create-playcanvas

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Scaffold a Vite-powered PlayCanvas project with TypeScript. Pick a format and a runnable starter, then build from there.

Getting Started

# npm
npm create playcanvas@latest
# pnpm
pnpm create playcanvas@latest
# yarn
yarn create playcanvas
# bun
bun x create-playcanvas@latest

Then follow the prompts. Requires Node.js 22.23.2 or later.

Formats

Format	Description
engine	The PlayCanvas Engine API directly
react	@playcanvas/react components
web-components	@playcanvas/web-components custom elements

Every format uses TypeScript and includes Vite, ESLint, Prettier and a production build.

Starters

Choose from 12 starter kits across basics, viewers, games, tools and XR. Run the creator to browse them; spinning-cube is the default.

CLI Options

Pass a project name and options to skip the prompts:

npm create playcanvas@latest my-game -- -f react -y

Option	Shorthand	Description
--format <name>	-f	Use a format from the list above
--starter <name>	-s	Use a starter from the list above
--overwrite		Remove existing files from a non-empty target directory
--no-skills		Omit the PlayCanvas agent skills (included by default)
--yes	-y	Skip the prompts and take the defaults
--help	-h	Show command help

--yes takes playcanvas-project, the engine format and the spinning-cube starter for anything you don't pass. It never deletes files, so a non-empty target directory still needs --overwrite. The previous --template and --boilerplate long flags remain accepted for compatibility.

Agent skills

Every project includes @playcanvas/skills so AI coding agents such as Claude Code, Codex and Cursor pick up PlayCanvas-specific workflows automatically, with no install step. They are copied into .claude/skills/ and .agents/skills/. Pass --no-skills to leave them out.

Development

npm install
npm run build
node dist/index.mjs

Contributions are welcome. Please open an issue before proposing a new format, starter or another substantial change.

License

MIT