Quick Start: npx create-react-on-rails-app

The fastest way to start a new React on Rails project. One command creates a fully configured Rails + React application with TypeScript, server-side rendering, hot module replacement, and React on Rails Pro for React 19.2 feature support.

Quick Start

npx create-react-on-rails-app my-app
cd my-app
bin/rails db:prepare
bin/dev

On fresh apps, bin/dev will try to open http://localhost:3000 the first time the app boots successfully. The generated home page links to the example pages, the key files React on Rails created for you, and follow-on docs for React 19.2 features, Pro, optional React Server Components, and the marketplace demo. The generated app also includes a step-by-step git history so you can inspect each major scaffold phase with git log --oneline --reverse.

This creates a TypeScript React on Rails Pro app by default because Pro is where React 19.2 feature support lives. New users do not need to choose a setup mode. The default adds react_on_rails_pro automatically and the generated home page links to /hello_world.

Use --standard only when you intentionally want an open-source-only scaffold. Use --rsc when you want Pro with the generated React Server Components example. Pro modes require react_on_rails_pro to be installable in your environment (Pro setup docs). All mode flags support JavaScript (.jsx) and TypeScript (.tsx) templates.

Free in development, test, CI, and staging, and in production for small organizations, charities, schools, and hospitals; larger organizations subscribe at https://pro.reactonrails.com/ ($1,800 per year per organization). No license key is needed to run Pro.

To try the latest release candidate instead of the latest stable release, use the npm rc tag:

npx create-react-on-rails-app@rc my-app

When the CLI itself is a prerelease, it pins react_on_rails to the matching RubyGems prerelease automatically. For --pro or --rsc modes, it also pins react_on_rails_pro to the same prerelease. For example, an npm CLI version ending in -rc.N maps to a RubyGems version ending in .rc.N (see Prerelease version formats for the full mapping table).

Options

# Default: React on Rails Pro for React 19.2 support
npx create-react-on-rails-app my-app

# JavaScript instead of TypeScript
npx create-react-on-rails-app my-app --template javascript

# Add Tailwind CSS v4 to the generated SSR example
npx create-react-on-rails-app my-app --tailwind

# Use Webpack instead of the default Rspack bundler
npx create-react-on-rails-app my-app --webpack

# Specify package manager
npx create-react-on-rails-app my-app --package-manager pnpm

# Make the default Pro setup explicit
npx create-react-on-rails-app my-app --pro

# Advanced: generate Pro with the React Server Components example
npx create-react-on-rails-app my-app --rsc

# Advanced: generate the open-source-only setup
npx create-react-on-rails-app my-app --standard

All Options

Option	Description	Default
-t, --template <type>	javascript or typescript	typescript
--rspack	Use Rspack as the bundler (~20x faster; Rspack is the default)	true
--webpack, --no-rspack	Use Webpack instead of Rspack	false
--pro	Generate the default React on Rails Pro setup explicitly	default behavior
--rsc	Advanced: generate React on Rails Pro with the React Server Components example	false
--standard	Advanced: generate open-source React on Rails without Pro React 19.2 features	false
--tailwind	Add Tailwind CSS v4 to the generated SSR example	false
-p, --package-manager <pm>	npm or pnpm	auto-detected

When none of --standard, --pro, or --rsc is given, the CLI uses the Pro setup. No setup questions are asked, including in non-TTY environments such as CI, piped input, or redirected output. Add --standard to any CI command that intentionally needs the open-source-only scaffold.

What It Does

The CLI runs these steps automatically:

1. Creates a Rails app (rails new with PostgreSQL, no default JS)
2. Adds required gems (bundle add react_on_rails, plus react_on_rails_pro unless you use --standard)
3. Runs the generator (rails generate react_on_rails:install with your selected flags)
4. Creates educational git commits for each logical setup step

After completion, you get:

• A Rails 7+ app with PostgreSQL
• Shakapacker configured with Rspack by default (or Webpack when requested) and HMR
• A generated React example: HelloWorld by default, or HelloServer when using --rsc
• A generated home page at / with links to the example pages, important project files, and Pro/RSC learning resources
• A teaching-friendly git history that separates Rails creation, gem installation, generator output, and pnpm normalization
• Standard Rails git scaffold files (.gitignore and .gitattributes) preserved in the generated app
• Default Pro setup with Pro Node renderer wiring and the generated /hello_world example
• Optional Pro RSC setup (--rsc) with the HelloServer route, RSC package, and Pro Node renderer wiring
• Optional Tailwind CSS v4 setup (--tailwind) for the generated SSR example
• Server-side rendering ready
• Development scripts (bin/dev with hot reloading and first-run browser open)

Prerequisites

The CLI checks for these before starting:

• Node.js 18+
• Ruby 3.3+
• Rails 7.0+ (gem install rails)
• git
• npm or pnpm
• PostgreSQL running locally (needed at bin/rails db:prepare, not validated by the CLI)

If any of the first five are missing, you'll get a clear error message with installation instructions.

Adding to an Existing Rails App

If you already have a Rails app, use the generator directly instead:

bundle add react_on_rails --strict
rails generate react_on_rails:install --typescript  # TypeScript (recommended)
rails generate react_on_rails:install               # JavaScript

See Installation into an Existing Rails App for details.

What's Next?

Now that you have React on Rails running, here are ways to level up:

• Add server-side rendering — SSR guide
• See the feature comparison — OSS vs Pro
• Add React Server Components when you want the RSC example and streaming path — RSC guide
• Explore the full docs — Documentation index