Base44 CLI

Base44 CLI

Create and manage Base44 apps (projects) using the Base44 CLI tool.

⚡ IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED - Read This First

This skill activates on ANY mention of "base44" or when a base44/ folder exists. DO NOT read documentation files or search the web before acting.

Your first action MUST be:

1. Check if base44/config.jsonc exists in the current directory
2. If NO (new project scenario):
   • This skill (base44-cli) handles the request
   • Guide user through project initialization
   • Do NOT activate base44-sdk yet
3. If YES (existing project scenario):
   • Transfer to base44-sdk skill for implementation
   • This skill only handles CLI commands (login, deploy, entities push)

Critical: Local Installation Only

NEVER call base44 directly. The CLI is installed locally as a dev dependency and must be accessed via a package manager:

• npx base44 <command> (npm - recommended)
• yarn base44 <command> (yarn)
• pnpm base44 <command> (pnpm)

WRONG: base44 login RIGHT: npx base44 login

MANDATORY: Authentication Check at Session Start

CRITICAL: At the very start of every AI session when this skill is activated, you MUST:

1. Check authentication status by running:

   npx base44 whoami
   

2. If the user is logged in (command succeeds and shows an email):

   • Continue with the requested task

3. If the user is NOT logged in (command fails or shows an error):

   • STOP immediately
   • DO NOT proceed with any CLI operations
   • Ask the user to login manually by running:

     npx base44 login
     

   - Wait for the user to confirm they have logged in before continuing
   

This check is mandatory and must happen before executing any other Base44 CLI commands.

Overview

The Base44 CLI provides command-line tools for authentication, creating projects, managing entities, and deploying Base44 applications. It is framework-agnostic and works with popular frontend frameworks like Vite, Next.js, and Create React App, Svelte, Vue, and more.

When to Use This Skill vs base44-sdk

Use base44-cli when:

• Creating a NEW Base44 project from scratch
• Initializing a project in an empty directory
• Directory is missing base44/config.jsonc
• User mentions: "create a new project", "initialize project", "setup a project", "start a new Base44 app"
• Deploying, pushing entities, or authenticating via CLI
• Working with CLI commands (npx base44 ...)

Use base44-sdk when:

• Building features in an EXISTING Base44 project
• base44/config.jsonc already exists
• Writing JavaScript/TypeScript code using Base44 SDK
• Implementing functionality, components, or features
• User mentions: "implement", "build a feature", "add functionality", "write code"

Skill Dependencies:

• base44-cli is a prerequisite for base44-sdk in new projects
• If user wants to "create an app" and no Base44 project exists, use base44-cli first
• base44-sdk assumes a Base44 project is already initialized

State Check Logic: Before selecting a skill, check:

• IF (user mentions "create/build app" OR "make a project"):
  • IF (directory is empty OR no base44/config.jsonc exists): → Use base44-cli (project initialization needed)
  • ELSE: → Use base44-sdk (project exists, build features)

Project Structure

A Base44 project combines a standard frontend project with a base44/ configuration folder:

my-app/
├── base44/                      # Base44 configuration (created by CLI)
│   ├── config.jsonc             # Project settings, site config
│   ├── entities/                # Entity schema definitions
│   │   ├── task.jsonc
│   │   └── board.jsonc
│   └── functions/               # Backend functions (optional)
│       └── my-function/
│           ├── function.jsonc
│           └── index.ts
├── src/                         # Frontend source code
│   ├── api/
│   │   └── base44Client.js      # Base44 SDK client
│   ├── pages/
│   ├── components/
│   └── main.jsx
├── index.html                   # SPA entry point
├── package.json
└── vite.config.js               # Or your framework's config

Key files:

• base44/config.jsonc - Project name, description, site build settings
• base44/entities/*.jsonc - Data model schemas (see Entity Schema section)
• src/api/base44Client.js - Pre-configured SDK client for frontend use

config.jsonc example:

{
  "name": "My App",
  "description": "App description",
  "entitiesDir": "./entities",
  "functionsDir": "./functions",
  "site": {
    "installCommand": "npm install",
    "buildCommand": "npm run build",
    "serveCommand": "npm run dev",
    "outputDirectory": "./dist"
  }
}

Installation

Install the Base44 CLI as a dev dependency in your project:

npm install --save-dev base44

Important: Never assume or hardcode the base44 package version. Always install without a version specifier to get the latest version.

Then run commands using npx:

npx base44 <command>

Note: All commands in this documentation use npx base44. You can also use yarn base44, or pnpm base44 if preferred.

Available Commands

Authentication

Project Management

Deployment

Entity Management

Entity Schema (Quick Reference)

ALWAYS follow this exact structure when creating entity files:

File naming: base44/entities/{kebab-case-name}.jsonc (e.g., team-member.jsonc for TeamMember)

Schema template:

{
  "name": "EntityName",
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "field_name": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Field description"
    }
  },
  "required": ["field_name"]
}

Field types: string, number, boolean, array String formats: date, date-time, email, uri, richtext For enums: Add "enum": ["value1", "value2"] and optionally "default": "value1"

For complete documentation, see entities-create.md.

Function Management

Site Deployment

SPA only: Base44 hosting supports Single Page Applications with a single index.html entry point. All routes are served from index.html (client-side routing).

Quick Start

1. Install the CLI in your project:

   npm install --save-dev base44
   

2. Authenticate with Base44:

   npx base44 login
   

3. Create a new project (ALWAYS provide name and --path flag):

   npx base44 create my-app -p .
   

4. Build and deploy everything:

   npm run build
   npx base44 deploy -y
   

Or deploy individual resources:

• npx base44 entities push - Push entities only
• npx base44 functions deploy - Deploy functions only
• npx base44 site deploy -y - Deploy site only

Common Workflows

Creating a New Project

⚠️ MANDATORY: Before running base44 create, you MUST read create.md for:

• Template selection - Choose the correct template (backend-and-client vs backend-only)
• Correct workflow - Different templates require different setup steps
• Common pitfalls - Avoid folder creation errors that cause failures

Failure to follow the create.md instructions will result in broken project scaffolding.

Linking an Existing Project

# If you have base44/config.jsonc but no .app.jsonc
npx base44 link --create --name my-app

Deploying All Changes

# Build your project first
npm run build

# Deploy everything (entities, functions, and site)
npx base44 deploy -y

Deploying Individual Resources

# Push only entities
npx base44 entities push

# Deploy only functions
npx base44 functions deploy

# Deploy only site
npx base44 site deploy -y

Opening the Dashboard

# Open app dashboard in browser
npx base44 dashboard

Recommended package.json Scripts

Add these scripts to your package.json for easier CLI usage:

{
  "scripts": {
    "base44:login": "base44 login",
    "base44:push": "base44 entities push",
    "base44:functions": "base44 functions deploy",
    "base44:site": "base44 site deploy -y",
    "base44:deploy": "base44 deploy -y",
    "deploy": "npm run build && npm run base44:deploy"
  }
}

Then use them like:

npm run base44:login
npm run base44:push
npm run deploy  # Builds and deploys everything in one command

Authentication

Most commands require authentication. If you're not logged in, the CLI will automatically prompt you to login. Your session is stored locally and persists across CLI sessions.

Troubleshooting