---
last_modified: 2025-03-10
title: "Initialize a project"
description: "Guide to creating and structuring new Deno projects. Learn about starting a new project, task configuration, dependency management, and best practices for growing applications."
url: /examples/initialize_project_tutorial/
oldUrl:
---

While it is possible to run scripts directly with `deno run`, for larger
projects it is recommended to create a sensible directory structure. This way
you can organize your code, manage dependencies, script tasks and run tests more
easily.

Initialize a new project by running the following command:

```sh
$ deno init my_project
✅ Project initialized

Run these commands to get started

  cd my_project

  # Run the server
  deno run --allow-net main.ts

  # Run the server and watch for file changes
  deno task dev

  # Run the tests
  deno test
```

Where `my_project` is the name of your project. You can
[read more about the project structure](/runtime/).

### Run your project

Navigate to the project directory:

```sh
cd my_project
```

Then you can run the project directly using the `deno task` command:

```sh
$ deno task dev
Task dev deno run --watch --allow-net main.ts
Watcher Process started.
Listening on http://0.0.0.0:8000/ (http://localhost:8000/)
```

Take a look in the `deno.json` file in your new project. You should see a `dev`
task in the "tasks" field.

```json title="deno.json"
"tasks": {
  "dev": "deno run --watch --allow-net main.ts"
},
```

The `dev` task is a common task that runs the project in development mode. As
you can see, it runs the `main.ts` file with the `--watch` flag, which will
automatically reload the script when changes are made. You can see this in
action if you open the `main.ts` file and make a change.

### Run the tests

In the project directory run:

```sh
$ deno test
Check main_test.ts
running 2 tests from ./main_test.ts
returns html on / ... ok (11ms)
returns json on /api ... ok (0ms)

ok | 2 passed | 0 failed (13ms)
```

This will execute all the tests in the project. You can read more about
[testing in Deno](/runtime/test/) and we'll cover tests in a little more depth
in a later tutorial. At the moment you have one test file, `main_test.ts`, which
tests the request handler in `main.ts`.

### Adding to your project

The `main.ts` file serves as the entry point for your application. It’s where
you’ll write your main program logic. When developing your project you will
start by replacing the default HTTP server with your own code; its routes and
request handler are a starting point to build on.

Beyond the initial files, you’ll likely create additional modules (files) to
organize your code. Consider grouping related functionality into separate files.
Remember that Deno [supports ES modules](/runtime/fundamentals/modules/), so you
can use import and export statements to structure your code.

Example folder structure for a deno project:

```sh
my_project/
├── deno.json
├── main.ts
├── main_test.ts
├── routes/
│   ├── home.ts
│   ├── about.ts
├── services/
│   ├── user.ts
│   ├── post.ts
└──utils/
    ├── logger.ts
    ├── logger_test.ts
    ├── validator_test.ts
    └── validator.ts
```

This kind of structure keeps your project clean and makes it easier to find and
manage files.

🦕 Congratulations! Now you know how to create a brand new project with
`deno init`. Remember that Deno encourages simplicity and avoids complex build
tools. Keep your project modular, testable, and organized. As your project
grows, adapt the structure to fit your needs. And most importantly, have fun
exploring Deno’s capabilities!