---
title: Init Command
description: Learn more about the `init` command in Melos.
---
> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://melos.invertase.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Init Command

The `init` command initializes a new Melos workspace.
It creates the necessary configuration files and
directory structure for your monorepo.

## Basic Usage

```bash
melos init [workspace_name]
```

If no workspace name is provided, you'll be prompted to enter one.
By default, it uses the current directory name.

## Options

### --directory (-d)
Specifies the directory where the workspace should be created.
If not provided, you'll be prompted to enter one.
Defaults to the workspace name, or current directory ('.')
if the workspace name matches the current directory name.

```bash
melos init my_workspace --directory custom_dir
```

### --packages (-p)
Defines additional glob patterns for package directories
to include in the workspace, on top of `packages/**` and, if enabled,
`apps/**`. Accepts comma-separated values and can be specified multiple times.
Packages that already exist and match one of the patterns are added to the
`workspace` list of the created `pubspec.yaml`.

```bash
melos init --packages "modules/*" --packages "libs/*"
```

## Interactive Setup

When running `melos init`, you'll be guided through
an interactive setup process that will:

1. Prompt for a workspace name 
(if not provided, defaults to current directory name)
2. Ask for a directory location 
(defaults to workspace name, or '.' if matching current directory)
3. Ask if you want to include an `apps` directory (defaults to true)

## Created Files

The command creates the following structure:

```
<directory>/
├── pubspec.yaml  # Root package and Melos workspace configuration
├── packages/     # Packages directory (always created)
└── apps/         # Apps directory (created if confirmed during setup)
```

No `melos.yaml` file is created: Melos is configured in the `melos` section of
the root `pubspec.yaml`, see the [configuration overview](/configuration/overview).

### pubspec.yaml
Contains the root package configuration with:
- Project name (same as workspace name)
- Dart SDK constraints (based on current Dart version)
- Melos as a dev dependency
- A `workspace` list with the paths of the packages that already exist in
  `packages/`, `apps/` (if enabled) and the `--packages` patterns. It is omitted
  when no packages exist yet; add your packages to it once you have created
  them.
- An empty `melos` section

## Example

```bash
# Basic initialization
melos init my_workspace

# Custom initialization with options
melos init my_workspace \
  --directory custom_dir \
  --packages "modules/*"
```

After initialization, you can bootstrap your workspace by running:
```bash
cd <directory>
melos bootstrap
```