CLI Reference

The Nova CLI lets you generate files, apply recipes, scaffold projects, and run utilities.

Step by step

Not sure what to type? Build the command one section at a time.

Start with nova, then the command and subcommand (if available), and finally the options like --all or -a. Each step shows inline guidance so you don't wonder what to do next.

Get Started

nova (installed)

nova <command> <subcommand> [option]

npx (no install)

npx --yes @cbnventures/nova@latest <command> <subcommand> [option]

• Options are recommended. It is recommended to type the option (flags / switches) you want, like --all or -a. No assumptions. This helps you learn the command faster.
• Build it step by step. Start with nova. Add the command. Add the subcommand if needed. Finish with options like --all or -a. Repeat until it feels natural.

Commands

All commands below show a help screen when run with the --help or -h option, so you can explore safely and avoid accidental runs.

Generators

Create semi-tailored versions of supported vendor and project essentials, populated with values from nova.config.json at the monorepo root.

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All commands in "Generators" are shaped as nova generate <subcommand> or nova gen <subcommand>.

AWS

Subcommand	What It Does
aws-amplify	Create a amplify.yml file for AWS Amplify deployments

Cloudflare

Subcommand	What It Does
cloudflare-workers	Create a wrangler.toml file for Cloudflare Workers deployments

Docker

Subcommand	What It Does
docker-compose	Create a docker-compose.yml file for Docker builds
docker-file	Create a Dockerfile for Docker builds

Docusaurus

Subcommand	What It Does
docusaurus-config	Create a docusaurus.config.ts file for Docusaurus configuration

GitHub

Subcommand	What It Does
github-funding	Create a ./github/FUNDING.yml file for GitHub to enable sponsor links
github-issue-template	Create a ./github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE directory for GitHub to create issue templates
github-workflows	Create a ./github/workflows directory for GitHub to enable CI/CD automation

Must-Haves

Subcommand	What It Does
must-haves-dotenv	Create a .env file for managing local environment secrets across your project
must-haves-editorconfig	Create a .editorconfig file for managing consistent coding styles
must-haves-gitignore	Create a .gitignore file for managing files that should be excluded from Git commits
must-haves-license	Create a LICENSE file for managing project license agreements
must-haves-post-install	Create a post-install.ts file for expanding on post-install controls
must-haves-read-me	Create a baseline README.md file for your project

Next.js

Subcommand	What It Does
nextjs-config	Create a next.config.mjs file for Next.js configuration

Vite

Subcommand	What It Does
vite-config	Create a vite.config.mjs file for Vite configuration

Recipes

Apply scripted edits that automate routine maintenance, using values from nova.config.json at the monorepo root.

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All commands in "Recipes" are shaped as nova recipe package-json <subcommand> or nova rcp package-json <subcommand>.

Subcommand	Shorthand	What It Does
cleanup	clean	Remove unsupported keys and reorder remaining keys in workspace package.json files
normalize-artifacts	norm-art	Normalize files, bin, man, directories, private, and publishConfig in workspace package.json files
normalize-bundler	norm-bun	Normalize types, module, sideEffects, and esnext bundler fields in workspace package.json files
normalize-dependencies	norm-dep	Normalize dependency fields and optionally pin versions in workspace package.json files
normalize-modules	norm-mod	Normalize exports, main, type, browser, and imports fields in workspace package.json files
normalize-tooling	norm-tool	Normalize scripts, gypfile, config, and workspaces in workspace package.json files
sync-environment	sync-env	Sync engines, os, cpu, libc, devEngines, and packageManager in workspace package.json files
sync-identity	sync-id	Sync name, version, description, keywords, and license to workspace package.json files
sync-ownership	sync-own	Sync homepage, bugs, author, contributors, funding, and repository to workspace package.json files

Scaffolding

Bootstrap full project starters for popular builders and tools. All scaffolds are built as a monorepo and include Docusaurus built in.

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All commands in "Scaffolding" are shaped as nova scaffold <subcommand> or nova scaf <subcommand>.

Subcommand	Project Type
nextjs	Next.js

Utilities

Tools for diagnostics, quick checks, and development helpers.

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All commands in "Utilities" are shaped as nova utility <subcommand> or nova util <subcommand>.

Subcommand	Shorthand	What It Does
changelog	log	Record changes and release versioned changelogs
initialize	init	Generate a new nova.config.json configuration file for use with nova generate and nova recipe commands
run-recipes	run-rcp	Run all enabled recipes and finalize workspace package.json files
run-scripts	run-scr	Run package.json scripts by pattern in sequential or parallel mode
transpile	xpile	Transpile TypeScript with filtered diagnostics, emitting compiled output for project-owned files
type-check	type-chk	Run full TypeScript type checking scoped to project-owned files, filtering out third-party diagnostics
version	ver	Generate a Markdown-ready snapshot of your development stack versions (e.g., node --version)

Troubleshooting

Exit Codes

Code	Meaning	Result
0	Success	Response of the executed command
1	Error	Help text displayed

Quick Fixes

• Prefer explicit command, subcommands, and options for clarity, fewer mistakes, and predictable behavior. For example, nova utility version --all instead of the alternate variants.