---
url: https://docs.tailor.tech/erp-kit/get-started/quickstart.md
description: >-
  Create an ERP Kit project, add an app from a template, deploy it to a Tailor
  Platform workspace, and connect your coding agent.
---

# Getting Started

This guide creates an ERP Kit project, adds a working app from the `user-management` template, and deploys its backend and frontend to your own workspace. At the end you can sign in to the deployed app and ask your coding agent to extend it.

## Prerequisites

| Tool                    | Version                                                              | Check                               |
| ----------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| Node.js                 | 24 or later                                                          | `node --version`                    |
| pnpm                    | The version pinned in the project's `package.json`, through Corepack | `corepack enable && pnpm --version` |
| Git                     | Any recent version                                                   | `git --version`                     |
| Coding agent            | One that supports skills (optional, for the agent skills)            |                                     |
| Tailor Platform account | Access to ERP Kit under your contract                                |                                     |

## 1. Authenticate to the registry

ERP Kit is installed from Tailor's private registry. Log in and save a registry token for the first download:

```bash
pnpm dlx @tailor-platform/sdk login

tailor_token=$(pnpm dlx @tailor-platform/sdk auth token) &&
  npm config set '//registry.tailor.tech/npm/:_authToken' "$tailor_token" --location=user
```

The token goes in your user-level `~/.npmrc`, never in the repository. After the project exists, it refreshes the token by itself. See [Registry access](/erp-kit/get-started/registry-access) for details.

## 2. Create the project

```bash
mkdir my-app && cd my-app
pnpm --config.@tailor-erp:registry=https://registry.tailor.tech/npm/ dlx @tailor-erp/kit init my-app
pnpm install
```

`erp-kit init` creates the workspace layout, the registry settings (`.npmrc` and `.pnpmfile.mjs`), the agent skills, and an App CI workflow. It runs once; later changes come from [`erp-kit update`](/erp-kit/operate/update-packages).

## 3. Add an app from a template

From the project root:

```bash
pnpm exec erp-kit app init my-erp apps -t user-management
pnpm install
```

This creates `apps/my-erp/backend`, `apps/my-erp/frontend`, and `apps/my-erp/docs`. The `user-management` template comes with users, roles, permissions, and sign-in already working. Omit `-t` to choose a template interactively.

## 4. Create a workspace

Run the rest of this guide from the backend directory:

```bash
cd apps/my-erp/backend
pnpm exec tailor workspace create --name my-erp-dev --region us-west
```

Add `--organization-id <id>` (and `--folder-id <id>` to place it in a folder) to create the workspace in your organization instead of your personal account. You can also create the workspace in the [Console](https://console.tailor.tech).

Save the workspace ID from the output to `.env`:

```bash
echo "TAILOR_PLATFORM_WORKSPACE_ID=<workspace-id>" >> .env
```

::: tip
The `pnpm run` scripts read `.env` themselves. A bare `pnpm exec tailor ...` command does not, so pass `--env-file .env` to it. A command that fails with "Workspace ID not found" is usually missing this flag.
:::

## 5. Deploy and seed

```bash
pnpm run deploy
pnpm run seed
```

`deploy` applies the backend, then builds the frontend and publishes it as the `default-web` static website. A first deploy writes the application `id` into `tailor.config.ts`; commit it. If the frontend build fails, the backend is already applied: fix the error and run `pnpm run deploy` again.

`seed` loads master data and an admin user. The admin's email and password are in `seed/data/_User.jsonl`.

::: warning
The seeded admin and its password are committed to the repository. Use them only in development workspaces, and change them before anyone else signs in. See [Security defaults](/erp-kit/develop/security#security-defaults).
:::

## 6. Open the app

Print the application and website URLs:

```bash
pnpm exec tailor show --env-file .env
```

Open the `default-web` URL and sign in as the seeded admin.

To work on the frontend with hot reload against the deployed backend, write the frontend's `.env` and start Vite:

```bash
echo "VITE_TAILOR_APP_URL=$(pnpm exec tailor show --env-file .env --json | jq -r '.url')" > ../frontend/.env
echo "VITE_TAILOR_CLIENT_ID=$(pnpm exec tailor oauth2client get default --env-file .env --json | jq -r '.clientId')" >> ../frontend/.env

cd ../frontend
pnpm run generate
pnpm dev
```

The app runs at `http://localhost:5173`.

## 7. Connect your coding agent

Add the Tailor docs MCP server (`https://mcp.tailor.tech/`) to your coding agent so it can read these docs. See [MCP server](/guides/integration/mcp) for the setup steps for each agent.

The ERP Kit skills are already in `.agents/skills/`. Describe what you want to build, for example:

```
Add a backorder rule to the sales flow: when stock is short, keep the order open
and create a backorder line for the remaining quantity.
```

The agent uses `erp-kit-app-impl` to wire the modules, write the resolvers, and add tests.

::: tip
The `erp-kit-deploy-guide` skill runs steps 3 to 6 for you and can explain each step as it goes. Run `/erp-kit-deploy-guide` in your coding agent from the project root.
:::

## Next steps

* [Concepts](/erp-kit/get-started/concepts): modules, apps, templates, and what the kit owns
* [Building apps](/erp-kit/develop/building-apps): the development loop, where logic goes, and testing
* [Security and sign-in](/erp-kit/develop/security): what to change before anyone else signs in
* [Set up CI](/erp-kit/operate/setup-ci): deploy on merge and preview each pull request
* [Update packages](/erp-kit/operate/update-packages): upgrade ERP Kit and the SDK