---
title: "new_project"
description: "new_project — create a project from a template."
url: "https://docs.justcat.it/reference/python-module/new-project/"
---
# new_project

## Signature

```python
cat.new_project(name: str = None, path: str = None, template: str = None,
                online: bool = False, commented: bool = False, force: bool = False,
                wrap: bool = False, logging_level: LoggingLevel = None) -> None
```

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Default | Meaning |
|-----------|------|---------|---------|
| `name` | str | `TestMyData` | Name of the project; becomes the project file name (`.cat.yaml` is appended when missing) and, with `wrap`, the folder name. Letters and digits. |
| `path` | str | current directory | Where to create the files. Must exist. |
| `template` | str | `default` | Template code — see `get_project_templates`. Not case-sensitive. |
| `online` | bool | `False` | `True`: first fetch the template from the CAT server if a newer version exists there. Without it, CAT never goes online. |
| `commented` | bool | `False` | `True`: use the commented variant of the template's project file — every setting explained inline. |
| `force` | bool | `False` | **`True` deletes everything in the target folder first.** The target is `path` itself unless `wrap=True`, so `force` without `wrap` empties the directory you point it at. |
| `wrap` | bool | `False` | `True`: create a sub-folder named after the project inside `path` and put everything there. |
| `logging_level` | LoggingLevel | `None` | `cat.LoggingLevel` member; used only when this is the first call of the process. See [Logging](https://docs.justcat.it/reference/python-module/introduction/#logging "Logging"). |

## 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/python-module/explore/ "Explore sample project") walks through. `get_project_templates(online=True)` may show more. A template fetched with `online=True` 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 call fail — nothing is overwritten. The function signs in like every project function, even though it touches no data.

## Returns

`None`. The files appear in the target folder; the log says where.

## Raises

The sign-in and plan check (first call of the process) raises the `CatPortalError` family listed on the [Introduction](https://docs.justcat.it/reference/python-module/introduction/ "Introduction") page. `CatException: The directory where you are trying to create a new CAT project does not exist: …`; `CatException: Cannot create project from template <code>, the template does not exist. Try to check online templates.`; `CatException: Failed to extract the project template to the target directory.` when files are in the way.

## Examples

```python
# a lean TestMyData.cat.yaml in the current directory
cat.new_project()

# a project of your own: Dwh.cat.yaml in a new folder D:/Testing/Dwh, with inline comments
cat.new_project(name="Dwh", path="D:/Testing", wrap=True, commented=True)

# the tutorial sample, refreshed from the server, in its own folder
cat.new_project(name="CatSampleProject", path="C:/Users/grace/Documents/CAT",
                template="getStartedWindows", wrap=True, online=True)

# start the sample over: empties D:/Samples/CatSampleProject first
cat.new_project(name="CatSampleProject", path="D:/Samples", template="getStartedWindows",
                wrap=True, force=True)
```

## Related

- [Introduction](https://docs.justcat.it/reference/python-module/introduction/ "Introduction") — session model, logging, .NET objects, exceptions, sign-in.
- [`get_project_templates`](https://docs.justcat.it/reference/python-module/get-project-templates/ "get_project_templates") — 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").