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Step 2 of 4vp create, vp install, vp dev|
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Install vp & Create a Project

Install the global vp binary, then scaffold a fresh project with vp create and start it with vp install and vp dev. From empty folder to running app.

What it is#

vp installs with a single script. Once it's on your PATH, vp create scaffolds a new app (interactively or from a template), vp install pulls dependencies, and vp dev starts the Vite dev server.

Why you'd care#

This is the "hello world" of Vite+. Getting a project running end-to-end proves your install works and gives you a playground for every later lesson.

Before#

You have an empty folder and no vp.

After#

A scaffolded project, dependencies installed, dev server running in your browser — all through vp.

Do it yourself#

1. Install vp globally#

macOS / Linux:

bash
curl -fsSL https://vite.plus | bash

Windows (PowerShell):

powershell
irm https://vite.plus/ps1 | iex

Open a new terminal, then confirm it worked:

bash
vp help
vp --version

On install, Vite+ turns on managed mode — it will manage your global Node.js runtime and package manager. If you'd rather opt out, run vp env off. If Vite+ isn't for you, vp implode removes it. (More on vp env in the Advanced series.)

2. Create a project#

bash
vp create

The interactive picker walks you through it. To skip the prompts, pass a template directly — for a plain Vite app:

bash
vp create vite -- --template react-ts

vp create can also make monorepos and libraries (vite:monorepo, vite:library), use community shorthands (svelte, vue, nuxt, @tanstack/start), or pull remote templates (github:user/repo). Run vp create --list to see them.

3. Install dependencies#

bash
cd my-app
vp install

vp install uses whatever package manager the project declares (via packageManager in package.json or a lockfile). You don't call pnpm/npm/yarn directly.

4. Start the dev server#

bash
vp dev

Open the URL it prints (usually http://localhost:5173). Edit a file and watch Hot Module Replacement update the page instantly.

Gotchas#

  • Open a new shell after installing. The installer edits your shell profile; the current session won't see vp until you reload.
  • On Alpine Linux (musl) you need apk add libstdc++ first — the managed Node build depends on the GNU C++ standard library.
  • vp create may pause to ask about dependency build scripts (for native deps like better-sqlite3). That's a security feature, not an error — approve the ones you trust.
  • Don't run pnpm install / npm install directly in a Vite+ project. Use vp install so the right package manager and Node version are used.

Recap#

curl … | bash installs vp. Then vp create → vp install → vp dev takes you from empty folder to running app. Keep this project — the next lesson runs the daily loop against it.

What Is Vite+?The Everyday Loop