Getting Started/Installation

Installation

Craft is a web-based platform, so there's no local installation required. However, this guide covers everything you need to know about setting up your account and optional local development tools.

Getting Started with Craft#

Creating Your Account#

  1. Visit app.craft.fast
  2. Click "Get Started" or "Sign Up"
  3. Choose your sign-in method:
    • Google - Quick sign-in with your Google account
    • GitHub - Connect with your GitHub account
    • Email - Traditional email and password

Choosing a Plan#

Craft offers several plans to fit your needs:

| Feature | Hobby | Pro | Max | | ------------ | ------ | --------- | --------- | | Price | $10/mo | $50/mo | $250/mo | | Projects | 10 | Unlimited | Unlimited | | All Models | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | | Live Preview | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Memory | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | | Early Access | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |

Browser Requirements#

Craft works best on modern browsers:

  • Chrome 90+ (recommended)
  • Firefox 88+
  • Safari 14+
  • Edge 90+

For the best experience, we recommend using Chrome or Firefox with hardware acceleration enabled.

Optional: Local Development#

While Craft handles everything in the browser, you can also export and run projects locally.

Exporting a Project#

  1. Open your project in Craft
  2. Click the Settings icon
  3. Select "Export Project"
  4. Choose your export format (ZIP or GitHub)

Running Locally#

After exporting, you can run the project on your machine:

# Install dependencies
npm install
# or
pnpm install

# Start development server
npm run dev
# or
pnpm dev

Required Local Tools#

If you plan to run projects locally, you'll need:

  • Node.js 18.0 or later
  • npm 9+ or pnpm 8+
  • A code editor (VS Code recommended)

Environment Setup#

Environment Variables#

Some features require environment variables. In Craft, you can set these in the project settings:

  1. Open Project Settings
  2. Navigate to Environment Variables
  3. Add your variables (e.g., DATABASE_URL, API_KEY)

Note: Environment variables are encrypted and stored securely.

Database Setup#

Craft supports various databases:

  • PostgreSQL (recommended)
  • MySQL
  • SQLite (development only)
  • PlanetScale
  • Supabase

See Database Integration for detailed setup instructions.

Verification#

To verify everything is set up correctly:

  1. Create a new project
  2. Ask the AI to create a simple component
  3. Check that the preview updates
  4. Try making a small change

If all these work, you're ready to start building!

Troubleshooting#

Preview Not Loading#

  • Clear your browser cache
  • Disable browser extensions temporarily
  • Try a different browser
  • Check your internet connection

AI Not Responding#

  • Verify you have remaining AI messages
  • Check your account status
  • Try refreshing the page

Export Issues#

  • Ensure all files are saved
  • Check for any error notifications
  • Try exporting as ZIP instead of GitHub

Next Steps#

Now that you're set up:

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