---
title: "Quickstart"
description: "From zero to a running project in a few minutes."
url: https://plate.findmalek.engineer/docs/quickstart
markdown: https://plate.findmalek.engineer/docs/quickstart.md
group: "Start"
---

# Quickstart

## Requirements

- Node 24 or newer
- [pnpm](https://pnpm.io) for the generated project
- Docker, for the local Postgres
- [bun](https://bun.sh), if you run the cli with `bunx`

## Create a project

**bun**

```bash
bunx findplate create
```

**pnpm**

```bash
pnpm dlx findplate create
```

**npm**

```bash
npx findplate create
```

**yarn**

```bash
yarn dlx findplate create
```

The prompts ask for a project name, a one-line pitch and a design preset, then offer a profile to start from. Every answer has a flag, see the [CLI reference](https://plate.findmalek.engineer/docs/cli.md).

```text
◆  Profile
│  ○ Minimal    (just the core, add modules later with findplate add)
│  ● Standard   (the usual starting set, nothing to host yourself)
│  ○ Everything (every module that runs without a server of your own)
│  ○ Custom     (start from standard and pick by hand)

●  Standard picks storage, docs, ai, rate-limit

◆  Modules (space toggles, enter confirms)
│  ◻ Product pages
│  │ ◼ Docs site
│  │ ◻ Waitlist
│  └ ◻ Status page
│  ◻ Platform
│  │ ◼ File storage
│  │ ◼ AI
│  └ ◼ Rate limiting
│  ◻ Notifications
│  └ ◻ Notification
│  ...

●  Notification needs Webhooks, added it

◇  Keys you will need ──────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│  RESEND_API_KEY      Resend API key (email)                           │
│                      https://resend.com/api-keys                      │
│  GROQ_API_KEY        Groq API key  https://console.groq.com/keys      │
╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
◆  Resend API key (email) (optional, https://resend.com/api-keys)
│  _
```

Press Enter on any key to skip it. The skipped ones come back as a "Still to set in .env" list when the cli finishes, and `findplate doctor` keeps warning until they are filled. Skip the prompts with `--profile` or `--modules`, see [modules](https://plate.findmalek.engineer/docs/modules.md#profiles).

The cli then copies the template, installs dependencies, formats the result with biome and makes the first git commit on `main`.

## Run it

```bash
cd my-app
pnpm db:up
pnpm dev
```

| App | URL |
| --- | --- |
| web | http://localhost:3000 |
| api | http://localhost:3001 |
| dashboard | http://localhost:3002 |

`pnpm db:up` starts Postgres in docker, on the first free port from 5432. The dashboard admin email is printed when the cli finishes, and the password is `ADMIN_PASSWORD` in your `.env`.

## Next steps

- Shape the look: [customizing the theme](https://plate.findmalek.engineer/docs/theming.md)
- Add keys for the modules you picked in `.env`
- Ship it: [deploy](https://plate.findmalek.engineer/docs/deploy.md)