sprout

Grow a ready-to-run project in one command, in any of 47 languages.

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sprout my-api py creates the folder, drops in a ready-to-run starter program plus a README.md, and opens it in your editor. One command instead of the usual make folder → cd → create the entry file → write boilerplate → open editor.

The same sprout <name> <language> works across 47 languages, so you never have to remember each toolchain's project layout.

Why sprout

• Zero friction to start. Idea to a running file in one command. No templates to copy, no boilerplate to recall.
• One mental model for every language. Python, Rust, Go, C++, Haskell, Solidity — same command, predictable result.
• Real starters, not empty files. Each template is a small idiomatic program with a function, a loop, command-line argument handling and formatted output. It compiles or runs immediately.
• Version control from the start. Every scaffold is a git repository with a language-aware .gitignore, so your first commit stays clean. Opt out with SPROUT_NO_GIT=1.
• A README in every project. Each scaffold ships with run instructions for that exact language.
• Customizable and portable. Configure the projects directory and editor with environment variables. Bash, PowerShell and a cmd.exe launcher are included, so it drops into virtually any terminal.

What you get

A scaffold is a working program from the first second, not a blank file:

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my-api/                initialized git repository
├── .gitignore         language-aware ignore rules
├── README.md          generated, with run instructions for this language
└── main.py            idiomatic starter that runs as-is

Install

Homebrew (macOS / Linux)

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brew install tanodev0/sprout/sprout

This taps tanodev0/homebrew-sprout and installs the sprout command. Upgrade later with brew upgrade sprout.

macOS / Linux (Bash)

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git clone https://github.com/tanodev0/sprout.git
cd sprout
./install.sh            # installs to ~/.local/bin

If ~/.local/bin is not on your PATH, the installer prints the exact line to add to your ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc.

System-wide install: PREFIX=/usr/local ./install.sh (may require sudo).

Windows (PowerShell)

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git clone https://github.com/tanodev0/sprout.git
cd sprout
./install.ps1           # installs to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\sprout and updates PATH

This makes sprout work in both PowerShell and the classic command prompt (cmd.exe) through the bundled sprout.cmd launcher. Open a new terminal afterwards.

Manual

Copy sprout (Bash) or sprout.ps1 + sprout.cmd (Windows) to any directory on your PATH.

Usage

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sprout <project-name> [language]

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Command	Result
sprout notes	Creates the folder only (no template) and opens it.
sprout my-api py	Folder + Python starter + README.md.
sprout landing html	Folder + index.html / style.css / script.js.
sprout engine cpp	Folder + main.cpp starter.

Flags:

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sprout --help       # show help
sprout --langs      # list supported language codes
sprout --version    # print version

If the second argument is omitted, only the folder is created. If it is not a recognized language, sprout warns and still creates and opens the folder.

Configuration

Everything is configured through environment variables — no config file required.

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Variable	Default	Purpose
SPROUT_PROJECTS_DIR	your OS Desktop	Base directory where projects are created (resolves the real Desktop on macOS, Linux and Windows).
SPROUT_EDITOR	code	Command used to open the project. Set to none to skip opening.
SPROUT_NO_GIT	unset	Set to 1 to skip git init and the generated .gitignore.

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# Keep projects in ~/code and open with Sublime Text
export SPROUT_PROJECTS_DIR="$HOME/code"
export SPROUT_EDITOR="subl"

# Scaffold without opening anything
SPROUT_EDITOR=none sprout scratch py

On Windows (PowerShell):

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$env:SPROUT_PROJECTS_DIR = "C:\code"
$env:SPROUT_EDITOR = "code"

Supported languages

All 47 codes:

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py  js  ts  c   cpp java go  rs  rb  sh  html php  swift kt cs
dart scala pl  lua r   jl  hs  ex  erl clj groovy m  fs  pas
f90 nim cr  zig v   d   ml  rkt scm lisp tcl sql ps1 bat sol
elm coffee vb

Common aliases work too (python, node, rust, golang, csharp, kotlin, objc, …) and matching is case-insensitive. Languages with an idiomatic project layout also get the right config file — Rust gets Cargo.toml + src/main.rs, Go gets go.mod, C#/F# get a .csproj/.fsproj, Node/TS get package.json.

How it works

sprout is a single self-contained script with no runtime dependencies beyond a POSIX shell or PowerShell. It:

1. Resolves the projects directory from SPROUT_PROJECTS_DIR, defaulting to your OS Desktop.
2. Creates <projects-dir>/<name> (idempotent, an existing folder is reused).
3. If a language is given, writes the template files and a README.md.
4. Runs git init and writes a language-aware .gitignore, unless SPROUT_NO_GIT=1 or the folder already sits inside a repository.
5. Opens the folder with SPROUT_EDITOR.

License

MIT © tanodev0