scaffoldthat

scaffoldthat is a software scaffolding tool designed to automate the creation of new projects by generating boilerplate code, configurations, and directory structures from reusable templates. It supports multiple programming languages and project types, and is designed to be extended through plugins and custom templates. Typical use cases include bootstrapping new applications, libraries, or deployment configurations, enabling teams to start from a consistent baseline.

Its core features include a template engine, interactive prompts for selecting options, and a non-interactive batch mode for automation. An extensible plugin system allows contributors to add new templates, generators, and post-generation hooks. Templates are authored in plain text with placeholders and can embed conditional logic to adapt to language or framework choices. The tool can generate files, directories, and configuration files, and can integrate with version control or CI pipelines.

Architecture centers on a minimal runtime core, a template registry, and resolvers that map project types to template sets. Template definitions are stored in human-readable formats such as YAML or JSON, enabling reuse across projects. The plugin API supports external teams to contribute templates and to customize prompts, output layout, and follow-on steps after generation. The project is commonly distributed under an open-source license.

History and reception: scaffoldthat emerged in the open-source ecosystem as an alternative to more monolithic scaffolding tools. Proponents emphasize speed, consistency, and cross-language support; critics point to template maintenance burdens and potential stagnation if templates do not keep pace with language updates. It competes with tools like Cookiecutter, Yeoman, and other scaffolders, with varying emphasis on interactivity versus automation. See also software scaffolding, Cookiecutter, Yeoman, and template engines.