Product update: introducing Croct CLI
We're thrilled to announce the launch of the Croct CLI, a powerful tool designed to make the developer experience faster, easier, and error-free.
Why we built it
Even the simplest integrations can feel tedious. Reading docs, configuring keys, setting up middleware — it's a lot, especially when you're eager to build.
Over the years, we've worked hard to simplify how developers integrate Croct. Still, until now, it required several manual steps to get everything working smoothly with frameworks like Next.js and React.
Automating these changes isn't easy. Every codebase has its own quirks, like styles, structures, and edge cases, to name a few. But delivering a frictionless developer experience has always been our North Star.
That's why the Croct CLI is a major milestone. It automates the entire setup, whether you're integrating into an existing project or starting fresh. No need to create an account or leave your terminal. Just run one command, and you're up and running.
Key features
The Croct CLI brings a suite of powerful features designed to make the developer experience a breeze.
Onboarding
Trying Croct for the first time? Already a user? Either way, everything happens right from your terminal. Creating an account, logging in, and even recovering your password, all handled seamlessly when you run your first command.
Automated integration
The new CLI automates project integration and management from start to finish. It covers everything from generating API keys and adding dependencies to refactoring code automatically.
Let's use a Next.js project as an example. Previously, integrating Croct usually required:
- Creating an account
- Checking framework versions
- Setting up API keys
- Installing and configuring middleware
- Handling TypeScript types
- Set up the fallback content
- Manually updating schema changes and more.
Each step was a potential point of failure. Now it's just:
croct init
And that's it! Your project is fully integrated.
Need to update content?
croct update hero
Upgrade schemas?
croct upgrade hero
Type generation
The Croct CLI automatically generates TypeScript definitions based on your content schema. This means full static type checking and intelligent autocomplete every time you add, update, or upgrade content.
Templates
One of the Croct CLI's most powerful features is Templates.
Unlike traditional templates, which simply copy boilerplate code, Croct templates are dynamic and smart because they have embedded logic. They detect your project's context, such as your stack, linting setup, or whether you're using app or page router, and adapt accordingly. They also account for what's available in your Croct account, including plan features and quotas.
Templates can even create and configure resources, such as components, slots, and experiences, all in one go.
Want to share your work? You can create and distribute your own templates. Say you've built a killer personalization strategy and want your teammate to reuse it. You can just run:
croct create template
The CLI guides you through selecting the resources, then packages everything into a reusable template file ready to be shared.
Deep links
For an even smoother workflow, the CLI supports deep links.
The first time you run the CLI, you'll see a prompt to enable deep link support.
Once enabled, you can trigger CLI commands directly from the Croct UI. That's right, you can install templates, sync schemas, and more with a single click.
What's next?
The Croct CLI is just getting started. We're now working on:
- AI-generated slot designs for instant polished UIs
- GitHub login for one-click account creation
- Mock server for local testing
- Auto code migration between schema versions
- One-click Vercel deployment to make it easier to get started
- A template hub to discover and share integrations
Try it now
Whether you're exploring Croct for the first time or already using it, we recommend trying the new CLI and discovering what's possible.
To install it globally, run:
npm i croct -g
We'd love your feedback! This is the first public release, so you might encounter a few rough edges as we continue to improve. If you run into any issues or have suggestions, please open an issue on GitHub or reach out to us.
You can also join our Slack community — we're there every day, and happy to help.