robodev

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Getting started

Create a Starbase project from the dashboard or CLI, then edit the hosted app.

Getting startedOffline dev with robodev devConnect a frontendStartersDatabaseDomainsFile-based APIsAuthEmailPDFOrganizationsStorageSecretsPushJobsSocketsMCP toolsLLMAgentsDeployLocal developmentSelf-host a projectCLI referenceChangelog

Robodev hosts a project as a file tree: schema, APIs, and an optional frontend on one host. New project in the dashboard creates a bare project and opens its Connect page for Lovable or Bolt. robodev create scaffolds an official starter (Empty by default: placeholder items table, GET /api/health, and a hosted Welcome page). Edit locally and publish with robodev deploy. Signing up creates a personal organization; projects belong to that organization. Dashboard /login supports Google and password reset; that is control-plane login, not project-host Robodev Auth. Dashboard Profile (email, password, timezone, delete request) is the same control-plane account — it does not change project-host Auth users.

Install

terminal

npm i -g robodev

Or run commands with npx robodev without a global install.

First app

terminal

robodev auth
robodev create my-app
  • auth opens Starbase in the browser and stores tokens in ~/.robodev/credentials.json.
  • create uses Empty by default (TTY and non-TTY). It makes a Starbase project, copies Empty, writes robodev/.robodev with no frontend block, deploys, and runs pnpm install at the project root.
  • The project App URL serves the hosted Welcome page. Edit index.html and src/, then robodev deploy. robodev dev is local APIs; pnpm run dev:fe is optional local Vite.

Default create does not list starters. Pass --template (or --starter) with no id on a TTY to pick from the catalog. --template space scaffolds Space. Scripts that need Space must pass --template space. Auth chat, Marketplace, Backend, and Shadcn are on the Starter page (/docs/starter). Lovable, Bolt, or v0 should use --template backend.

What you get

  • A placeholder items table in robodev/database.ts (name: app).
  • GET /api/health. Auth remains reserved at /api/user/*.
  • A hosted Welcome page at GET / (index.html + src/). Swagger at https://{projectId}.robodev.povio.dev/_robodev/docs.
  • No Tiny apps/fe and no .robodev frontend block. Space, Auth chat, and Marketplace still use apps/fe when you pass --template.

Next

Change files locally and run robodev deploy. Deploy uploads the allowed file tree (robodev/database.ts, robodev/api/, jobs, sockets, and frontend source when present). When robodev/.robodev has a frontend block, the CLI runs the local Vite build and uploads the static output. The frontend block in robodev/.robodev sets the frontend root plus preview and build npm script names stored in that same frontend block. Preview can download the same workspace source as robodev load (More → Download zip). Destructive schema changes need confirmation or --force. Rename or permanently delete a project from Settings at /projects/:id/settings. Org admins can also set a Robodev URL or custom domain there; see Domains (/docs/domains).

Building the UI in Lovable or Bolt? In the dashboard, New project → Create project opens its Connect page; for an app you already built, use Already have an app? on Connect. The Connect page gives you a one-click Start building in Lovable / Start building in Bolt link or a prompt to copy. Lovable connects through the Robodev MCP connector by default (OAuth, no GitHub); a GitHub Action is the alternative. Bolt uses robodev-be (not the full robodev CLI) by default, or the Robodev MCP connector. Builders can also read https://robodev.povio.dev/agents.md directly. See Connect a frontend (/docs/frontend).