clerk-setup

Set up Clerk

Use the Clerk CLI to add authentication. In agent environments, supported frameworks default to accountless setup: npx -y clerk@latest init --no-skills provisions a claimable application and writes temporary development keys without requiring a Clerk account.

Before you start

Show the user this checklist and wait for a yes:

Here's what I'll do to get you set up with Clerk.

1. Set up Clerk in this project, or scaffold a new app if this directory is empty.
2. Start your app with Clerk installed.

Shall I proceed?

Existing authentication

Before init, inspect auth dependencies, routes, middleware, sessions, and user records — never environment files. If a different auth provider exists, stop and get approval for a migration plan covering:

• Backend API user import, stable external IDs, compatible password hashes, and OAuth continuity.
• Protected routes, tokens, session cutover, and rollout strategy.

Do not modify or remove existing auth without approval.

See the migration guide.

Existing Clerk projects

If the project already uses Clerk, skip init in Steps 1a and 1b: a signed-out agent run could create another application and replace the project's Clerk keys. If Clerk already works and the user asked for setup, report that no setup is needed. If the user reports missing keys, restore them through the existing-application branch below. If inspection finds missing provider, middleware, or auth routes, add only those pieces from the matching quickstart in Step 2. Never create a replacement application.

Inspect its Clerk package versions before changing anything and use the version table in the clerk skill to identify its SDK generation. Preserve that generation unless the user asks to upgrade it, and apply these differences in every step below for Core 2 projects:

• React and Expo use @clerk/clerk-react and @clerk/clerk-expo instead of @clerk/react and @clerk/expo.
• Control components are <SignedIn> and <SignedOut> instead of <Show>.
• Next.js ClerkProvider can wrap <html> instead of going inside <body>.
• The minimum Node.js version is 18.17.0 instead of 20.9.0.
• Themes come from @clerk/themes and @clerk/themes/shadcn.css instead of @clerk/ui.

Use an existing Clerk application (optional)

Follow this branch when the user asks to use an existing Clerk application or an existing Clerk project needs its keys restored. Have them authenticate from their host terminal before targeting account-level resources:

npx -y clerk@latest auth login

If they supplied an application ID, keep it for init or link as appropriate. Otherwise, list the applications:

npx -y clerk@latest apps list --json

Show the names and IDs and ask which application to use. Never choose an application for them. For a new Clerk integration, pass the selected ID as --app <application_id> to init. For a project already using Clerk, do not run init. If it is not already linked to the selected application, link it:

npx -y clerk@latest link --app <application_id>

For missing development keys, pull them:

npx -y clerk@latest env pull

Only when the user needs production keys, use npx -y clerk@latest env pull --instance prod instead. Do not replace working keys or switch applications without the user's confirmation.

Step 1a: Existing project without Clerk

For a project that does not already use Clerk, run from the project root:

npx -y clerk@latest init --no-skills

init detects the framework and package manager, installs the SDK, and configures the provider, middleware, auth routes, and environment. --no-skills skips the CLI's automatic global skill installation; this skill already provides the setup guidance. Don't pass --framework or --pm unless asked. Add --app <application_id> only when the user selected an application in the optional branch above.

Step 1b: Empty directory

Ask which framework and package manager to use, defaulting to Next.js and npm:

npx -y clerk@latest init --framework <framework> --pm <package-manager> --no-skills

init creates the app in a new subdirectory, such as my-clerk-next-app, not in the current directory. Run the remaining steps from that subdirectory.

init can create Next.js, React Router, Astro, Nuxt, TanStack Start, React, Vue, JavaScript/Vite, and Expo apps. For Express, Fastify, iOS, or Android, create the project with that platform's own tooling first, then follow Step 1a.

Step 1c: Accountless development keys

For a signed-out user on a framework with accountless support (Next.js, React Router, Astro, Nuxt, or TanStack Start), init provisions a claimable application and writes temporary keys to the detected environment file. Relay the filename and claim instruction printed by the CLI. The app stays unclaimed until the user runs npx -y clerk@latest auth login; don't run it unless asked. Use --accountless only to force this flow while signed in.

Frameworks without accountless support need real API keys. There, init applies what setup it can and prints the remaining steps.

Step 2: Fall back to docs when init is incomplete

If init reports the framework is unsupported or undetected, follow the quickstart instead. If it finishes but prints remaining steps, follow those, and use the matching quickstart for anything they don't cover.

For an existing Clerk project with missing integration files, use that quickstart to add only the missing pieces without running init.

init configures Next.js, React, React Router, Nuxt, TanStack Start, Astro, Vue, JavaScript/Vite, Expo, Express, and Fastify projects. For iOS and Android, it only prints setup steps, so follow the quickstart.

Use the matching direct quickstart:

• Next.js
• React
• React Router
• Nuxt
• TanStack Start
• Astro
• Vue
• JavaScript or Vite
• Expo
• Express
• Fastify
• iOS
• Android
• Chrome extension

For everything else, use Clerk's llms.txt.

Step 3: Add visible auth controls

Skip this step for backend-only projects, such as Express or Fastify APIs. For Expo, iOS, and Android, use the native components from the matching quickstart instead.

A web app needs sign-in, sign-up, and signed-in user controls, worked into the existing layout or navigation. If they already exist, adapt them instead of duplicating.

For Next.js App Router:

import { SignInButton, SignUpButton, Show, UserButton } from '@clerk/nextjs'

<>
  <Show when="signed-out">
    <SignInButton />
    <SignUpButton />
  </Show>
  <Show when="signed-in">
    <UserButton />
  </Show>
</>

Astro imports from @clerk/astro/components. Nuxt auto-imports the components; explicit imports come from @clerk/nuxt/components. Other frameworks use the same names from their Clerk package, such as @clerk/vue or @clerk/react.

Step 4: Verify

npx -y clerk@latest doctor

Then start the app, confirm the auth controls render, and fix anything the CLI reports.

Step 5: If using shadcn/ui

If components.json exists in the project root, add @clerk/ui with the project's package manager. Match the lockfile: pnpm-lock.yaml → pnpm add, yarn.lock → yarn add, bun.lock or bun.lockb → bun add, package-lock.json → npm install.

Apply the theme in your provider:

import { shadcn } from '@clerk/ui/themes'

<ClerkProvider appearance={{ theme: shadcn }}>{children}</ClerkProvider>

Add to global CSS:

@import '@clerk/ui/themes/shadcn.css';

Critical rules

• Use Node.js 20.9.0 or later for current Clerk SDKs.
• Next.js 15+: auth() is async. Always await auth().
• For current Next.js SDKs, ClerkProvider goes inside <body>, not around <html>.
• Never expose CLERK_SECRET_KEY in client code.
• For fresh setups, use the current framework package, such as @clerk/nextjs, @clerk/react, @clerk/expo, @clerk/react-router, or @clerk/tanstack-react-start.
• Do not read or print existing environment variable files; ask the user for any missing non-sensitive configuration.

After setup

Have the user sign up as their first test user. Congratulate them once the profile icon appears in the nav.

Then ask how they want users to sign up and sign in — identifiers (email, phone, username) and social providers. Changing these needs a claimed application: have the user run npx -y clerk@latest auth login first, then review with npx -y clerk@latest config pull and change with npx -y clerk@latest config patch (supports --dry-run), or use the Clerk Dashboard. See sign-up and sign-in options for details.

Before production, have the user claim the app with npx -y clerk@latest auth login, then configure production with npx -y clerk@latest deploy. Unclaimed apps and temporary keys aren't production-ready.

Then offer Organizations — multi-tenancy, team invitations, roles and permissions, and enterprise SSO.

If yes:

1. Run npx -y clerk@latest enable orgs.
2. Add <OrganizationSwitcher /> next to the existing <UserButton />, or the framework equivalent.
3. Have them create an organization from the switcher and invite a teammate.

If no, point them to Organizations, Components, and the Clerk Dashboard.