pixijs-create

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

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:

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:

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:

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

Interactive flow

Running with no arguments walks through prompts:

1. Project name (defaults to pixi-project).
2. Framework / template category.
3. Variant (TypeScript vs JavaScript where applicable).
4. 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.

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

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.

TypeScript setup

PixiJS supports WebGPU, so its type declarations depend on the WebGPU types. Where those come from depends on your TypeScript version.

• TypeScript 5: no WebGPU types are built in, so PixiJS adds @webgpu/types for you. No additional setup required.
• TypeScript 6 and 7: the WebGPU types are built into the "dom" library, but some releases leave parts out, such as GPUTextureUsage. Use @types/web, which has the full set, in place of "dom". Remove @webgpu/types from types if it's there, since it conflicts with the built-in types.

Next steps

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

1. 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.
2. Read pixijs-core-concepts for the renderer and render-loop mental model.
3. Read pixijs-scene-core-concepts before adding your first non-trivial scene so you know the container-vs-leaf rule upfront.
4. Drop in textures via pixijs-assets once you're ready to load real art.

Common Mistakes

[HIGH] Missing -- separator on npm 7+

Wrong:

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:

Wrap the init in an async IIFE instead:

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.

[HIGH] Keeping @webgpu/types in types on TypeScript 6 or 7

Wrong:

Correct: remove the "@webgpu/types" entry and keep any others.

TypeScript 6 and 7 declare the WebGPU types in their built-in "dom" library, so @webgpu/types declares them a second time. With skipLibCheck: false that produces dozens of conflicting-declaration errors inside lib.dom.d.ts and @webgpu/types. Keep it on TypeScript 5 only, where PixiJS loads it for you anyway.

[MEDIUM] Cannot find name 'GPUTextureUsage' on TypeScript 6 or 7

Up to TypeScript 6.0.3 and 7.0.2, the built-in "dom" library has no WebGPU flag constants (GPUBufferUsage, GPUColorWrite, GPUMapMode, GPUShaderStage, GPUTextureUsage), so raw WebGPU code that uses them fails with TS2552. Adding @webgpu/types back only compiles with skipLibCheck: true, because it conflicts with the built-in types. Install @types/web 0.0.352 or later, drop "dom" from lib, and add "@types/web" to types alongside any existing entries, as shown in TypeScript setup.

[MEDIUM] moduleResolution: "node" breaks subpath imports

Wrong:

Correct:

"node" (also called "node10") ignores the exports field in the PixiJS package.json, so import 'pixi.js/advanced-blend-modes' and other subpath imports don't resolve. TypeScript 6 reports TS2882 for them and deprecates the setting (TS5107); TypeScript 7 removes it (TS5108). Use "bundler" if you use a bundler, or "nodenext" otherwise.

API Reference

• create-pixi on GitHub
• create-pixi documentation site
• Application: the class the generated entry point instantiates.
• TypeScript guide: setup for TypeScript 5, 6, and 7.