---
title: "New-CatProject"
description: "New-CatProject — create a project from a template."
url: "https://docs.justcat.it/reference/powershell-module/new-catproject/"
---
# New-CatProject

## Synopsis

```powershell
New-CatProject [[-Name] <string>] [[-Path] <string>] [-Template <string>] [-Online] [-Commented] [-Force] [-Wrap] [-LoggingLevel <string>]
```

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Position | Default | Meaning |
|-----------|------|----------|---------|---------|
| `-Name` | string | 0 | `TestMyData` | Name of the project; becomes the project file name (`.cat.yaml` is appended when missing) and, with `-Wrap`, the folder name. Alias `-ProjectName`. |
| `-Path` | string | 1 | current location | Where to create the files. Must exist. Alias `-Directory`. |
| `-Template` | string | named | `default` | Template code — see `Get-CatProjectTemplate`. |
| `-Online` | switch | named | off | First fetch the template from the CAT server if a newer version exists there. Without it, CAT never goes online. |
| `-Commented` | switch | named | off | Use the commented variant of the template's project file — every setting explained inline. |
| `-Force` | switch | named | off | **Delete everything in the target folder first.** The target is `-Path` itself unless `-Wrap` is given, so `-Force` without `-Wrap` empties the directory you point it at. |
| `-Wrap` | switch | named | off | Create a sub-folder named after the project inside `-Path` and put everything there. |
| `-LoggingLevel` | string | named | — | Accepted but ignored in the current version; the session is created at `Information` (or reused). |

## What it does

Copies the template's files into the target folder, keeps the plain or the commented project file according to `-Commented`, renames it to `<Name>.cat.yaml` and replaces the project-name placeholder in every file. Two templates ship with CAT: `default` — one simple test against a local SQL Server database, the starting point for a real project — and `getStartedWindows` — a few tests over two sample CSV files with a read-me and a `Run.ps1`, the project the [Get started tutorial](https://docs.justcat.it/get-started/powershell-module/explore/ "Explore sample project") walks through. `Get-CatProjectTemplate -Online` may show more. A template fetched with `-Online` is stored under `%APPDATA%\CAT\Templates\Projects\` and used from there afterwards.

Without `-Force`, a target that already holds a file of the same name makes the cmdlet fail with `Failed to extract the project template to the target directory.` — nothing is overwritten. The cmdlet signs in (or reuses the session) like every project cmdlet, even though it touches no data.

## Output

Nothing on the pipeline. The files appear in the target folder; with logging on, the log says where.

## Errors

Refusals from the sign-in and plan check are terminating errors with the `CatPortal.*` ids listed on the [Introduction](https://docs.justcat.it/reference/powershell-module/introduction/ "Introduction") page. `…the specified path does not exist: …` when `-Path` does not exist; `Cannot create project from template <code>, the template does not exist.` for an unknown code; the extraction error above when files are in the way.

## Examples

```powershell
# a lean TestMyData.cat.yaml in the current directory
New-CatProject

# a project of your own: Dwh.cat.yaml in a new folder D:\Testing\Dwh, with inline comments
New-CatProject -Name Dwh -Path 'D:\Testing' -Wrap -Commented

# the tutorial sample, refreshed from the server, in its own folder
New-CatProject -Name CatSampleProject -Path "$HOME\Documents\CAT" -Template getStartedWindows -Wrap -Online

# start the sample over: empties D:\Samples\CatSampleProject first
New-CatProject -Name CatSampleProject -Path 'D:\Samples' -Template getStartedWindows -Wrap -Force
```

## Related

- [Introduction](https://docs.justcat.it/reference/powershell-module/introduction/ "Introduction") — session model, logging, errors, sign-in.
- [`Get-CatProjectTemplate`](https://docs.justcat.it/reference/powershell-module/get-catprojecttemplate/ "Get-CatProjectTemplate") — the template codes.
- [Project file](https://docs.justcat.it/reference/project-file/ "Project file") · [How to create a project file](https://docs.justcat.it/how-to-guides/organize-and-run-tests/how-to-create-project-file/ "How to create a project file").