> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/feathersjs/feathers/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# CLI Overview

> Introduction to the Feathers CLI and its code generation capabilities

The Feathers CLI (`@feathersjs/cli`) is a command-line interface for generating and scaffolding Feathers applications. It provides interactive generators that create production-ready code following best practices.

## What the CLI does

The Feathers CLI helps you:

* **Generate new applications** - Create a complete Feathers application with your choice of framework (Express or Koa), database, authentication, and more
* **Add services** - Generate new services with database adapters (Knex, MongoDB, or custom)
* **Create hooks** - Scaffold hooks for your application logic
* **Set up authentication** - Add authentication with local and OAuth strategies
* **Configure databases** - Add database connections to your application

## Available generators

The CLI includes the following generators:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Generate app theme={null}
  feathers generate app
  ```

  ```bash Generate service theme={null}
  feathers generate service
  ```

  ```bash Generate hook theme={null}
  feathers generate hook
  ```

  ```bash Add authentication theme={null}
  feathers generate authentication
  ```

  ```bash Add database connection theme={null}
  feathers generate connection
  ```
</CodeGroup>

All generators can be run interactively or with command-line options.

## Interactive generators

The Feathers CLI uses interactive prompts to guide you through the generation process. Each generator asks relevant questions and creates the appropriate files and configuration.

```bash theme={null}
# Run any generator to see interactive prompts
npx feathers generate service
```

You'll be prompted for:

* Service name and path
* Database adapter type
* Schema definition
* And more

## Command aliases

The CLI supports shorthand aliases for common commands:

| Full command                | Alias                |
| --------------------------- | -------------------- |
| `feathers generate`         | `feathers g`         |
| `feathers generate app`     | `feathers g app`     |
| `feathers generate service` | `feathers g service` |

## Generator options

Generators support command-line options to skip interactive prompts:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Service with options theme={null}
  feathers generate service --name users --path /users --type knex
  ```

  ```bash Hook with options theme={null}
  feathers generate hook --name validateUser --type around
  ```

  ```bash App with options theme={null}
  feathers generate app --name my-app
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Help and version

View help for any command:

```bash theme={null}
# General help
feathers --help

# Generator-specific help
feathers generate --help
feathers generate service --help
```

Check the CLI version:

```bash theme={null}
feathers --version
```

## Generated code structure

The CLI generates TypeScript code following Feathers best practices:

* **Type-safe** - Full TypeScript support with proper types
* **Schema-first** - Uses TypeBox or JSON Schema for validation
* **Modular** - Clean separation of concerns
* **Production-ready** - Includes error handling, logging, and configuration

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Installation" icon="download" href="/cli/installation">
    Install the Feathers CLI
  </Card>

  <Card title="Generate app" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" href="/guides/cli/application">
    Create your first Feathers application
  </Card>
</CardGroup>