pixijs-create

SKILL.md

create pixi.js is the official CLI for scaffolding a new PixiJS v8 project. Run it with any package manager (npm, yarn, pnpm, bun) and pick a template from the interactive menu, or pass --template to skip prompts. It writes a self-contained project folder; you then cd in, install dependencies, and run the dev script.

Quick Start

Scaffold a new project with interactive prompts:

npm create pixi.js@latest

Or skip prompts by passing a project name and template:

npm create pixi.js@latest my-game -- --template bundler-vite

Then:
cd my-game
npm install
npm run dev

Requires Node.js 18+ or 20+. Some templates (notably creation-web and framework-react) may require a newer Node version; the package manager will warn if so.

Adding PixiJS to an existing project

If you already have a bundler, framework, or project set up, skip the CLI and install the package directly:

npm install pixi.js

Then import from pixi.js and construct an Application as shown in pixijs-application. The CLI templates are a convenience for new projects; they don't add anything to the library that npm install pixi.js can't give you.

Related skills: pixijs-application (how the scaffolded new Application() + app.init() entry point works), pixijs-core-concepts (renderers and the render loop), pixijs-scene-core-concepts (scene graph fundamentals for the first things you'll add to the stage), pixijs-assets (loading textures, fonts, and bundles the template expects you to drop into public/ or src/assets/).

Core Patterns

Choose a package manager

The command is the same shape for every package manager:

npm create pixi.js@latest
yarn create pixi.js
pnpm create pixi.js
bun create pixi.js

Under npm 7+ you must pass a -- before CLI flags so npm doesn't consume them:

npm create pixi.js@latest my-game -- --template bundler-vite

Yarn, pnpm, and bun don't need the extra separator:

yarn create pixi.js my-game --template bundler-vite
pnpm create pixi.js my-game --template bundler-vite
bun create pixi.js my-game --template bundler-vite

Use . as the project name to scaffold into the current directory.

Interactive flow

Running with no arguments walks through prompts:

Project name (defaults to pixi-project).

Framework / template category.

Variant (TypeScript vs JavaScript where applicable).

Whether to install dependencies immediately (some runners).

At the end, the CLI prints the cd + install + dev commands for the manager you invoked it with.

Non-interactive flow

Pass a project name and --template to skip all prompts. This is the form you want for scripts, CI, and quickstart docs:

npm create pixi.js@latest my-game -- --template bundler-vite

Available template presets

Templates fall into two categories:

Bundler templates (bundler-*): generic PixiJS setup wired up with your bundler of choice. Use one of these when you want to pick your own structure.

Creation templates (creation-*): platform-tailored starters with extras already wired in (AssetPack, sound, UI, scene routing). Use one of these when you want batteries included.

Framework templates (framework-*): PixiJS embedded inside a host framework like React.

Extension templates (extension-*): scaffolding for building a reusable PixiJS package.

For most new projects, bundler-vite is the recommended starting point.

Template
What you get

bundler-vite
Vite + TypeScript PixiJS project. The default first-stop template.

bundler-vite-js
Vite + plain JavaScript.

bundler-webpack
Webpack + TypeScript.

bundler-webpack-js
Webpack + plain JavaScript.

bundler-esbuild
esbuild + TypeScript.

bundler-esbuild-js
esbuild + plain JavaScript.

bundler-import-map
No-bundler setup using a browser import map (good for learning / demos).

creation-web
PixiJS Creation Engine web template with scene-based game scaffolding, AssetPack, sound, and UI integration.

framework-react
React + TypeScript + PixiJS via the @pixi/react package.

framework-react-js
React + plain JavaScript + PixiJS.

extension-default
Starter for building a reusable PixiJS extension/package.

The live list is maintained in the create-pixi repo; run npm create pixi.js@latest without arguments to see the current menu if you need to confirm.

Post-scaffold flow

Every template ships with the same three-step onboarding:

cd my-game
npm install
npm run dev

npm run dev starts the local dev server on the default port (Vite 5173, webpack 8080, etc.; the template's README has the exact number). Changes to src/ hot-reload without reloading the whole page.

Other scripts every template exposes (names may vary slightly by preset):

npm run build: produce a production build in dist/.

npm run preview / npm run serve: serve the production build locally.

npm run lint: run the template's configured linter if it ships one.

Scaffolding into an existing directory

Use . as the project name to write into the current working directory. The CLI refuses to run if non-empty and conflicting files exist unless you confirm the prompt.

mkdir my-game
cd my-game
npm create pixi.js@latest . -- --template bundler-vite

Next steps

After npm run dev starts, the template opens on a blank or bunny-sprite scene. The usual progression is:

Read pixijs-application to understand how the template's entry point constructs new Application() and calls await app.init(...), how app.stage / app.renderer / app.canvas hang together, and how the ResizePlugin and TickerPlugin behave by default.

Read pixijs-core-concepts for the renderer and render-loop mental model.

Read pixijs-scene-core-concepts before adding your first non-trivial scene so you know the container-vs-leaf rule upfront.

Drop in textures via pixijs-assets once you're ready to load real art.

Common Mistakes

[HIGH] Missing -- separator on npm 7+

Wrong:

npm create pixi.js@latest my-game --template bundler-vite

Correct:

npm create pixi.js@latest my-game -- --template bundler-vite

npm 7+ consumes flags after the package spec unless you pass -- to forward them. Without the separator, the CLI ignores --template and drops back to the interactive prompt. Yarn, pnpm, and bun don't need the separator.

[MEDIUM] Running with an old Node version

PixiJS requires Node 18+ or 20+. Some templates (framework-react, creation-web) expect a newer Node for their tooling. Upgrade Node before re-running the CLI if you see an "engines" warning from your package manager.

[MEDIUM] Top-level await app.init() broken in Vite production builds

On Vite versions <=6.0.6, top-level await works in dev but breaks in production builds, so a bundler-vite project that does this at module scope will fail after npm run build:

const app = new Application();
await app.init({ resizeTo: window }); // broken at module top level in prod

Wrap the init in an async IIFE instead:

(async () => {
  const app = new Application();
  await app.init({ resizeTo: window });
  document.body.appendChild(app.canvas);
})();

Upgrading Vite past 6.0.6 also resolves it, but the IIFE pattern is safe on every version and matches the PixiJS quick-start guide.

API Reference

create-pixi on GitHub

create-pixi documentation site

Application: the class the generated entry point instantiates.