bun-init

Initialize a Bun project in the current directory

$ bun init

$ bun init [path/to/directory]

$ bun init [[-n|--name]] [project_name]

$ bun init [[-y|--yes]]

$ bun init [[-m|--minimal]]

$ bun init [[-r|--react]]

$ bun init --react=tailwind

bun init [path] [-y|--yes] [-f|--force] [-t|--template template]

path
    Optional directory to create/initialize project in. Defaults to current directory.

-y, --yes
    Skip all interactive prompts and use defaults.

-f, --force
    Overwrite existing files without confirmation.

-t, --template template
    Use preset template (e.g. react, vue, preact, svelte, lit, hono).

The bun init command scaffolds a new project using Bun, an ultra-fast JavaScript/TypeScript runtime, bundler, package manager, and more. It creates essential files like package.json, index.ts (or index.js), tsconfig.json, bun.lockb, and README.md.

Run interactively by default, it prompts for project details: name, version, description, entry point, module type (ESM/CJS), and package manager. Specify a path to create a subdirectory, or use templates for frameworks like React or Vue.

bun init is faster than npm init or yarn init, leveraging Bun's speed for dependency installation. Ideal for modern web apps, APIs, or scripts, it supports TypeScript out-of-the-box and auto-generates lockfiles.

Requires Bun installed (≥1.0). Interactive mode needs terminal; templates may require internet. Does not auto-install deps unless prompted.

react, vue, preact, svelte, lit, hono, nextjs. Run bun init --help for latest.

bun init myapp (interactive in myapp/)
bun init --template react --yes (React app, no prompts).

Introduced in Bun 0.1.0 (2022). Developed by Jarred Sumner at Oven; evolved with Bun's stable 1.0 release (2023), adding more templates and TypeScript support.

npm(1), yarn(1), pnpm(1), bun(1)