Quickly Set Up a TypeScript-Based Express Backend with One Command
Setting up a Node JS backend with TypeScript can often involve repetitive tasks—installing dependencies, configuring the project structure, and setting up development scripts. To simplify this process, I created a CLI tool called express-ts-generator that helps you scaffold a fully configured Express project using TypeScript in seconds.
This tool is designed to be platform-friendly and works seamlessly on Windows, Linux, and macOS. Whether you're starting a new API project or building a quick prototype, this generator sets up everything you need: a clean folder structure, development and build scripts, and essential packages like nodemon, ts-node, and express.
Installation Steps
For Windows users, open PowerShell and run:
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/imutkarsht/express-ts-generator/main/install.bat -OutFile install.bat; .\install.batirm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/imutkarsht/express-ts-generator/main/install.bat -OutFile install.bat; .\install.bat
Then, add the binary path (C:\Users\YourUsername\.express-ts-generator\bin) to your system's environment variables under "Path".
For Linux/macOS, open the terminal and run:
bash <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/imutkarsht/express-ts-generator/main/install.sh)bash <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/imutkarsht/express-ts-generator/main/install.sh)
Usage
After installation, you can create a new project by running:
create-express-app my-app cd my-app npm install npm run devcreate-express-app my-app cd my-app npm install npm run dev
This spins up a development server with full TypeScript support and live reload out of the box.
Troubleshooting
If create-express-app is not recognized, restart your terminal or ensure the binary path is correctly added to your environment variables. For issues or contributions, check the official GitHub repository:
This generator aims to save time and reduce setup friction so you can focus on building your application logic.