wheels generate app

Create a new Wheels application from templates.

Synopsis

wheels generate app [name] [template] [directory] [options]
wheels g app [name] [template] [directory] [options]
wheels new [name] [template] [directory] [options]

Description

The wheels generate app command creates a new Wheels application with a complete directory structure, configuration files, and optionally sample code. It supports multiple templates for different starting points.

Arguments

Argument	Description	Default
name	Application name	MyApp
template	Template to use	wheels-base-template@BE
directory	Target directory	./{name}

Options

Option	Description	Default
reloadPassword	Set reload password	'' (empty)
datasourceName	Database datasource name	App name
cfmlEngine	CFML engine (lucee/adobe)	lucee
--useBootstrap	Include Bootstrap CSS	false
--setupH2	Setup H2 embedded database	true
--init	Initialize as CommandBox package	false
--force	Overwrite existing directory	false
--help	Show help information

Available Templates

wheels-base-template@BE (Default)

wheels generate app myapp

• Backend Edition template

• Complete MVC structure

• Sample code and configuration

• H2 database setup by default

HelloWorld

wheels generate app myapp HelloWorld

• Simple "Hello World" example

• One controller and view

• Great for learning

HelloDynamic

wheels generate app myapp HelloDynamic

• Dynamic content example

• Database interaction

• Form handling

HelloPages

wheels generate app myapp HelloPages

• Static pages example

• Layout system

• Navigation structure

Examples

Create basic application

wheels generate app blog

Create with custom template

wheels generate app api Base@BE

Create in specific directory

wheels generate app name=myapp directory=./projects/

Create with Bootstrap

wheels generate app portfolio --useBootstrap

Create with H2 database (default is true)

wheels generate app demo --setupH2

Create with all options

wheels generate app name=enterprise template=HelloDynamic directory=./apps/ \
  reloadPassword=secret \
  datasourceName=enterprise_db \
  cfmlEngine=adobe \
  --useBootstrap \
  --setupH2

Generated Structure

myapp/
├── .wheels-cli.json      # CLI configuration
├── box.json              # Dependencies
├── server.json           # Server configuration
├── Application.cfc       # Application settings
├── config/
│   ├── app.cfm          # App configuration
│   ├── routes.cfm       # URL routes
│   └── settings.cfm     # Framework settings
├── controllers/
│   └── Main.cfc         # Default controller
├── models/
├── views/
│   ├── layout.cfm       # Default layout
│   └── main/
│       └── index.cfm    # Home page
├── public/
│   ├── stylesheets/
│   ├── javascripts/
│   └── images/
├── tests/
└── wheels/              # Framework files

Configuration Files

box.json

{
  "name": "myapp",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "dependencies": {
    "wheels": "^2.5.0"
  }
}

server.json

{
  "web": {
    "http": {
      "port": 3000
    }
  },
  "app": {
    "cfengine": "lucee5"
  }
}

.wheels-cli.json

{
  "name": "myapp",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "framework": "wheels",
  "reload": "wheels"
}

Database Setup

With H2 (Embedded)

wheels generate app myapp

• H2 is setup by default (--setupH2=true)

• No external database needed

• Perfect for development

• Auto-configured datasource

• To disable: --setupH2=false

With External Database

1. Create application:

   wheels generate app myapp datasourceName=myapp_db --setupH2=false

2. Configure in CommandBox:

   server set app.datasources.myapp_db={...}

Post-Generation Steps

1. Navigate to directory

   cd myapp

2. Install dependencies

   box install

3. Start server

   box server start

4. Open browser

   http://localhost:3000

Template Development

Create custom templates in ~/.commandbox/cfml/modules/wheels-cli/templates/apps/:

mytemplate/
├── config/
├── controllers/
├── models/
├── views/
└── template.json

Best Practices

1. Use descriptive application names

2. Choose appropriate template for project type

3. Set secure reload password for production

4. Configure datasource before starting

5. Run tests after generation

Common Issues

• Directory exists: Use --force or choose different name

• Template not found: Check available templates with wheels info

• Datasource errors: Configure database connection

• Port conflicts: Change port in server.json

See Also

• wheels init - Initialize existing application

• wheels generate app-wizard - Interactive app creation

• wheels scaffold - Generate CRUD scaffolding