pipecat-ai · markbackman · Jun 4, 2026 · Jun 13, 2026 · Jun 13, 2026 · Jun 13, 2026
diff --git a/api-reference/cli/create.mdx b/api-reference/cli/create.mdx
@@ -0,0 +1,328 @@
+---
+title: create
+description: "Scaffold a new Pipecat project with an interactive wizard or CLI flags"
+---
+
+Create a new Pipecat project with guided setup for bot type, transport, AI services, and deployment options. Supports both an interactive wizard and a fully non-interactive mode for automation.
+
+**Usage:**
+
+```shell
+pipecat create [OPTIONS]
+```
+
+<Tip>
+  To make an existing project agent-ready (so an AI coding assistant follows
+  Pipecat conventions and can drive `pipecat create` for you), see
+  [`pipecat init`](/api-reference/cli/init).
+</Tip>
+
+**Options:**
+
+<ParamField path="--output / -o" type="string">
+  Output directory where files will be saved. Defaults to current directory.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--name / -n" type="string">
+  Project name. Providing this flag triggers non-interactive mode.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--bot-type / -b" type="string">
+  Bot type: `web` or `telephony`.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--transport / -t" type="string">
+  Transport provider. Repeatable for multiple transports (e.g. `-t daily -t
+  smallwebrtc`). Valid values: `daily`, `smallwebrtc`, `twilio`, `telnyx`,
+  `plivo`, `exotel`, `daily_pstn`, `twilio_daily_sip`.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--mode / -m" type="string">
+  Pipeline mode: `cascade` or `realtime`.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--stt" type="string">
+  Speech-to-Text service (cascade mode). e.g. `deepgram_stt`, `openai_stt`.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--llm" type="string">
+  Language model service (cascade mode). e.g. `openai_llm`, `anthropic_llm`.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--tts" type="string">
+  Text-to-Speech service (cascade mode). e.g. `cartesia_tts`, `elevenlabs_tts`.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--realtime" type="string">
+  Realtime service (realtime mode). e.g. `openai_realtime`,
+  `gemini_live_realtime`.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--video" type="string">
+  Video avatar service (web bots only). e.g. `heygen_video`, `tavus_video`,
+  `simli_video`.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--client-framework" type="string">
+  Client framework (web bots only): `react`, `vanilla`, or `none`.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--client-server" type="string">
+  Client dev server (when using `--client-framework react`): `vite` or `nextjs`.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--daily-pstn-mode" type="string">
+  Daily PSTN mode (required when transport is `daily_pstn`): `dial-in` or
+  `dial-out`.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--twilio-daily-sip-mode" type="string">
+  Twilio + Daily SIP mode (required when transport is `twilio_daily_sip`):
+  `dial-in` or `dial-out`.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--recording / --no-recording" type="boolean" default="false">
+  Enable audio recording.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField
+  path="--transcription / --no-transcription"
+  type="boolean"
+  default="false"
+>
+  Enable transcription logging.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField
+  path="--video-input / --no-video-input"
+  type="boolean"
+  default="false"
+>
+  Enable video input (web bots only).
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField
+  path="--video-output / --no-video-output"
+  type="boolean"
+  default="false"
+>
+  Enable video output (web bots only).
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField
+  path="--deploy-to-cloud / --no-deploy-to-cloud"
+  type="boolean"
+  default="true"
+>
+  Generate Pipecat Cloud deployment files (Dockerfile, pcc-deploy.toml).
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField
+  path="--enable-krisp / --no-enable-krisp"
+  type="boolean"
+  default="false"
+>
+  Enable Krisp noise cancellation (requires cloud deployment).
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField
+  path="--observability / --no-observability"
+  type="boolean"
+  default="false"
+>
+  Enable observability.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--eval / --no-eval" type="boolean" default="false">
+  Make the generated bot eval-ready: add an `eval` transport entry and starter
+  scenarios in `server/evals/`, plus the dependencies to run them. See the
+  evals docs for the verification workflow.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--config / -c" type="string">
+  Path to a JSON config file. Triggers non-interactive mode. CLI flags override
+  file values.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--dry-run" type="boolean" default="false">
+  Print the resolved configuration as JSON without generating any files.
+</ParamField>
+
+<ParamField path="--list-options" type="boolean" default="false">
+  Print all available service options as JSON and exit. Useful for CI scripts
+  and coding agents that need to discover valid values at runtime.
+</ParamField>
+
+## Quickstart Project
+
+To scaffold the canned quickstart project (sensible defaults, no prompts):
+
+```shell
+pipecat create quickstart
+```
+
+## Interactive Setup
+
+When run without `--name` or `--config`, the CLI guides you through selecting:
+
+- **Bot type and client framework** - Phone, web (Next.js, Vite, Vanilla JS), or mobile
+- **Transport provider** - Daily, Twilio, Telnyx, Plivo, Exotel
+- **Pipeline mode** - Cascade or Realtime
+- **AI services** - STT, LLM, and TTS providers
+- **Optional features** - Additional capabilities for your bot
+- **Deployment target** - Local development or Pipecat Cloud
+
+## Non-Interactive Mode
+
+When `--name` or `--config` is provided, all configuration is taken from CLI flags or a JSON config file with no interactive prompts. This is useful for automation, scripting, and coding agents.
+
+All required fields must be specified or the command exits with a list of all missing/invalid fields.
+
+## Examples
+
+### Interactive Wizard
+
+```shell
+pipecat create
+```
+
+### Non-Interactive (Cascade)
+
+```shell
+pipecat create --name my-bot --bot-type web --transport daily \
+  --mode cascade --stt deepgram_stt --llm openai_llm --tts cartesia_tts
+```
+
+### Non-Interactive (Realtime)
+
+```shell
+pipecat create --name rt-bot --bot-type web --transport smallwebrtc \
+  --mode realtime --realtime openai_realtime
+```
+
+### Multiple Transports
+
+```shell
+pipecat create --name my-bot --bot-type web \
+  --transport daily --transport smallwebrtc \
+  --mode cascade --stt deepgram_stt --llm openai_llm --tts cartesia_tts
+```
+
+### With React Client
+
+```shell
+pipecat create --name my-bot --bot-type web --transport daily \
+  --mode cascade --stt deepgram_stt --llm openai_llm --tts cartesia_tts \
+  --client-framework react --client-server vite
+```
+
+### Telephony
+
+```shell
+pipecat create --name call-bot --bot-type telephony --transport twilio \
+  --mode cascade --stt deepgram_stt --llm openai_llm --tts cartesia_tts
+```
+
+### Eval-Ready Bot
+
+```shell
+pipecat create --name my-bot --bot-type web --transport daily \
+  --mode cascade --stt deepgram_stt --llm openai_llm --tts cartesia_tts \
+  --eval
+```
+
+### Discover Available Options
+
+```shell
+# List all valid service values as JSON
+pipecat create --list-options
+```
+
+Output:
+
+```json
+{
+  "bot_type": ["web", "telephony"],
+  "transports": {
+    "web": ["daily", "smallwebrtc"],
+    "telephony": ["twilio", "twilio_daily_sip_dialin", "twilio_daily_sip_dialout", ...]
+  },
+  "stt": ["deepgram_stt", "mistral_stt", "openai_stt", "xai_stt", ...],
+  "llm": ["openai_llm", "anthropic_llm", ...],
+  "tts": ["cartesia_tts", "elevenlabs_tts", "soniox_tts", ...],
+  "realtime": ["openai_realtime", "gemini_live_realtime", ...],
+  "video": ["heygen_video", "tavus_video", "simli_video"]
+}
+```
+
+This is useful for scripting — for example, to pick a random TTS provider:
+
+```shell
+options=$(pipecat create --list-options)
+tts=$(echo "$options" | jq -r '.tts[0]')
+```
+
+### Dry Run
+
+```shell
+# Preview resolved config as JSON without generating files
+pipecat create --name my-bot --bot-type web --transport daily \
+  --mode cascade --stt deepgram_stt --llm openai_llm --tts cartesia_tts \
+  --dry-run
+```
+
+### From Config File
+
+```shell
+pipecat create --config project-config.json
+```
+
+Sample `project-config.json`:
+
+```json
+{
+  "project_name": "my-bot",
+  "bot_type": "web",
+  "transports": ["daily"],
+  "mode": "cascade",
+  "stt_service": "deepgram_stt",
+  "llm_service": "openai_llm",
+  "tts_service": "cartesia_tts",
+  "recording": false,
+  "transcription": false,
+  "deploy_to_cloud": true,
+  "enable_krisp": false,
+  "enable_observability": false
+}
+```
+
+CLI flags override any values in the file, so you can use a base config and customize per-run:
+
+```shell
+pipecat create --config base-config.json --name custom-name --no-deploy-to-cloud
+```
+
+### Specify Output Directory
+
+```shell
+pipecat create --output my-bot
+```
+
+## Generated Project Structure
+
+```
+mybot/
+├── server/                 # Python bot server
+│   ├── bot.py              # Main bot implementation
+│   ├── evals/              # Starter eval scenarios (with --eval)
+│   ├── pyproject.toml      # Python dependencies
+│   ├── .env.example        # Environment variables template
+│   ├── Dockerfile          # Container image (if cloud enabled)
+│   └── pcc-deploy.toml     # Deployment config (if cloud enabled)
+├── client/                 # Web client (if generated)
+│   ├── src/
+│   ├── package.json
+│   └── ...
+├── .gitignore
+└── README.md               # Project setup instructions
+```