> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://novu-c5de82d9-docs-homepage-redesign.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Scaffold your project

> Generate a Novu agent bridge application with the CLI and connect it to your dashboard agent.

After you create an agent in the dashboard, scaffold the bridge application that receives events and runs your handler code.

## Scaffold with the CLI

Open a terminal in the directory where you want the project, then run:

```bash theme={null}
npx novu@latest init -t agent \
 --agent-identifier <AGENT_IDENTIFIER> \
 -s <NOVU_SECRET_KEY> \
 -a <NOVU_API_URL>
```

The CLI prompts for a project name and creates a starter app. The dashboard also provides a pre-filled copy of this command on the agent setup page with your secret key and API URL already filled in.

### What gets created

A typical scaffold produces a Next.js app with:

<Tree>
  <Tree.Folder name="app" defaultOpen>
    <Tree.File name="api/novu/route.ts" />

    <Tree.Folder name="novu">
      <Tree.Folder name="agents">
        <Tree.File name="index.ts" />

        <Tree.File name="support-agent.tsx" />
      </Tree.Folder>
    </Tree.Folder>
  </Tree.Folder>
</Tree>

* `api/novu/route.ts` exposes your agents over HTTP
* `novu/agents/index.ts` re-exports each agent
* `novu/agents/support-agent.tsx` is the starter handler (name may vary)

The `/api/novu` route is the bridge endpoint. Register it in the dashboard under your agent's bridge URL settings.

## Run locally

You have scaffolded a project with a `dev` script that runs the bridge application. To run the scaffolded project in local machine:

1. On the agent detail page, set bridge to **Local**.
2. In the project directory terminal, run:

```bash theme={null}
npx novu@latest dev --port <bridge_application_port> --no-studio
```

`--port` is where your app listens (often `3000` or `4000`). The CLI tunnels to `/api/novu` and registers the URL in Novu.

<Warning>
  Tunnel URLs cannot be used for production (Novu returns 403). Deploy a public bridge URL instead.
</Warning>

## Related

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card icon="mouse-pointer-click" href="/agents/custom-code-agent/setup-your-agent/handle-events" title="Handle events">
    Event handlers and the context object your agent receives on every turn.
  </Card>

  <Card icon="brain" href="/agents/custom-code-agent/connect-your-first-agent" title="Connect your first agent">
    Walk through a full support-bot handler file.
  </Card>

  <Card icon="rocket" href="/agents/custom-code-agent/going-to-production" title="Going to production">
    Run locally, deploy to development, and publish to production.
  </Card>
</Columns>