# Introducing mn-scaffold: The fastest way to start building on Midnight

**URL:** <https://forum.midnight.network/t/introducing-mn-scaffold-the-fastest-way-to-start-building-on-midnight/1117>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [April 1, 2026, 6:49pm UTC](https://forum.midnight.network/t/introducing-mn-scaffold-the-fastest-way-to-start-building-on-midnight/1117 "2026-04-01T18:49:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tusharpamnani](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/forum.midnight.network/tusharpamnani/32/498_2.png) [@tusharpamnani](https://forum.midnight.network/u/tusharpamnani)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2026, 6:49pm UTC](https://forum.midnight.network/t/introducing-mn-scaffold-the-fastest-way-to-start-building-on-midnight/1117/1 "2026-04-01T18:49:20Z")

</div>

One thing I kept running into while building on Midnight:

> Getting started took longer than it should.

- Browse repos

- Find the right template

- Clone

- Clean up

- Then finally start building

It breaks momentum.

So I built:

## `npx mn-scaffold`

```auto
npx mn-scaffold

```

> Spin up Midnight smart contract templates in seconds.

* * *

## What it does

The CLI guides you through a simple flow:

1. **Pick a category** (Basics, DeFi, ZK & Privacy, etc.)

2. **Choose a template** (with clear descriptions)

3. **Name your project**

And you’re done.

Your project is scaffolded locally and ready to build.

* * *

## Why it’s different

- **No full repo clones** : only the template you choose

- **Live template registry** : always up-to-date via Midnight Club

- **Multiple real use-cases** : not just a single starter app

- **Built for exploration** : try ideas quickly, not just one setup

* * *

## Powered by Midnight Club

Templates are fetched live from:  
👉 [https://midnight-club-lac.vercel.app/](https://midnight-club-zeta.vercel.app/)

Which means:

- New templates are instantly available

- No need to update the CLI

- The ecosystem can grow organically

* * *

## What you can build right now

- Basics → Hello World, Counter, Calculator

- State → Todo, Bulletin Board

- Governance → Voting, Quadratic Voting, Escrow

- DeFi → Token Transfers, Bonding Curve

- ZK → Allowlist, Battleship

All templates are Compact smart contracts targeting the Midnight preprod.

* * *

## Where this fits

This is not meant to replace existing tools like `create-mn-app`.

Think of it as:

- `create-mn-app` → **standard starting point**

- `mn-scaffold` → **fast exploration + instant execution**

Use it when you want to:

- try ideas quickly

- explore different primitives

- bootstrap hackathon projects

* * *

## Contributing

Adding a template is simple:

1. Add it to the repo: [https://github.com/tusharpamnani/midnight-programs-list](https://github.com/tusharpamnani/midnight-programs-list)

2. Open a PR

Once merged:

> your template is instantly live in the CLI

* * *

## The goal

> Reduce the time from “idea” → “working Midnight project” to seconds.

* * *

## What’s next

- Smarter template recommendations

- Featured / popular templates

- Better post-scaffold DX

- More advanced templates

* * *

Would love feedback:

- What templates do you want to see?

- What slowed you down while getting started?

- What would make this 10x better?

Let’s make building on Midnight ridiculously fast ⚡