language, database etc.)
+   * usually taken from `package.json`
+   */
+  feathers: FeathersAppInfo
+  /**
+   * The package.json file
+   */
+  pkg: AppPackageJson
+  /**
+   * The folder where source files are put
+   */
+  lib: string
+  /**
+   * The folder where test files are put
+   */
+  test: string
+  /**
+   * A list dependencies that should be installed with a certain version.
+   * Used for installing development dependencies during testing.
+   */
+  dependencyVersions?: DependencyVersions
+}
+
+export interface AppGeneratorData extends FeathersAppInfo {
+  /**
+   * The application name
+   */
+  name: string
+  /**
+   * A short description of the app
+   */
+  description: string
+}
+
+export type AppGeneratorContext = FeathersBaseContext & AppGeneratorData
+
+export type AppGeneratorArguments = FeathersBaseContext & Partial<AppGeneratorData>
+
+/**
+ * Loads the application package.json and populates information like the library and test directory
+ * and Feathers app specific information.
+ *
+ * @returns The updated context
+ */
+export const initializeBaseContext =
+  () =>
+  <C extends FeathersBaseContext>(ctx: C) =>
+    Promise.resolve(ctx).then(loadJSON(fromFile('package.json'), (pkg) => ({ pkg }), {}))
+
+/**
+ * A special error that can be thrown by generators. It contains additional
+ * information about the error that can be used to display a more helpful
+ * error message to the user.
+ */
+export class FeathersGeneratorError extends Error {
+  /**
+   * Additional information about the error. This can include things like
+   * the reason for the error and suggested actions to take.
+   */
+  context?: Record<string, unknown>
+
+  /**
+   * Creates a new FeathersGeneratorError
+   * @param message The error message
+   * @param context Additional information about the error
+   */
+  constructor(message: string, context?: Record<string, unknown>) {
+    super(message)
+    this.name = 'FeathersGeneratorError'
+    this.context = context
+  }
+}
+
+export const install =
+  <C extends PinionContext>(
+    dependencies: Callable<string[], C>,
+    dev: Callable<boolean, C>,
+    packager: Callable<string, C>
+  ) =>
+  async (ctx: C) => {
+    const dependencyList = await getCallable(dependencies, ctx)
+    const packageManager = await getCallable(packager, ctx)
+    const isDev = await getCallable(dev, ctx)
+    const flag = isDev ? (packageManager === 'yarn' ? ' --dev' : ' --save-dev') : ''
+    const command = packageManager === 'yarn' ? 'add' : 'install'
+
+    return exec(`${packageManager} ${command} ${dependencyList.join(' ')}${flag}`, [])(ctx)
+  }
diff --git a/packages/create-feathers/src/index.ts b/packages/create-feathers/src/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import { sep, dirname } from 'path'
+import { prompt, runGenerators } from '@featherscloud/pinion'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'url'
+
+import type { AppGeneratorArguments } from './commons.js'
+import { initializeBaseContext, install } from './commons.js'
+
+export { getContext } from '@featherscloud/pinion'
+
+// Set __dirname in es module
+const __dirname = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url))
+
+export const generate = (ctx: AppGeneratorArguments) =>
+  Promise.resolve(ctx)
+    .then(initializeBaseContext())
+    .then((ctx) => ({
+      ...ctx,
+      dependencies: [] as string[],
+      devDependencies: [] as string[]
+    }))
+    .then(
+      prompt((ctx) => [
+        {
+          name: 'name',
+          type: 'input',
+          when: !ctx.name,
+          message: 'What is the name of your application?',
+          default: ctx.cwd.split(sep).pop(),
+          validate: (input) => {
+            if (ctx.dependencyVersions[input]) {
+              return `Application can not have the same name as a dependency`
+            }
+
+            return true
+          }
+        },
+        {
+          name: 'description',
+          type: 'input',
+          when: !ctx.description,
+          message: 'Write a short description'
+        },
+        {
+          name: 'platform',
+          type: 'list',
+          when: !ctx.platform,
+          message: 'Which platform do you want to use?',
+          choices: [
+            { value: 'node', name: 'Node' },
+            { value: 'deno', name: 'Deno' },
+            { value: 'bun', name: 'Bun' }
+          ]
+        },
+        {
+          name: 'packager',
+          type: 'list',
+          when: ({ platform }) => platform === 'node' && !ctx.packager,
+          message: 'Which package manager are you using?',
+          choices: [
+            { value: 'npm', name: 'npm' },
+            { value: 'yarn', name: 'Yarn' },
+            { value: 'pnpm', name: 'pnpm' }
+          ]
+        }
+      ])
+    )
+    .then(runGenerators(__dirname, 'templates'))
+    .then(initializeBaseContext())
+    .then(
+      install(['feathers@pre'], false, (ctx): string => {
+        if (ctx.packager) {
+          return ctx.packager
+        }
+
+        if (ctx.platform === 'deno' || ctx.platform === 'bun') {
+          return ctx.platform
+        }
+
+        return 'npm'
+      })
+    )
diff --git a/packages/create-feathers/src/templates/app.tpl.ts b/packages/create-feathers/src/templates/app.tpl.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import { renderTemplate, toFile } from '@featherscloud/pinion'
+import type { AppGeneratorContext } from '../commons.js'
+
+const template = ({}: AppGeneratorContext) => /* ts */ `import { feathers } from 'feathers'
+
+export type Services = {}
+
+export type Configuration = {}
+
+const app = feathers<Services, Configuration>()
+
+export { app }
+`
+
+export const generate = (ctx: AppGeneratorContext) =>
+  Promise.resolve(ctx).then(renderTemplate(template, toFile('src', 'app.ts')))