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This guide walks you through building a brand new Xano backend entirely from the command line — from initial setup to pushing your first XanoScript.

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Prerequisites

  • A Xano account (free tier works)
  • Node.js 18 or later
  • A code editor (VS Code or Cursor recommended)
1

Install the Xano CLI

If you haven’t already, install the CLI globally:
Terminal
npm install -g @xano/cli
Verify with xano --version.
2

Authenticate

Log in with your Xano account:
Terminal
xano auth
Your browser will open for authentication. After logging in, select your instance and name your profile.
For self-hosted or beta environments, add -o https://your-environment-url.com. See Get Started for details.
3

Create a workspace

Create a new workspace for your project:
Terminal
xano workspace create "My New App"
Note the workspace ID from the output, then add it to your profile:
Terminal
xano profile edit -w WORKSPACE_ID
4

Set up your local project

Create a directory for your XanoScript files and pull the empty workspace scaffold:
Terminal
mkdir my-new-app
xano workspace pull ./my-new-app
This creates the directory structure where you’ll add your XanoScript files.
5

Install the VS Code Extension

For the best development experience, install the XanoScript VS Code Extension. It provides:
  • Syntax highlighting for .xs files
  • Autocomplete for XanoScript keywords and functions
  • Inline error detection
Search for XanoScript in the VS Code extensions marketplace, or install from the command line:
Terminal
code --install-extension xano.xanoscript
6

Build with AI

This is where the power of local XanoScript development shines. Use AI tools to generate your backend:With the Xano MCP Server + an AI assistant (Claude, Cursor, etc.):Connect your AI assistant to the Xano MCP Server to give it direct access to your Xano workspace context. The AI can then generate XanoScript for tables, APIs, functions, and more — all grounded in your actual workspace.With any AI model directly:You can also write XanoScript by hand or paste the XanoScript documentation into your AI tool’s context and ask it to generate .xs files. Place them in the appropriate subdirectories (table/, api/, function/, task/).
Start with your database tables first, then functions, then API endpoints. This order ensures dependencies are resolved correctly when you push.
7

Push to Xano

When you’re ready to deploy your backend, push everything:
Terminal
xano workspace push ./my-new-app
Your tables, APIs, functions, and tasks are now live in Xano.
8

Verify in Xano

Open your workspace in the Xano dashboard to see your resources. You can test APIs directly from the dashboard, view your database tables, and make visual adjustments.Any changes you make visually in Xano can be pulled back down:
Terminal
xano workspace pull ./my-new-app
Once you’re up and running, a typical development cycle looks like this:
  1. Edit locally — Write or generate XanoScript in your editor with AI assistance
  2. Push — xano workspace push ./my-new-app
  3. Test — Verify in the Xano dashboard or call your APIs
  4. Iterate — Pull any dashboard changes, edit, and push again
Use a development branch to keep your work separate from the live environment. When ready, set the branch live.

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Version Control with Git

Track your XanoScript in Git for full change history:
Terminal
cd my-new-app
git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial backend setup"
This pairs well with Xano’s own branching system — use Git for code history and Xano branches for deployment environments.