Nova

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Getting Started ​

The fastest way to get a Nova project running is by using our scaffolding tool, but you can also set things up manually if you prefer.

Prerequisites ​

Before we start, make sure you have the following installed:

We created a CLI tool that handles all the boilerplate for you. It sets up your folders, configures your package manager, and creates sample routes automatically.

Open your terminal and run:

bash
# Scaffold into the current directory
pesde x nova/create -- .

or

bash
# Scaffold into a new named directory. Replace 'my-app' with whatever you want to name your project
pesde x nova/create -- my-app

Once executed, the CLI will guide you through two prompts:

  1. Project name: must follow pesde's package naming format: scope/name (e.g. myorg/my_project). Names are automatically normalized to lowercase with hyphens converted to underscores.
  2. Runtime: choose between Zune, Lune, or Lute.

After scaffolding, run the following to get started:

bash
# If you scaffolded into a new directory
cd <project-name>

pesde install

lune run start
# or
lute run start
# or
zune run start

Option 2: Manual Installation ​

If you prefer doing things yourself, follow these steps.

1. Install Nova

Add Nova to your project using pesde:

bash
pesde add bizwiz3/nova
pesde install

2. Create the Entry Point

Create a file named index.luau (or any name you like) in your root directory. This file initializes Nova and starts the server.

luau
local Nova = require("path/to/nova")

local app = Nova.new(8080)

app:listen(function()
    print("Server is running on http://localhost:8080")
end)

3. Create your first route

Nova uses Filesystem Routing. This means the files in your app folder determine your URL paths. Create a folder named app, and inside it, create a file named route.luau.

You can structure your project like this:

bash
/my-app
└── /src
    ├── index.luau
    └── /app
        └── route.luau

Inside app/route.luau, add this code:

luau
local Nova = require("path/to/nova")

local Home = {}

function Home.Get()
    return Nova.response.json({ message = "Hello, world!" })
end

return Home

4. Run it

Start your server:

bash
lune run src/index
# or
zune run src/index
# or
lute run src/index