init

The blocklet init command is an interactive utility that scaffolds a new Blocklet project in the current working directory. It walks you through a series of prompts to generate a blocklet.yml metadata file and creates the essential files and directories needed to get started.

This command is ideal when you want to start a new project from scratch. If you prefer to start from a pre-built template, consider using the blocklet create command instead. For a deeper dive into the files generated, refer to the Project Structure documentation.

How It Works#

The init command follows a clear process to set up your project:

Usage#

To start the interactive initialization process, simply run the command in your project's root directory:

Interactive Prompts#

If you run the command without any flags, it will prompt you for the following information:

Prompt	Description	Default Source
blocklet title	The human-readable name of your blocklet.	The current directory's name.
Please write concise description:	A short summary of what your blocklet does.	The description from package.json if available.
What's the group of the blocklet?	The type of blocklet you are creating (e.g., dapp, static).	dapp
What's the entry point of the blocklet?	The main file that starts your blocklet (e.g., index.js).	Varies based on the selected group.

Command Options#

You can modify the behavior of init using the following command-line options:

Option	Description
--yes, -y	Skips all interactive prompts and uses the default values. This is useful for automated scripts.
--force	Similar to --yes, forces the initialization with default values.
--did <did>	Provides a pre-existing DID for the blocklet, skipping the wallet-based DID generation step.
--connect-url <url>	Specifies a custom Blocklet Store URL to use for generating a new DID. Defaults to the official store.
--monikers <name>	A special-purpose flag that only generates a DID with the given name and prints it, then exits. It does not initialize a project.

Generated Files and Directories#

Upon successful completion, blocklet init creates the following structure in your project directory:

File / Directory	Description
blocklet.yml	The core metadata file that defines your blocklet's properties.
blocklet.md	A Markdown file for your blocklet's detailed description and documentation.
screenshots/	A directory to store screenshots of your blocklet's user interface.
logo.png	A default placeholder logo for your blocklet.
.gitignore	A standard .gitignore file to exclude build artifacts and dependencies from version control.
index.js or index.html	A basic entrypoint file is created depending on the blocklet group (dapp or static).

Examples#

Interactive Initialization#

Run the command and answer the prompts to create your blocklet.yml.

Non-Interactive Initialization#

Use the --yes flag to accept all default values and create the project files automatically.

Using a Pre-existing DID#

If you already have a DID you wish to assign to the blocklet, you can provide it directly.

After initializing your project, you have a basic structure ready for development. The next step is to add your application logic and run it locally. For guidance on this, proceed to the Develop a Blocklet guide.