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Readme

Capable 🚀

The Swiss Army Knife for Development Servers

Stop memorizing different dev commands. Just type capable.

The Problem

Every project has different commands:

npm start
npm run dev
npm run serve
npm run server
python manage.py runserver
And dozens more...

Plus, you constantly get port conflicts:

"Port 3000 is already in use"
Kill the process manually
Try a different port
Update your config
Repeat...

You shouldn't need to deal with this.

The Solution

npm install -g capable
cd your-project
capable

That's it. One command to rule them all. Automatic port conflict resolution included.

Installation

npm install -g capable

Usage

1. Start Any Dev Server

cd my-react-app
capable

Auto-detects your framework and:

✅ Finds the right npm script
✅ Resolves port conflicts
✅ Opens your browser automatically

2. Kill Processes on Ports

# Kill specific port
capable kill 3000

# Kill default port for this project
capable kill

No more:

Manually finding PIDs
Using lsof/netstat
Google searching "how to kill port 3000"

3. See What's Running

capable ps

Shows all dev servers on common ports:

✓ Found 3 active port(s):

  • Port 3000 - http://localhost:3000
  • Port 3001 - http://localhost:3001
  • Port 5173 - http://localhost:5173

4. Install Dependencies

capable install

Smart dependency installation:

Detects npm vs yarn
Uses lockfile if present
Auto-prompts if missing before starting

5. Frontend vs Backend

If you have a monorepo or fullstack project:

# Start frontend
capable front

# Start backend
capable back

Examples

# Next.js project
cd my-nextjs-app
capable
# → Runs: npm run dev

# React app
cd my-react-app
capable
# → Runs: npm start

# Express backend
cd my-api
capable back
# → Runs: npm run server

# Django project
cd my-django-app
capable
# → Runs: python manage.py runserver

What It Detects

Frontend Commands (Priority Order)

dev
start:dev
develop
start
serve
vite

Backend Commands (Priority Order)

server
start:server
dev:server
backend
start:backend
serve:api
api

Frameworks Detected

✅ Next.js
✅ React (CRA, Vite)
✅ Vue
✅ Angular
✅ Svelte
✅ Express
✅ Django
✅ Flask
✅ FastAPI
✅ And any project with package.json scripts!

The Difference

`dev` (auto-detect)

Scans your package.json
Looks for common dev scripts (dev, start, serve)
Runs the most appropriate one
Works for 95% of projects

`dev front`

Specifically looks for frontend-related scripts
Useful in monorepos with both frontend and backend
Prioritizes client-side development commands

`dev back`

Specifically looks for backend-related scripts
Perfect for API servers, backend services
Prioritizes server-side development commands

Examples in Different Projects

Standard React App

cd my-react-app
dev
# Automatically runs: npm start

Next.js App

cd my-nextjs-app
dev
# Automatically runs: npm run dev

Fullstack Monorepo

cd my-fullstack-app

# Terminal 1 - Start frontend
dev front

# Terminal 2 - Start backend
dev back

Django Project

cd my-django-project
dev
# Automatically runs: python manage.py runserver

Help

dev --help

Automatic Port Conflict Resolution

No more "Port 3000 is already in use" errors!

# First project
cd project-1
capable
# ✓ Starting on port 3000

# Second project (in another terminal)
cd project-2
capable
# ⚠ Port 3000 is in use, using port 3001 instead
# ✓ Starting on port 3001

# Third project
cd project-3
capable
# ⚠ Port 3000 is in use, using port 3002 instead
# ✓ Starting on port 3002

How it works:

Detects your framework's default port (Next.js → 3000, Vite → 5173, etc.)
Checks if the port is available
If busy, automatically finds the next available port
Sets the PORT environment variable
Starts your server with zero config

Run multiple projects simultaneously without conflicts!

Complete Command Reference

# Start dev server (auto-detect)
capable

# Start with browser auto-open (default)
capable

# Start frontend specifically
capable front

# Start backend specifically
capable back

# Kill process on port
capable kill 3000
capable kill          # Uses project default port

# Show running servers
capable ps
capable status        # Alias for ps

# Install dependencies
capable install
capable i             # Short alias

# Help
capable --help
capable -h

Why Capable?

No More Context Switching - Your brain shouldn't waste energy remembering different commands
No Port Conflicts - Automatically finds available ports, run multiple projects at once
Auto Browser - Opens localhost automatically when ready
Port Management - Kill processes with simple commands
Dependency Smart - Auto-detects missing node_modules
Works Everywhere - One command for all your projects
Smart Detection - Understands your project structure and framework defaults
Saves Time - No more checking package.json or killing processes
Simple - One word: capable

Contributing

Found a bug or want to add support for more frameworks? PRs welcome!

License

MIT

Made for developers who are tired of typing npm run dev --help to figure out the right command.

Be capable. Type capable.

@approximate/capable