Error when setting up Vite React project: npm warns about unknown config '--template'

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1

I’m having trouble setting up a new React project with Vite. When I run the command to create the app, I get a weird warning about an unknown config.

Here’s what I typed in the terminal:

npm create vite@latest my-cool-app -- --template react -y

But then I see this message:

npm WARN Unknown cli config '--template'

The app doesn’t get created like it should. I’m using Node v22.14.0 and npm v11.2.0 on Windows 10 Pro.

I even tried without the double dashes, but no luck:

npm create vite@latest my-cool-app --template react

Same problem. How can I make this work? I just want to set up a Vite React project quickly without having to answer a bunch of questions about frameworks and stuff. Any ideas?

2

I encountered a similar issue recently. The problem lies in how npm interprets the command-line arguments. For Vite, it’s better to use ‘npx’ instead of ‘npm create’. Try this command:

npx create-vite@latest my-cool-app --template react

This should work without any warnings. The ‘npx’ command ensures you’re using the latest version of create-vite and handles the arguments correctly. If you still face issues, make sure your Node.js and npm versions are up to date. As a last resort, you could also consider using the Vite CLI directly:

npm init vite@latest my-cool-app – --template react

This syntax is slightly different but achieves the same result. Let me know if you need any further assistance!

3

I’ve run into this exact problem before, and it can be frustrating. The issue is actually with how npm handles the command-line arguments for Vite. A workaround that’s worked consistently for me is using the ‘yarn’ package manager instead of npm. Here’s what you can do:

First, install yarn globally if you haven’t already:

npm install -g yarn

Then, create your Vite React project with this command:

yarn create vite my-cool-app --template react

This method bypasses the npm warning and creates the project smoothly. If you prefer sticking with npm, you could also try:

npm init vite@latest my-cool-app – --template react

The double dashes here are crucial. They separate npm’s own options from the arguments passed to the create-vite script.

Hope this helps you get your project up and running!

4

hey there! i had the same issue. try using ‘npm init vite@latest my-cool-app’ first, then choose react when prompted. if that doesn’t work, you could also use ‘yarn create vite my-cool-app --template react’ (install yarn if u don’t have it). hope this helps!