Documentation

What is ds-start?

ds-start is the composable Next.js app kit. It scaffolds a production-ready foundation and lets you bolt on complete functional blocks — email, forms, auth, billing, uploads, CI, deploys, and more — via init or add.

These are not raw component dumps. Each block composes libraries like shadcn/ui and Better Auth into end-to-end functionality with a small, stable API. AI agents first, developers second — same surfaces — so work starts on product features instead of rebuilding plumbing.

Read the Philosophy before contributing modules or presets. That document is the north star for future product work.

Quick Start

npx ds-start init my-app

The interactive wizard guides you through three build paths — recommended production starter, app with auth, or base app — and lets you customize modules before scaffolding. Use --base for a minimal foundation or -y for the recommended preset without prompts.

To add a block to an existing project:

npx ds-start add email

Foundation Stack

Every ds-start project includes:

• Next.js 16 — App Router, React Server Components, Turbopack
• TypeScript — Strict mode, zero any tolerance
• Tailwind CSS 4 — Utility-first styling
• shadcn/ui — Accessible component primitives (dependencies for blocks, not the product itself)
• Bun — Fast package management and scripts
• oxlint + oxfmt — Fast, consistent code quality

Next Steps

• Philosophy — Core product model and decision test
• Installation — Install ds-start globally or use npx
• Quick Start — Scaffold your first project
• CLI Reference — All commands and flags
• Modules — Browse available blocks