# create-startups

URL: /code/cli/create-startups · Id: `page:code/cli/create-startups`

> npm create startups: its inputs, flags, templates, and the records and files it creates.

`npm create startups` creates a [Startup](/business/nouns/startup) in [api.sb](/code/platform/api-sb) and a local directory that defines it as code.

### Usage
```bash
npm create startups "Acme AI"
pnpm create startups acme.com
yarn create startups
bun create startups
npx create-startups --json '{"name":"Acme AI","idea":"Patent drafts for solo inventors"}'
```

### Inputs
| Input | Example | Creates |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A name | `"Acme AI"` | One Startup on a free subdomain |
| A domain | `acme.com` | One Startup on that domain |
| Several names | `"Acme AI" "Beta Labs"` | One Startup each |
| JSON | `--json '{"ideas":[…]}'` | One Startup per idea |
| Nothing | None. | Prompts for an idea, then suggests names |

### Flags
| Flag | Value | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `--template` | `<template>` | The Template the Startup extends. Defaults to the root Template. |
| `--json` | `<object>` | The Startup as JSON: name, domain, idea, or a list of ideas. |
| `--dir` | `<path>` | The project directory. Defaults to the Startup name in kebab case. |
| `--env` | `test \| live` | Where the Startup is created. Defaults to test. |
| `--no-install` | None. | Writes the project without installing packages. |
| `--dry-run` | None. | Prints what it creates and writes nothing. |
| `--output` | `json \| text` | The output format. Agent mode defaults to json. |
| `--yes` | None. | Accepts every default without prompting. |

### Templates
Every new Startup extends the root Template unless `--template` names another.

### Outputs
In api.sb: the Idea, the Startup in Test, its first domain, and one agent per Role its Template staffs. On disk: a project that defines the Startup as code.

```text
acme-ai/
├── startup.ts      the Startup, as code
├── startups.lock   the Startup Template Version it pins
├── AGENTS.md       how any coding agent works this Startup
├── .mcp.json       the MCP server, scoped to the Startup
└── package.json
```

It prints the next command to run:

```bash
cd acme-ai
npx startup-builder show /
```