twenty/packages/twenty-docs/developers/extend/apps/getting-started.mdx

---
title: Getting Started
description: Create your first Twenty app in minutes.
---

<Warning>
Apps are currently in alpha. The feature works but is still evolving.
</Warning>

Apps let you extend Twenty with custom objects, fields, logic functions, AI skills, and UI components — all managed as code.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure the following is installed on your machine:

- **Node.js 24+** — [Download here](https://nodejs.org/)
- **Yarn 4** — Comes with Node.js via Corepack. Enable it by running `corepack enable`
- **Docker** — [Download here](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/). Required to run a local Twenty instance. Not needed if you already have a Twenty server running.

## Step 1: Scaffold your app

Open a terminal and run:

```bash filename="Terminal"
npx create-twenty-app@latest my-twenty-app
```

You will be prompted to enter a name and a description for your app. Press **Enter** to accept the defaults.

This creates a new folder called `my-twenty-app` with everything you need.

<Note>
The scaffolder supports these flags:

- `--minimal` — scaffold only the essential files, no examples (default)
- `--exhaustive` — scaffold all example entities
- `--name <name>` — set the app name (skips the prompt)
- `--display-name <displayName>` — set the display name (skips the prompt)
- `--description <description>` — set the description (skips the prompt)
- `--skip-local-instance` — skip the local server setup prompt
</Note>

## Step 2: Set up a local Twenty instance

The scaffolder will ask:

> **Would you like to set up a local Twenty instance?**

- **Type `yes`** (recommended) — This pulls the `twenty-app-dev` Docker image and starts a local Twenty server on port `2020`. Make sure Docker is running before you continue.
- **Type `no`** — Choose this if you already have a Twenty server running locally.

<div style={{textAlign: 'center'}}>
  <img src="/images/docs/developers/extends/apps/start-instance.png" alt="Should start local instance?" />
</div>

## Step 3: Sign in to your workspace

Next, a browser window will open with the Twenty login page. Sign in with the pre-seeded demo account:

- **Email:** `tim@apple.dev`
- **Password:** `tim@apple.dev`

<div style={{textAlign: 'center'}}>
  <img src="/images/docs/developers/extends/apps/login.png" alt="Twenty login screen" />
</div>

## Step 4: Authorize the app

After you sign in, you will see an authorization screen. This lets your app interact with your workspace.

Click **Authorize** to continue.

<div style={{textAlign: 'center'}}>
  <img src="/images/docs/developers/extends/apps/authorize.png" alt="Twenty CLI authorization screen" />
</div>

Once authorized, your terminal will confirm that everything is set up.

<div style={{textAlign: 'center'}}>
  <img src="/images/docs/developers/extends/apps/scaffolded.png" alt="App scaffolded successfully" />
</div>

## Step 5: Start developing

Go into your new app folder and start the development server:

```bash filename="Terminal"
cd my-twenty-app
yarn twenty dev
```

This watches your source files, rebuilds on every change, and syncs your app to the local Twenty server automatically. You should see a live status panel in your terminal.

For more detailed output (build logs, sync requests, error traces), use the `--verbose` flag:

```bash filename="Terminal"
yarn twenty dev --verbose
```

<Warning>
Dev mode is only available on Twenty instances running in development (`NODE_ENV=development`). Production instances reject dev sync requests. Use `yarn twenty deploy` to deploy to production servers — see [Publishing Apps](/developers/extend/apps/publishing) for details.
</Warning>

<div style={{textAlign: 'center'}}>
  <img src="/images/docs/developers/extends/apps/dev.jpg" alt="Dev mode terminal output" />
</div>

## Step 6: See your app in Twenty

Open [http://localhost:2020/settings/applications#developer](http://localhost:2020/settings/applications#developer) in your browser. Navigate to **Settings > Apps** and select the **Developer** tab. You should see your app listed under **Your Apps**:

<div style={{textAlign: 'center'}}>
  <img src="/images/docs/developers/extends/apps/app-in-ui-1.png" alt="Your Apps list showing My twenty app" />
</div>

Click on **My twenty app** to open its **application registration**. A registration is a server-level record that describes your app — its name, unique identifier, OAuth credentials, and source (local, npm, or tarball). It lives on the server, not inside any specific workspace. When you install an app into a workspace, Twenty creates a workspace-scoped **application** that points back to this registration. One registration can be installed across multiple workspaces on the same server.

<div style={{textAlign: 'center'}}>
  <img src="/images/docs/developers/extends/apps/app-in-ui-2.png" alt="Application registration details" />
</div>

Click **View installed app** to see the installed app. The **About** tab shows the current version and management options:

<div style={{textAlign: 'center'}}>
  <img src="/images/docs/developers/extends/apps/app-in-ui-3.png" alt="Installed app — About tab" />
</div>

Switch to the **Content** tab to see everything your app provides — objects, fields, logic functions, and agents:

<div style={{textAlign: 'center'}}>
  <img src="/images/docs/developers/extends/apps/app-in-ui-4.png" alt="Installed app — Content tab" />
</div>

You are all set! Edit any file in `src/` and the changes will be picked up automatically.

Head over to [Building Apps](/developers/extend/apps/building) for a detailed guide on creating objects, logic functions, front components, skills, and more.

---

## Project structure

The scaffolder generates the following file structure (shown with `--exhaustive` mode, which includes examples for every entity type):

```text filename="my-twenty-app/"
my-twenty-app/
  package.json
  yarn.lock
  .gitignore
  .nvmrc
  .yarnrc.yml
  .yarn/
    install-state.gz
  .oxlintrc.json
  tsconfig.json
  tsconfig.spec.json                  # TypeScript config for tests
  vitest.config.ts                    # Vitest test runner configuration
  LLMS.md
  README.md
  .github/
    └── workflows/
        └── ci.yml                      # GitHub Actions CI workflow
  public/                             # Public assets (images, fonts, etc.)
  src/
  ├── application-config.ts             # Required — main application configuration
  ├── __tests__/
  │   ├── setup-test.ts                   # Test setup (server health check, config)
  │   └── app-install.integration-test.ts # Example integration test
  ├── roles/
  │   └── default-role.ts                 # Default role for logic functions
  ├── objects/
  │   └── example-object.ts               # Example custom object definition
  ├── fields/
  │   └── example-field.ts                # Example standalone field definition
  ├── logic-functions/
  │   ├── hello-world.ts                  # Example logic function
  │   ├── create-hello-world-company.ts   # Example logic function using CoreApiClient
  │   ├── pre-install.ts                  # Runs before installation
  │   └── post-install.ts                 # Runs after installation
  ├── front-components/
  │   └── hello-world.tsx                 # Example front component
  ├── page-layouts/
  │   └── example-record-page-layout.ts   # Example page layout with front component
  ├── views/
  │   └── example-view.ts                 # Example saved view definition
  ├── navigation-menu-items/
  │   └── example-navigation-menu-item.ts # Example sidebar navigation link
  ├── skills/
  │   └── example-skill.ts                # Example AI agent skill definition
  └── agents/
      └── example-agent.ts                # Example AI agent definition
```

By default (`--minimal`), only the core files are created: `application-config.ts`, `roles/default-role.ts`, `logic-functions/pre-install.ts`, and `logic-functions/post-install.ts`. Use `--exhaustive` to include all the example files shown above.

### Key files

| File / Folder | Purpose |
|---|---|
| `package.json` | Declares your app name, version, and dependencies. Includes a `twenty` script so you can run `yarn twenty help` to see all commands. |
| `src/application-config.ts` | **Required.** The main configuration file for your app. |
| `src/roles/` | Defines roles that control what your logic functions can access. |
| `src/logic-functions/` | Server-side functions triggered by routes, cron schedules, or database events. |
| `src/front-components/` | React components that render inside Twenty's UI. |
| `src/objects/` | Custom object definitions to extend your data model. |
| `src/fields/` | Custom fields added to existing objects. |
| `src/views/` | Saved view configurations. |
| `src/navigation-menu-items/` | Custom links in the sidebar navigation. |
| `src/skills/` | Skills that extend Twenty's AI agents. |
| `src/agents/` | AI agents with custom prompts. |
| `src/page-layouts/` | Custom page layouts for record views. |
| `src/__tests__/` | Integration tests (setup + example test). |
| `public/` | Static assets (images, fonts) served with your app. |

## Managing remotes

A **remote** is a Twenty server that your app connects to. During setup, the scaffolder creates one for you automatically. You can add more remotes or switch between them at any time.

```bash filename="Terminal"
# Add a new remote (opens a browser for OAuth login)
yarn twenty remote add

# Connect to a local Twenty server (auto-detects port 2020 or 3000)
yarn twenty remote add --local

# Add a remote non-interactively (useful for CI)
yarn twenty remote add --api-url https://your-twenty-server.com --api-key $TWENTY_API_KEY --as my-remote

# List all configured remotes
yarn twenty remote list

# Switch the active remote
yarn twenty remote switch <name>
```

Your credentials are stored in `~/.twenty/config.json`.

## Local development server (`yarn twenty server`)

The CLI can manage a local Twenty server running in Docker. This is the same server started automatically when you scaffold an app with `create-twenty-app`, but you can also manage it manually.

### Starting the server

```bash filename="Terminal"
yarn twenty server start
```

This pulls the `twentycrm/twenty-app-dev:latest` Docker image (if not already present), creates a container named `twenty-app-dev`, and starts it on port **2020**. The CLI waits until the server passes its health check before returning.

Two Docker volumes are created to persist data between restarts:
- `twenty-app-dev-data` — PostgreSQL database
- `twenty-app-dev-storage` — file storage

If port 2020 is already in use, you can start on a different port:

```bash filename="Terminal"
yarn twenty server start --port 3030
```

The CLI automatically configures the container's internal `NODE_PORT` and `SERVER_URL` to match the chosen port, so logic functions, OAuth, and all other internal networking work correctly.

Once started, the server is automatically registered as the `local` remote in your CLI config.

### Checking server status

```bash filename="Terminal"
yarn twenty server status
```

Displays whether the server is running, its URL, and the default login credentials (`tim@apple.dev` / `tim@apple.dev`).

### Viewing server logs

```bash filename="Terminal"
yarn twenty server logs
```

Streams the container logs. Use `--lines` to control how many recent lines to show:

```bash filename="Terminal"
yarn twenty server logs --lines 100
```

### Stopping the server

```bash filename="Terminal"
yarn twenty server stop
```

Stops the container. Your data is preserved in the Docker volumes — the next `start` picks up where you left off.

### Resetting the server

```bash filename="Terminal"
yarn twenty server reset
```

Removes the container **and** deletes both Docker volumes, wiping all data. The next `start` creates a fresh instance.

<Note>
  The server requires **Docker** to be running. If you see a "Docker not running" error, make sure Docker Desktop (or the Docker daemon) is started.
</Note>

### Command reference

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `yarn twenty server start` | Start the local server (pulls image if needed) |
| `yarn twenty server start --port 3030` | Start on a custom port |
| `yarn twenty server stop` | Stop the server (preserves data) |
| `yarn twenty server status` | Show server status, URL, and credentials |
| `yarn twenty server logs` | Stream server logs |
| `yarn twenty server logs --lines 100` | Show the last 100 log lines |
| `yarn twenty server reset` | Delete all data and start fresh |


## CI with GitHub Actions

The scaffolder generates a ready-to-use GitHub Actions workflow at `.github/workflows/ci.yml`. It runs your integration tests automatically on every push to `main` and on pull requests.

The workflow:

1. Checks out your code
2. Spins up a temporary Twenty server using the `twentyhq/twenty/.github/actions/spawn-twenty-docker-image` action
3. Installs dependencies with `yarn install --immutable`
4. Runs `yarn test` with `TWENTY_API_URL` and `TWENTY_API_KEY` injected from the action outputs

```yaml .github/workflows/ci.yml
name: CI

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main
  pull_request: {}

env:
  TWENTY_VERSION: latest

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout
        uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Spawn Twenty instance
        id: twenty
        uses: twentyhq/twenty/.github/actions/spawn-twenty-docker-image@main
        with:
          twenty-version: ${{ env.TWENTY_VERSION }}
          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

      - name: Enable Corepack
        run: corepack enable

      - name: Setup Node.js
        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version-file: '.nvmrc'
          cache: 'yarn'

      - name: Install dependencies
        run: yarn install --immutable

      - name: Run integration tests
        run: yarn test
        env:
          TWENTY_API_URL: ${{ steps.twenty.outputs.server-url }}
          TWENTY_API_KEY: ${{ steps.twenty.outputs.access-token }}
```

You don't need to configure any secrets — the `spawn-twenty-docker-image` action starts an ephemeral Twenty server directly in the runner and outputs the connection details. The `GITHUB_TOKEN` secret is provided automatically by GitHub.

To pin a specific Twenty version instead of `latest`, change the `TWENTY_VERSION` environment variable at the top of the workflow.

## Manual setup (without the scaffolder)

If you prefer to set things up yourself instead of using `create-twenty-app`, you can do it in two steps.

**1. Add `twenty-sdk` and `twenty-client-sdk` as dependencies:**

```bash filename="Terminal"
yarn add twenty-sdk twenty-client-sdk
```

**2. Add a `twenty` script to your `package.json`:**

```json filename="package.json"
{
  "scripts": {
    "twenty": "twenty"
  }
}
```

You can now run `yarn twenty dev`, `yarn twenty help`, and all other commands.

<Note>
Do not install `twenty-sdk` globally. Always use it as a local project dependency so that each project can pin its own version.
</Note>

## Troubleshooting

If you run into issues:

- Make sure **Docker is running** before starting the scaffolder with a local instance.
- Make sure you are using **Node.js 24+** (`node -v` to check).
- Make sure **Corepack is enabled** (`corepack enable`) so Yarn 4 is available.
- Try deleting `node_modules` and running `yarn install` again if dependencies seem broken.

Still stuck? Ask for help on the [Twenty Discord](https://discord.com/channels/1130383047699738754/1130386664812982322).