Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What is Better-T-Stack?

Better-T-Stack is a modern CLI tool that helps you scaffold end-to-end type-safe TypeScript projects. It provides opinionated, production-ready configurations for full-stack applications with support for multiple frontend frameworks, backend frameworks, databases, and deployment options.

How is Better-T-Stack different from other scaffolding tools?

• End-to-End Type Safety: TypeScript across your entire stack with proper type sharing
• Modern Stack Focus: Latest versions of popular frameworks and tools
• Production Ready: Configurations used in real production applications
• Highly Customizable: Mix and match technologies based on your needs
• Monorepo Structure: Organized project structure with shared packages
• Database Integration: Built-in database setup and ORM configuration
• Authentication: Integrated auth with Better-Auth
• Multi-Platform: Web, mobile, and desktop app support in one project

Is Better-T-Stack free to use?

Yes, Better-T-Stack is completely free and open-source under the MIT license. You can use it for personal and commercial projects without any restrictions.

Do I need to know all these technologies to use Better-T-Stack?

No! Better-T-Stack is designed to help you learn modern full-stack development. Each generated project includes:

• Comprehensive README with setup instructions
• Example code and patterns
• TypeScript for better developer experience
• Best practices and folder structure

Installation & Setup

Which package manager should I use?

You can use any of the major package managers:

• npm: Most widely supported, comes with Node.js
• pnpm: Faster installs, better disk space efficiency
• bun: All-in-one runtime, extremely fast

For monorepo projects, we recommend pnpm for its excellent workspace support.

Do I need to install the CLI globally?

No, you can use npx to run the latest version without installation:

npx create-better-t-stack@latest my-project

This ensures you always use the latest version with the newest features and bug fixes.

What Node.js version do I need?

Better-T-Stack requires Node.js 18 or higher. We recommend using the latest LTS version for the best experience.

Can I use Better-T-Stack with existing projects?

Better-T-Stack is designed for new projects. For existing projects, you can:

1. Create a new Better-T-Stack project
2. Gradually migrate your code
3. Use the add command to add specific features to existing Better-T-Stack projects

Configuration & Stack Choices

Can I change my stack choices after creating a project?

Some changes are possible:

• Easy: Add addons, examples, or deployment configurations using the add command
• Medium: Switch between compatible ORMs or databases (requires manual migration)
• Hard: Change frontend/backend frameworks (requires significant refactoring)

It's best to plan your stack carefully during initial setup.

What's the difference between tRPC and oRPC?

• tRPC: End-to-end type safety with TypeScript inference, great for TypeScript-only projects
• oRPC: OpenAPI-compatible type-safe APIs, better for teams using multiple languages or requiring OpenAPI specs

Both provide excellent type safety, choose based on your team's needs.

Should I use Drizzle or Prisma?

• Drizzle: TypeScript-first, lightweight, great for edge deployments, SQL-like syntax
• Prisma: Feature-rich, mature ecosystem, great tooling, GraphQL-like schema

Choose Drizzle for modern TypeScript projects and Prisma for feature-rich applications.

What's the recommended stack for beginners?

For beginners, we recommend:

npx create-better-t-stack@latest my-first-project \
  --frontend tanstack-router \
  --backend hono \
  --database sqlite \
  --orm drizzle \
  --auth \
  --addons turborepo biome

This provides a simple but powerful full-stack setup that's easy to understand and deploy.

Compatibility Questions

Can I use MongoDB with Drizzle?

No, Drizzle doesn't support MongoDB. For MongoDB, use:

• Prisma ORM: Full ORM support for MongoDB
• Mongoose: Traditional MongoDB object modeling

Why can't I use tRPC with Nuxt/SvelteKit/SolidJS?

tRPC is primarily designed for React ecosystems. For these frameworks, use:

• oRPC: Provides similar type safety with broader framework support
• None: Use the framework's built-in API capabilities

Can I use Cloudflare Workers with any backend?

Cloudflare Workers runtime only supports:

• Backend: Hono only
• Database: SQLite with Cloudflare D1
• ORM: Drizzle only

This is due to the serverless nature and limitations of the Workers environment.

Which addons work with which frontends?

Database & Hosting

What database should I choose for production?

For small to medium applications:

• SQLite + Turso: Excellent performance, easy scaling
• PostgreSQL + Neon: Serverless PostgreSQL, great for startups

For large applications:

• PostgreSQL + Supabase: Full backend-as-a-service
• MongoDB + Atlas: NoSQL flexibility with managed hosting

Do I need Docker for development?

Docker is optional and only required for:

• Database Setup: If you choose --db-setup docker
• Local Development: Some setups like Supabase local development

Many database options (Turso, Neon, MongoDB Atlas) don't require Docker.

How do I deploy my Better-T-Stack application?

Better-T-Stack projects are configured for easy deployment:

Frontend:

• Vercel: Zero-config deployment for Next.js, React apps
• Netlify: Static site deployment
• Cloudflare Workers: Edge deployment with --web-deploy workers

Backend:

• Railway: Easy backend deployment
• Fly.io: Global application deployment
• Cloudflare Workers: Serverless edge deployment

Development & Troubleshooting

My project won't start after creation. What should I do?

1. Check Node.js version: Ensure you're using Node.js 18+
2. Install dependencies: Run npm install in the project directory
3. Check environment variables: Copy .env.example to .env and fill in values
4. Database setup: Run database migrations if using a database
5. Check the README: Each project includes detailed setup instructions

I'm getting TypeScript errors. How do I fix them?

1. Install dependencies: Ensure all packages are installed
2. Restart TypeScript server: In VS Code, use Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + P → "TypeScript: Restart TS Server"
3. Check imports: Ensure all imports are correct and packages are installed
4. Update types: Run npm run check-types to see detailed errors

How do I update dependencies in my project?

# Check for updates
npx taze -r

# Update all dependencies
npm update

# Or with other package managers
pnpm update
bun update

Can I use Better-T-Stack with VS Code?

Yes! Better-T-Stack projects work excellently with VS Code. We recommend these extensions:

• TypeScript and JavaScript Language Features (built-in)
• Tailwind CSS IntelliSense
• Prisma or Drizzle Kit extensions
• ESLint (if using Biome addon)

My mobile app won't connect to the backend. What's wrong?

This is a common issue with Expo and local development:

1. Check environment variables: Update EXPO_PUBLIC_SERVER_URL in apps/native/.env
2. Use your local IP: Replace localhost with your computer's IP address
3. Check firewall: Ensure your firewall allows connections on port 3000
4. Use tunnel: Consider using npx expo start --tunnel

Advanced Usage

Can I customize the generated templates?

Currently, Better-T-Stack doesn't support custom templates, but you can:

1. Fork the repository and modify templates
2. Create a feature request for specific customizations
3. Modify the generated project after creation

How do I contribute to Better-T-Stack?

We welcome contributions! Here's how to get started:

1. Fork the repository on GitHub
2. Clone your fork locally
3. Install dependencies: pnpm install
4. Make your changes and test them
5. Submit a pull request with a clear description

Can I use Better-T-Stack in my company/team?

Absolutely! Better-T-Stack is perfect for:

• Standardizing project structure across teams
• Onboarding new developers with consistent setup
• Rapid prototyping and MVP development
• Client projects with proven, production-ready configurations

How do I disable telemetry?

Better-T-Stack collects anonymous usage data to improve the tool. To disable:

# Disable for single run
BTS_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1 npx create-better-t-stack@latest my-app

# Disable globally
export BTS_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1

Add the export to your shell profile (.bashrc, .zshrc, etc.) to make it permanent.

Getting Help

Where can I get help?

• Documentation: Comprehensive guides at better-t-stack.dev/docs
• GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
• GitHub Discussions: Community support and questions
• Discord/Twitter: Follow for updates and community discussion

How do I report a bug?

1. Search existing issues to avoid duplicates
2. Create a new issue with:
   • Clear description of the problem
   • Steps to reproduce
   • Your system information (OS, Node.js version, etc.)
   • Generated project configuration
   • Error messages or screenshots

How do I request a new feature?

1. Check existing feature requests in GitHub Issues
2. Create a new issue with the "feature request" label
3. Describe the feature and its use case
4. Explain why it would benefit the community

Is there a community?

Yes! You can connect with other Better-T-Stack users:

• GitHub Discussions: Ask questions and share projects
• Twitter: Follow @AmanVarshney01 for updates
• Show your projects: Tag us when you build something with Better-T-Stack!

Sponsorship & Support

How can I support Better-T-Stack?

• ⭐ Star the repository on GitHub
• 🐛 Report bugs and suggest improvements
• 💰 Sponsor the project on GitHub Sponsors
• 📢 Share with others who might find it useful
• 🤝 Contribute code or documentation

Who sponsors Better-T-Stack?

View current sponsors by running:

npx create-better-t-stack@latest sponsors

Or visit: github.com/sponsors/AmanVarshney01

Still have questions? Feel free to ask in GitHub Discussions or check our documentation.