lovdaCN logo
Create
IntroductionInstallationThemingCLISkillsDark ModeAll BlocksAll Components

Installation

How to install lovdaCN and structure your Expo app.

Choose the setup that matches your starting point. Or, you can perform a Manual Installation to configure dependencies and styles yourself.

(Note: You can shorten any lovdacn CLI command to lvcn in your terminal, for example npx lvcn@latest init or npx lvcn@latest add.)

New project

Scaffold a new Expo app with lovdaCN configured (NativeWind or Uniwind, style pack, and base color):

npx lovdacn@latest init -n my-app

You will be prompted for:

  1. Style engine — nativewind or uniwind
  2. Style — e.g. nova, new-york, mira
  3. Base color — e.g. zinc, neutral, slate

Then install dependencies and start the app:

cd my-app
npx expo start

Existing project

If you already have an Expo project, run init in that directory:

npx lovdacn@latest init

This will:

  • Detect or ask for your style engine (NativeWind / Uniwind)
  • Write lvcn.json with your style and base color
  • Configure CSS variables and utilities
  • Add the cn helper and theme plumbing

Then add components:

npx lovdacn@latest add button
npx lovdacn@latest add card input label

Requirements

  • Expo SDK 57+ (expo-router, native tabs APIs as used by the templates)
  • Node 18+
  • A package manager: npm, yarn, pnpm, or bun

Configuration

After init, your project includes lvcn.json:

{
  "style": "nova",
  "styleEngine": "nativewind",
  "baseColor": "neutral",
  "aliases": {
    "components": "@/components",
    "utils": "@/lib/utils"
  }
}

The CLI uses this file when you run lovdacn add or lvcn add. See the lvcn.json reference for all options.

Next steps

PreviousIntroductionNextManual Installation