TypeScript Node.js Project Setup Skill

TypeScript Node.js Project Setup

Scaffold production-ready TypeScript Node.js projects with modern tooling and best practices. Default configuration targets single-repository, non-UI projects (libraries, CLI tools, backend services). Uses Bun for package management and Vitest for testing.

Quick Reference: Configuration Files

| File | Purpose | | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------- | | package.json | Project metadata, dependencies, and scripts | | tsconfig.json | TypeScript compiler configuration | | biome.jsonc | Linting and formatting rules | | justfile | Task automation and project commands | | vitest.config.ts | Test framework configuration | | .gitignore | Version control exclusions | | .gitattributes | Git line-ending and merge behavior | | .husky/ | Git hooks for pre-commit automation | | bun.lockb | Dependency lock file (Bun) |

Setup Workflow

1. Initialize Project Structure

Create the project directory and initialize version control.

mkdir project-name
cd project-name
git init

2. Copy Configuration Files

Copy all configuration files from resources/ directory to the project root. These files are pre-configured to extend @sablier/devkit and follow established patterns.

Required files:

package.json - Adapt name, description, version, and author fields
tsconfig.json - Extends @sablier/devkit/tsconfig/base.json
biome.jsonc - Extends ultracite/core and @sablier/devkit/biome/base
justfile - Imports @sablier/devkit/just/base.just
vitest.config.ts - Test configuration
.gitignore - Standard Node.js exclusions
.gitattributes - Line endings and diff behavior

3. Install Dependencies

Use Bun to install project dependencies.

bun install

Core dependencies:

@sablier/devkit (from GitHub: github:sablier-labs/devkit)
typescript
vitest (testing)
@biomejs/biome (linting/formatting)
husky (git hooks)
just (task runner, if not globally installed)

4. Initialize Git Hooks

Set up Husky for pre-commit automation.

bun run prepare

This installs git hooks that run linting and formatting checks before commits.

5. Create Source Structure

Establish the core source directory and entry point.

mkdir src
touch src/index.ts

Add initial content to src/index.ts:

// -------------------------------------------------------------------------- //
//                                   EXPORTS                                  //
// -------------------------------------------------------------------------- //

export const VERSION = "0.1.0";

6. Verify Setup

Run full project checks to ensure configuration is correct.

just full-check

This executes TypeScript compilation, linting, formatting checks, and tests.

Key Configuration Choices

Shared Configuration via @sablier/devkit

All configuration files extend the shared devkit to maintain consistency across projects. This approach centralizes common patterns and reduces per-project configuration burden.

GitHub location: github:sablier-labs/devkit

TypeScript Configuration

Extend the base TypeScript configuration from devkit. Customize compilerOptions only when project-specific requirements demand it.

Example tsconfig.json:

{
  "extends": "@sablier/devkit/tsconfig/base.json",
  "compilerOptions": {
    "outDir": "./dist",
    "rootDir": "./src"
  },
  "include": ["src/**/*"],
  "exclude": ["node_modules", "dist"]
}

Key settings (inherited from devkit):

strict: true - Maximum type safety
esModuleInterop: true - CommonJS/ESM compatibility
skipLibCheck: true - Faster compilation
module: "ESNext" - Modern module system
target: "ES2022" - Recent language features

Biome Configuration

Extend both Ultracite core rules and Sablier devkit overrides. This provides opinionated linting and formatting with project-specific adjustments.

Example biome.jsonc:

{
  "$schema": "https://biomejs.dev/schemas/1.9.4/schema.json",
  "extends": ["ultracite/core", "@sablier/devkit/biome/base"],
  "formatter": {
    "indentStyle": "space",
    "lineWidth": 120
  }
}

Inherited behaviors:

Sorted imports and exports
Consistent naming conventions
No unused variables
Explicit function return types

Just Task Runner

Import base recipes from devkit and add only project-specific tasks. The devkit provides common recipes—do not duplicate them.

Example justfile:

import "./node_modules/@sablier/devkit/just/base.just"

# Default recipe
default:
    @just --list

# Project-specific recipes only
[group("app")]
build:
    na tsc

For advanced Just CLI usage (modules, attributes, inline scripts, conditional execution), consult the just-cli skill which provides comprehensive guidance on Just's advanced features.

Vitest Configuration

Configure test framework with TypeScript support and coverage reporting.

Example vitest.config.ts:

import { defineConfig } from "vitest/config";

export default defineConfig({
  test: {
    globals: true,
    environment: "node",
    coverage: {
      provider: "v8",
      reporter: ["text", "json", "html"],
    },
  },
});

Common Just Recipes

Execute these commands from the project root using the just command.

Recipes from @sablier/devkit

The devkit provides these recipes—do not redefine them:

| Recipe | Alias | Description | | ---------------- | ----- | ---------------------------------------------- | | full-check | fc | Run all code checks (biome + prettier + types) | | full-write | fw | Run all code fixes | | biome-check | bc | Run Biome linting and formatting checks | | biome-write | bw | Apply Biome fixes | | biome-lint | bl | Run Biome linter only | | type-check | tc | TypeScript type checking (tsgo/tsc) | | tsc-build | tb | Build with TypeScript | | prettier-check | pc | Check Prettier formatting | | prettier-write | pw | Apply Prettier formatting | | knip-check | kc | Check for unused exports/dependencies | | knip-write | kw | Fix unused exports/dependencies | | clean | | Clean .DS_Store files | | clean-modules | | Remove node_modules recursively | | install | | Install dependencies with ni |

Project-Specific Recipes

Define only what the devkit doesn't provide:

just build      # Compile TypeScript (project entry point)
just dev        # Start development mode with file watching
just test       # Run tests with Vitest
just test-ui    # Run tests with Vitest UI

Package.json Scripts

Leave empty besides the husky setup. The justfile is used to run commands.

Essential scripts:

{
  "scripts": {
    "prepare": "husky install"
  }
}

Directory Structure

Organize project files following these conventions:

project-name/
├── src/
│   ├── index.ts          # Main entry point
│   ├── lib/              # Library code
│   ├── utils/            # Utility functions
│   └── types/            # Type definitions
├── test/
│   └── index.test.ts     # Test files
├── dist/                 # Compiled output (gitignored)
├── coverage/             # Test coverage reports (gitignored)
├── node_modules/         # Dependencies (gitignored)
├── package.json
├── tsconfig.json
├── biome.jsonc
├── justfile
├── vitest.config.ts
├── .gitignore
├── .gitattributes
├── .husky/
│   └── pre-commit
├── bun.lockb
└── README.md

Adapting for Specific Project Types

CLI Tools

Add dependencies:

bun add commander chalk ora
bun add -d @types/node

Update package.json:

{
  "bin": {
    "cli-name": "./dist/cli.js"
  }
}

Create src/cli.ts:

#!/usr/bin/env node

import { Command } from "commander";
import { VERSION } from "./index.js";

const program = new Command();

program
  .name("cli-name")
  .description("CLI description")
  .version(VERSION);

program.parse();

Libraries

Update package.json for library distribution:

{
  "main": "./dist/index.js",
  "types": "./dist/index.d.ts",
  "exports": {
    ".": {
      "import": "./dist/index.js",
      "types": "./dist/index.d.ts"
    }
  },
  "files": ["dist"]
}

Configure tsconfig.json for declaration generation:

{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "declaration": true,
    "declarationMap": true
  }
}

Backend Services

Add server dependencies:

bun add express
bun add -d @types/express

Create src/server.ts:

import express from "express";

const app = express();
const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000;

app.get("/health", (req, res) => {
  res.json({ status: "ok" });
});

app.listen(PORT, () => {
  console.log(`Server running on port ${PORT}`);
});

Resource Files

Copy these pre-configured files from resources/ directory to bootstrap new projects:

| File | Purpose | | ------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | | package.json | Base package.json with devDependencies (adapt name, description) | | tsconfig.json | TypeScript configuration extending devkit | | biome.jsonc | Linting and formatting rules | | justfile | Project-specific recipes only (imports devkit base) | | vitest.config.ts | Test framework setup for single repos | | vitest.shared.ts | Shared test config for monorepos | | .prettierrc.js | Prettier config extending devkit | | .prettierignore | Prettier ignore patterns | | .lintstagedrc.js | Pre-commit hook configuration | | .gitignore | Standard Node.js exclusions |

Usage: Copy files to project root, then adapt package.json fields (name, description, author, version).

Important: The justfile imports @sablier/devkit/just/base.just which provides common recipes. Only add project-specific recipes that aren't in the devkit.

Reference Documentation

For React/Next.js UI Projects

Consult references/next-ui.md for guidance on:

Next.js project structure
React component patterns
UI-specific dependencies (Tailwind, Radix, etc.)
Server and client component architecture
API routes and middleware

For Monorepo Workspaces

Consult references/monorepo.md for guidance on:

Workspace configuration with Bun
Shared package setup
Cross-package dependencies
Monorepo-specific scripts
Turborepo or Nx integration

Best Practices

Dependency Management

Pin major versions but allow minor and patch updates:

{
  "dependencies": {
    "@sablier/devkit": "github:sablier-labs/devkit",
    "zod": "^3.22.0"
  }
}

Separate dev and production dependencies clearly:

Runtime code → dependencies
Build tools, linters, test frameworks → devDependencies

TypeScript Configuration

Enable strict mode for maximum type safety. Override specific checks only when absolutely necessary.

Use path aliases for cleaner imports:

{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "baseUrl": ".",
    "paths": {
      "@/*": ["src/*"]
    }
  }
}

Testing Strategy

Co-locate tests with source files or use parallel test/ directory structure.

Name test files with .test.ts or .spec.ts suffix.

Write tests first for complex logic (TDD approach).

Aim for high coverage on critical paths, but don't chase 100% arbitrarily.

Git Workflow

Commit often with descriptive messages.

Use conventional commits format: feat:, fix:, docs:, refactor:, etc.

Let Husky hooks catch issues before they reach the repository.

Tag releases with semantic versioning: v1.0.0, v1.1.0, etc.

Code Organization

Group by feature rather than by file type when projects grow beyond simple structure.

Export from index files to create clean public APIs:

// src/lib/index.ts
export { functionA } from "./moduleA.js";
export { functionB } from "./moduleB.js";

Use barrel exports sparingly - they can impact tree-shaking.

Troubleshooting

TypeScript Errors After Installation

Run type checking explicitly:

bun run typecheck

Check that @sablier/devkit installed correctly:

ls node_modules/@sablier/devkit

Biome Not Finding Configuration

Verify biome.jsonc exists in project root:

ls -la biome.jsonc

Check that Biome can parse the configuration:

bunx biome check --config-path=biome.jsonc

Just Recipes Failing

Confirm Just is installed:

just --version

Verify justfile imports are resolvable:

just --list

Check for syntax errors in custom recipes:

just --dry-run recipe-name

Git Hooks Not Running

Reinstall Husky hooks:

rm -rf .husky
bun run prepare

Verify hook scripts are executable:

chmod +x .husky/pre-commit

Integration with Existing Tools

VSCode

Recommended extensions:

Biome (biomejs.biome)
TypeScript and JavaScript Language Features (built-in)
Just (skellock.just)

Workspace settings (.vscode/settings.json):

{
  "editor.defaultFormatter": "biomejs.biome",
  "editor.formatOnSave": true,
  "editor.codeActionsOnSave": {
    "quickfix.biome": "explicit",
    "source.organizeImports.biome": "explicit"
  }
}

GitHub Actions

Example CI workflow (.github/workflows/ci.yml):

name: CI

on: [push, pull_request]

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: oven-sh/setup-bun@v1
      - run: bun install
      - run: just full-check

Pre-commit Framework

Integrate with Python's pre-commit framework if needed:

# .pre-commit-config.yaml
repos:
  - repo: local
    hooks:
      - id: biome
        name: Biome Check
        entry: just biome-check
        language: system
        pass_filenames: false

Next Steps After Setup

Write initial code in src/index.ts
Add first test in test/index.test.ts
Run just full-check to verify everything works
Create initial commit with all scaffolding
Set up remote repository and push
Configure CI/CD using GitHub Actions or similar
Write README.md with project-specific documentation
Add LICENSE file appropriate for your use case

Related Skills

just-cli - Comprehensive Just task runner patterns, modules, and advanced features
typescript - TypeScript-specific rules, patterns, and best practices
biome - Biome configuration and lint rule customization
node-deps - Dependency update strategies with Taze

Summary

This skill provides a streamlined path to creating production-ready TypeScript Node.js projects. By leveraging shared configuration from @sablier/devkit and modern tooling (Bun, Vitest, Biome, Just), new projects achieve consistency and quality from day one. Adapt the base configuration for CLI tools, libraries, or backend services as needed. Consult reference documentation for UI projects or monorepo setups when requirements extend beyond single-repository, non-UI applications.

Agent Skills: TypeScript Node.js Project Setup

Skill Files