Templates
Clone a production-ready starter template and deploy it to Skytells in seconds — no boilerplate setup required.
Templates are curated, production-ready starter projects that Skytells can fork into your GitHub account and deploy automatically. Instead of starting from a blank repository, pick a template, name it, and have a live running app in under a minute.
How templates work
Browse Templates
Open your project, select Apps in the left sidebar, then New App in the top-right corner. The Clone Template section appears to the right of the Import Git Repository panel. Select Browse All to see the full catalog.
Select a Template
Click a template card. Each card shows the template name and a short description of the stack.
Connect GitHub (if needed)
If your GitHub account is not yet connected, Skytells prompts you to authorize via OAuth before it can fork the template into your account.
Name the Repository
Enter a name for your new GitHub repository. Skytells forks the template source into your GitHub account under that name.
Skytells Deploys Automatically
Skytells creates the app, links it to the new repository, runs the first build, and provisions a live *.skytells.app domain — all without any manual configuration.
After the first deployment completes, the app behaves identically to any Git-imported app: Skytells monitors the production branch and auto-deploys on every git push.
Available templates
| Template | Stack | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Express API | Express.js + TypeScript + ESLint | Minimal REST API with type safety and linting configured |
| Next.js Starter | Next.js 15 + App Router + TypeScript + Tailwind CSS | Full-stack web app with routing, server components, and styling |
| Vite React | Vite + React + HMR + TypeScript | Fast client-side React app with instant hot module replacement |
| Astro Blog | Astro + Island architecture | Content-focused static site generator with minimal JS by default |
Select Browse All in the New App page to see the complete and up-to-date list of templates.
After cloning a template
Once the app is running you can:
- Push new code — commit to the forked repository. Skytells auto-deploys on every push to
main. - Add environment variables — open Environment from the app's left sidebar.
- Add a custom domain — open Domains from the app's left sidebar.
- Change the build configuration — open Settings → Build to adjust the build type, commands, or output directory.
- Invite teammates — open the project's Members page to add collaborators.
Templates vs. Git import
| Templates | Git import | |
|---|---|---|
| Repository ownership | Skytells forks the template into your GitHub account | You bring an existing repo |
| CI/CD | Configured automatically | Configured automatically after connecting GitHub |
| First deploy | Runs immediately after naming the repo | Runs immediately after importing |
| Customization | Full — it's your fork | Full |
Related
- Create App — all methods to create an app: Git import, Docker Image, Compose, and Templates.
- Deploy on Skytells — add a one-click deploy button so others can clone and deploy your project as a template.
- Settings — configure the build system, Git source, and deployment behavior after creation.
- GitHub Integration — manage the OAuth connection that allows Skytells to fork templates into your account.
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