flutter_app_template_cli

Generate Flutter workspaces from built-in or third-party templates.

This CLI supports:

  1. Built-in templates (current monorepo and future ones).
  2. Local template directories.
  3. Git repositories (HTTPS or SSH).
  4. Template archives (.zip, .tar, .tar.gz, .tgz) with optional checksums.

Install

dart pub global activate flutter_app_template_cli

Quick start (built-in monorepo)

flutter_app_template_cli create my_workspace \
  --app-name my_app \
  --org com.example \
  --description "My Flutter app"

If you omit --app-name for the monorepo template, the CLI will default to <workspace>_app to avoid pub workspace name collisions.

By default, the CLI runs make env-init and make setup-dev. Skip that if you want to run it later:

flutter_app_template_cli create my_workspace --skip-setup

Use cases

1. Use a built-in template explicitly

flutter_app_template_cli create my_workspace --template monorepo

2. Use a local template directory

flutter_app_template_cli create my_workspace \
  --template /path/to/template \
  --var api_base_url=https://api.example.com

3. Use a Git template (HTTPS or SSH)

flutter_app_template_cli create my_workspace \
  --template https://github.com/org/repo \
  --template-ref v1.2.0

flutter_app_template_cli create my_workspace \
  --template git@github.com:org/repo.git \
  --template-ref main

4. Use a template archive (with optional checksum)

flutter_app_template_cli create my_workspace \
  --template https://example.com/templates/monorepo.tgz \
  --template-sha256 <sha256>

flutter_app_template_cli create my_workspace \
  --template /path/to/template.zip

5. Use a subdirectory inside a template source

flutter_app_template_cli create my_workspace \
  --template https://github.com/org/repo \
  --template-ref v1.2.0 \
  --template-path templates/flutter_monorepo

6. Register a template for reuse

flutter_app_template_cli template add my_template \
  https://github.com/org/repo \
  --ref v1.2.0 \
  --path templates/monorepo

flutter_app_template_cli create my_workspace --template my_template

7. List and remove registered templates

flutter_app_template_cli template list
flutter_app_template_cli template remove my_template

8. Pass custom variables into templates

flutter_app_template_cli create my_workspace \
  --template /path/to/template \
  --var api_base_url=https://api.example.com \
  --var feature_flag=true

9. Allow post-generate scripts

External templates can define post_generate commands. These are disabled by default. Enable them explicitly:

flutter_app_template_cli create my_workspace \
  --template /path/to/template \
  --allow-scripts

--skip-setup also skips post-generate scripts.

Template manifest

Third-party templates can include template.yaml (or template.json) to define variables and optional post-generate commands.

Example template.yaml:

name: my-template
description: Example template
variables:
  api_base_url:
    description: Base URL for API calls
    default: https://api.example.com
    required: true
  feature_flag:
    default: false
post_generate:
  - command: make setup-dev
requires:
  - make
  - dart

requires is checked before running scripts, and scripts run only when --allow-scripts is provided.

Token replacement

Templates can use tokens that are replaced during generation. The CLI replaces:

  1. __WORKSPACE_NAME__ from the workspace name.
  2. __APP_NAME__ from the app name.
  3. __ORG__ and __DESCRIPTION__ from CLI flags.
  4. {{variable_name}} from --var or template.yaml defaults.

Example:

__WORKSPACE_NAME__
{{api_base_url}}

Notes

  1. Built-in templates may require flutter, git, and make to be installed.
  2. External templates do not assume Flutter tooling, but their scripts might.

Starter template demo

You can find a ready-to-push starter template at demo_flutter_template

You can clone and push that template to its own Git repo and use it directly with:

flutter_app_template_cli create my_workspace \
  --template https://github.com/your-org/flutter_app_template \
  --template-ref main

For a full conversion checklist, see documentation/template_checklist.md. For a full walkthrough, see documentation/template_creator_guide.md.

Libraries

flutter_app_template_cli