Create Near App is a free, open-source command-line tool for developers who want to start building decentralized applications on the NEAR blockchain. It generates a project with a Rust smart contract, a Next.js frontend, or both, so you spend less time on blank files and more on code. If you are looking for Create Near App for Windows, this page covers what the tool does, how to install it, and where Windows users need extra steps.
The program is released under the MIT license and its source code is public on GitHub. Recent releases removed older contract language options and the legacy frontend, so use the current flags when you start a new project. The documentation mentions Windows, but contract work on Windows is usually done inside WSL.
What NEAR Development Involves
NEAR is a blockchain that runs smart contracts, which are programs stored on-chain that keep state and respond to transactions. A decentralized application usually has two halves: contract code on the chain and a frontend in the browser that sends transactions to that contract.
Both halves require setup before any real logic exists. Scaffolding tools handle the repetitive parts so you start from a working skeleton. Development is normally done on a test network first, so you can experiment before anything involves real funds.
Who Should Use Create Near App
Create Near App fits several kinds of developers. Someone learning NEAR can generate a small project and read the code to see how the pieces connect. Hackathon teams can get a runnable prototype quickly and spend their time on the idea.
Frontend developers who already know React or Next.js can add a dApp layer without designing the contract side from scratch. Contract developers who prefer Rust can start from a clean template and then adapt it to their own design.
Why Scaffolding Saves Time and Where It Stops
A template is a starting point, not a finished application. Generated code still needs review, testing and updates as your dependencies change. Treat the output as code you own from the first commit.
The real benefit is consistency. A scaffolded project gives you a known structure, so teammates and future readers can find things quickly. Keep the generated documentation and the NEAR documentation side by side while you adapt the code.
Key features
Rust smart contract templates
Next.js App Router frontends
JavaScript and TypeScript support
Free and MIT-licensed source
Supported coins
Create Near App is aimed at NEAR projects. Its templates cover Rust smart contracts and Next.js frontends, which makes it a fit for NEAR-based dApps rather than applications on other chains. Projects on other networks need their own tooling, as the comparison section below explains.
How to install Create Near App on Windows
- 1
Install Node.js
Install Node.js 22.22.2 or newer on the 22 line, 24.15 or newer, or 26 or newer. Download the installer only from the official Node.js website, and choose the line that fits your other projects.
- 2
Get Create Near App
Download only from the official website or the project's GitHub Releases page. Before running the file, compare its SHA-256 checksum with the value the project publishes, or verify its signature if one is provided. Then run the tool through npm, for example with npx create-near-app.
- 3
Set up Rust for contracts
If you plan to write smart contracts, install Rust and cargo-near. Windows contract developers should use WSL, the Windows Subsystem for Linux, for building contracts instead of working natively on Windows.
-
Confirm the tool starts
Run the command in a terminal and check that it launches before you generate a project. Creating a test project in an empty folder makes it easy to inspect the output and delete it if something is off.
System requirements
- Node.js 22.22.2 or newer on the 22 line, 24.15 or newer, or 26 or newer, because the tool is a command-line program installed and run through npm
How to use Create Near App
Once Node.js is installed, open a terminal in the folder where you want the project. Choose your template flags before you run anything, because they decide what gets generated.
- Run the tool with --contract rs to create a Rust smart contract project.
- Use --frontend next-app instead when you want a Next.js App Router frontend.
- Open the generated folder in your editor and read the README before changing any code.
- Build the contract with cargo-near from the contract directory, inside WSL if you are on Windows.
- Deploy to a test network first, and check docs.near.org for the current commands before each step.
Pros & cons
- Free and MIT-licensed, with source code on GitHub
- Generates Rust contract and Next.js App Router frontend starters
- Works with JavaScript and TypeScript projects
- Links to official NEAR documentation for next steps
- Contract work on Windows is steered toward WSL rather than native tooling
- Older contract and frontend options were removed, so older tutorials may show commands that no longer work
- Requires Node.js, and Rust plus cargo-near for contract projects
- Generated templates are a starting point and need your own testing
Is Create Near App safe?
Create Near App is a developer tool rather than a wallet, but the projects it generates can deploy code that controls accounts and funds, so handle them carefully. Download only from the official website or the project's GitHub source, and check the SHA-256 checksum or signature before running the installer. Never enter a seed phrase on third-party websites, and never paste one into a scaffolded frontend or sample app. Review generated code before deployment, especially anything that handles transfers or account access. Dependencies change over time, so check the current release on the official site before starting a new project.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/near/create-near-app. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Create Near App is a generator for NEAR projects, so it sits at the start of your workflow. Remix Desktop is an IDE for Solidity, where you write and deploy contracts in a visual environment. Foundry is a set of command-line tools for Solidity projects, and Anchor fills a similar role for Solana programs. Visual Studio Code with Solidity extensions works as an editor alongside any of them.
RPC providers such as Alchemy, Infura and QuickNode and debugging tools such as Tenderly handle node access and monitoring, which are separate concerns. Choose tools based on the chain you are building for rather than on the category name.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- MIT
- Latest version
- v10.0.0
- Last update
- 24 Oct 2026
- Windows support
- Unverified (Windows mentioned in docs)
- Source code
- github.com/near/create-near-app
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Create Near App is free and released under the MIT license, which allows use, modification and redistribution. Its source code is public on GitHub. Read the license file in the repository if you plan to include generated templates in a commercial product.
The project documentation mentions Windows, and you can run the tool from a terminal after installing Node.js. For smart contracts, the documentation advises Windows developers to use WSL, so most contract building is best done in that Linux environment.
Use Node.js 22.22.2 or newer on the 22 line, 24.15 or newer, or 26 or newer. Pick a version you can keep for other projects too. Versions below these minimums fall outside the stated requirements, so update before installing.
It is open source with a public repository, which makes the code easier to inspect. Download it only from the official website or GitHub, verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature, and review generated code before deploying anything. Never enter a seed phrase into a website or app that asks for one.
Install Node.js, Rust and cargo-near, then use WSL for the contract build. Run the tool with --contract rs to generate the project, and follow the NEAR documentation for building and deploying. Keep the work inside the Linux environment for consistency.
Not as documented. Contract language arguments with none values and the legacy frontend are no longer supported. Use --contract for Rust and --frontend next-app for Next.js App Router, and check the date of any tutorial before copying its commands.
Verdict
Create Near App suits developers who want a clean starting point for NEAR dApps without manual setup. It is free, open source and MIT-licensed, and it covers both Rust contracts and Next.js frontends. Windows users should plan on WSL for contract work and treat the generated code as a foundation to build on rather than a finished framework. If you are new to NEAR, read the documentation alongside the output. Check the current version on the official website before starting a new project.