Install Crane to your system

To start working with the Crane tool, you need to install Crane and its dependencies on your system.

Check system requirements

Before installing, ensure your system meets the following requirements:

• Node.js: Version 22 or higher

• npm: Version 10 or higher (comes with Node.js 22+)

Use nvm or fnm to manage multiple Node.js versions.

Create a project

Create a new directory for your application and install the required dependencies:

mkdir my-workspace && cd my-workspace
npm init -y

Install dependencies

Install Crane and its required packages:

npm install vite vue @lightspeed/crane@latest @lightspeed/eslint-config-crane@latest

Verify installation

Check that Crane is installed correctly:

npx @lightspeed/crane@latest --help

You should see a list of available commands including init, build, preview, and deploy.

Troubleshooting

Command Not Found

If npx @lightspeed/crane@latest is not recognized, verify that Node.js and npm are installed and available in your PATH:

node --version   # Should print v22.x.x or higher
npm --version    # Should print 10.x.x or higher

Version Conflicts

If you have multiple Node.js versions installed, make sure the active version is 22 or higher:

nvm use 22
# or
fnm use 22

Next Steps

• Start with Crane app — scaffold and preview your first application