---
title: Init command
description: Create a new Melos workspace in the current repository.
---
> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://melos.invertase.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

The `init` command initializes a new Melos workspace.
It creates the necessary configuration files and
directory structure for your monorepo.

## Basic usage

Create a Melos workspace in the current repository:

```bash
melos init [WORKSPACE_NAME]
```

If you omit a workspace name, Melos prompts you for one.
By default, it uses the current directory name.

## Options

### --directory (-d)
Specifies the directory where the workspace is created.
If you omit it, Melos prompts you for one.
Defaults to the workspace name, or current directory (`.`)
if the workspace name matches the current directory name.

Create a workspace in a custom directory:

```bash
melos init my_workspace --directory custom_dir
```

### --packages (-p)
Defines additional glob patterns for package directories
to include in the workspace, on top of `packages/**` and, if enabled,
`apps/**`. Accepts comma-separated values and can be specified multiple times.
Packages that already exist and match one of the patterns are added to the
`workspace` list of the created `pubspec.yaml` file.

Include extra package globs when you initialize:

```bash
melos init --packages "modules/*" --packages "libs/*"
```

## Interactive setup

When you run `melos init`, Melos guides you through this interactive setup:

1. Prompt for a workspace name (defaults to the current directory name if omitted).
2. Ask for a directory location (defaults to the workspace name, or `.` if that matches the current directory).
3. Ask whether to include an `apps` directory (defaults to true).

## Created files

The command creates the following structure:

```text
DIRECTORY/
├── pubspec.yaml  # Root package and Melos workspace configuration
├── packages/     # Packages directory (always created)
└── apps/         # Apps directory (created if confirmed during setup)
```

No `melos.yaml` file is created. Melos is configured in the `melos` section of
the root `pubspec.yaml` file. For more information, see the
[configuration overview](/configuration/overview).

### pubspec.yaml
The root `pubspec.yaml` file includes the following:
- Project name (same as workspace name)
- Dart SDK constraints (based on current Dart version)
- Melos as a dev dependency
- A `workspace` list of existing package paths under `packages/`, `apps/` (if enabled), and the `--packages` patterns
- An empty `melos` section

The `workspace` list is omitted when no packages exist yet. After you create
packages, add them to the `workspace` list.

## Example

Initialize a workspace with a custom directory and package globs:

```bash
# Basic initialization

melos init my_workspace

# Custom initialization with options

melos init my_workspace \
  --directory custom_dir \
  --packages "modules/*"
```

After initialization, bootstrap your workspace:

```bash
cd DIRECTORY
melos bootstrap
```