---
title: Qwik City App Starter
description: Create a Qwik City app with Tailwind CSS and a minimal Better Fullstack project configuration.
updated: 2026-05-12
category: TypeScript
tags:
  - qwik
  - qwik-city
  - tailwind
keywords:
  - qwik city starter
  - create qwik app
  - qwik tailwind starter
  - qwik boilerplate
  - better fullstack qwik
---

Use this stack when you want a Qwik app without adding a separate backend or database on day one.

```npm
npm create better-fullstack@latest my-qwik-app -- \
  --ecosystem typescript \
  --frontend qwik \
  --backend none \
  --runtime none \
  --database none \
  --orm none \
  --auth none \
  --api none \
  --css-framework tailwind \
```

## What this creates

- A Qwik app.
- Tailwind CSS.
- No database, ORM, auth, or API layer by default.
- A generated project configuration you can extend later.

## Generated shape

This guide intentionally starts with a frontend-only Qwik City app. It is useful when you want the application shell, routing, and styling in place before choosing a backend or persistence layer.

Representative shape:

```txt
my-qwik-app/
  bts.jsonc
  src/
    routes/
    components/
```

The generated `bts.jsonc` records that backend, runtime, database, ORM, auth, and API are all `none`. That makes the minimal nature of the stack explicit instead of implicit.

## Example route

Qwik City routes can start small:

```tsx
import { component$ } from "@builder.io/qwik";

export default component$(() => {
  return (
    <main class="mx-auto max-w-4xl p-6">
      <h1 class="text-3xl font-semibold">Qwik app</h1>
      <p class="text-slate-600">Add server features when the product needs them.</p>
    </main>
  );
});
```

Keep early routes focused on UI and data requirements. Add a backend only when there is a real server-side responsibility such as auth, persistence, webhooks, or private API calls.

## Compatibility notes

Qwik has narrower backend/API support in Better Fullstack than React, Nuxt, Svelte, or Solid options. This guide keeps the stack intentionally minimal and compatible.

Because the command uses `--backend none`, `--database none`, `--orm none`, `--auth none`, and `--api none`, it should not generate server contracts or database models. If you need those from day one, choose a framework/backend pairing with fuller Better Fullstack support.

## When to choose it

Choose Qwik for frontend-first apps where resumability and a minimal initial payload matter more than a generated backend on day one.

## Adding a backend later

When the app needs data, decide whether Qwik should stay as the frontend while another service owns the API, or whether a different Better Fullstack preset would better match the fullstack requirement. For many teams, adding a Hono API as a separate service is cleaner than forcing backend concerns into a frontend-first scaffold.

Useful future additions include:

- A Hono API for private server logic.
- PostgreSQL plus Drizzle or Prisma for relational data.
- Better Auth when account management becomes part of the product.
- oRPC or another typed contract layer when the frontend and API need shared types.

## Deployment notes

A minimal Qwik app is straightforward to deploy as a web app or static-capable frontend, depending on the generated adapter and hosting target. Since this command does not add a database or auth, production setup mostly focuses on build output, routes, and public environment variables.

## Troubleshooting

- If you expected database files, check the command: this guide intentionally passes `--database none` and `--orm none`.
- If auth routes are missing, the stack uses `--auth none`.
- If Tailwind classes do not apply, inspect the generated Tailwind content paths and framework integration.
- If you later add an API, keep public client variables separate from private server secrets.

## Comparison notes

Choose this over Astro when resumability and Qwik's component model are the main reasons for the project. Choose [Astro with React and Hono](/guides/typescript/astro-react-hono/) when content pages need a generated Hono backend and database from the start.

## Next steps

- Open the [Stack Builder](/new?eco=typescript&fe-w=qwik&be=none&rt=none&db=none&orm=none&au=none&api=none).
- Read the [CLI create reference](/docs/cli/create/).
- Compare with [Astro with React and Hono](/guides/typescript/astro-react-hono/).