dhis2 · derrick-nuby · Feb 24, 2026
diff --git a/docs/commands/create-app.md b/docs/commands/create-app.md
@@ -42,12 +42,15 @@ You can run `pnpm create @dhis2/app@alpha --help` for the list of options availa
                                             template) [boolean] [default: false]
   --typescript, --ts, --typeScript          Use TypeScript or JS       [boolean]
   --template                                Which template to use (Basic, With
-                                            React Router, or GitHub
-                                            template specifier)         [string]
+                                            React Router, community template
+                                            source, or GitHub template
+                                            specifier)                  [string]
   --packageManager, --package,              Package Manager
   --packagemanager                                                      [string]
 ```
 
+In interactive mode, template selection includes built-in templates, configured community templates, and a `Custom template from Git` option. For non-interactive usage, `--template` accepts built-in values (`basic`, `react-router`), configured community template sources, and direct GitHub specifiers.
+
 ## Examples
 
 Here are some examples of how you can use the CLI
@@ -59,6 +62,9 @@ pnpm create @dhis2/app my-app --yes
 # use the default settings but override the template
 pnpm create @dhis2/app my-app --yes --template react-router
 
+# use a configured community template source
+pnpm create @dhis2/app my-app --template derrick-nuby/dhis2-ts-tailwind-react-router
+
 # use a custom template from GitHub (owner/repo)
 pnpm create @dhis2/app my-app --template owner/repo
 

diff --git a/packages/create-app/package.json b/packages/create-app/package.json
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
         "@dhis2/cli-helpers-engine": "^3.2.2",
         "@inquirer/prompts": "^7.8.4",
         "fast-glob": "^3.3.3",
-        "fs-extra": "^11.3.3"
+        "fs-extra": "^11.3.3",
+        "yaml": "^2.8.1"
     },
     "private": false,
     "keywords": [],

diff --git a/packages/create-app/src/community-templates.yaml b/packages/create-app/src/community-templates.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+templates:
+    - name: Tailwind + React Router
+      description: React Router DHIS2 app with Tailwind CSS
+      source: derrick-nuby/dhis2-ts-tailwind-react-router
+      maintainer:
+          name: Derrick Iradukunda
+          url: https://github.com/derrick-nuby
+      organisation:
+          name: HISP Rwanda
+          url: https://hisprwanda.org
diff --git a/packages/create-app/src/index.js b/packages/create-app/src/index.js
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
-const { execSync } = require('child_process')
-const path = require('path')
+const { execSync } = require('node:child_process')
+const path = require('node:path')
 const { reporter, exec, chalk } = require('@dhis2/cli-helpers-engine')
 const { input, select } = require('@inquirer/prompts')
 const fg = require('fast-glob')
 const fs = require('fs-extra')
+const getCommunityTemplates = require('./utils/getCommunityTemplates')
 const { default: getPackageManager } = require('./utils/getPackageManager')
+const { isGitTemplateSpecifier } = require('./utils/isGitTemplateSpecifier')
 const resolveExternalTemplateSource = require('./utils/resolveExternalTemplateSource')
+const {
+    resolveTemplateSourceInput,
+} = require('./utils/resolveTemplateSourceInput')
 
 process.on('uncaughtException', (error) => {
     if (error instanceof Error && error.name === 'ExitPromptError') {
@@ -28,6 +33,7 @@ const templates = {
         '../templates/template-ts-dataelements-react-router'
     ),
 }
+const builtInTemplateKeys = ['basic', 'react-router']
 
 const commandHandler = {
     command: '*', // default command
@@ -47,7 +53,7 @@ const commandHandler = {
         },
         template: {
             description:
-                'Which template to use (Basic, With React Router, or GitHub template specifier)',
+                'Which template to use (basic, react-router, community template source, or GitHub template specifier)',
             type: 'string',
         },
         packageManager: {
@@ -70,13 +76,35 @@ const getBuiltInTemplateDirectory = (templateName) => {
     return null
 }
 
+const formatUnknownTemplateError = (templateSource, communityTemplates) => {
+    const communitySources = communityTemplates.map(
+        (template) => template.source
+    )
+    const availableTemplates = [...builtInTemplateKeys, ...communitySources]
+    const formattedTemplateList = availableTemplates.length
+        ? availableTemplates.join(', ')
+        : '(none)'
+
+    return `Unknown template "${templateSource}". Available templates: ${formattedTemplateList}. Or use a GitHub template specifier like "owner/repo#ref" or "https://github.com/owner/repo#ref".`
+}
+
 const command = {
     command: '[app]',
     builder: (yargs) => {
         yargs.command(commandHandler)
     },
     handler: async (argv) => {
         let name = argv._[0] || argv.name
+        let communityTemplates = []
+
+        try {
+            communityTemplates = getCommunityTemplates()
+        } catch (error) {
+            reporter.error(
+                error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)
+            )
+            process.exit(1)
+        }
 
         const useDefauls = argv.yes
 
@@ -121,6 +149,10 @@ const command = {
                             name: 'Template with React Router',
                             value: 'react-router',
                         },
+                        {
+                            name: 'Community templates',
+                            value: 'community',
+                        },
                         {
                             name: 'Custom template from Git',
                             value: 'custom-git',
@@ -134,6 +166,30 @@ const command = {
                             'Enter GitHub template specifier (e.g. owner/repo#main)',
                         required: true,
                     })
+                } else if (template === 'community') {
+                    const communityTemplate = await select({
+                        message: 'Select a community template',
+                        choices: [
+                            ...communityTemplates.map((communityEntry) => ({
+                                name: communityEntry.displayName,
+                                value: communityEntry.source,
+                            })),
+                            {
+                                name: 'Use a Git repository',
+                                value: 'custom-git',
+                            },
+                        ],
+                    })
+
+                    if (communityTemplate === 'custom-git') {
+                        selectedOptions.templateSource = await input({
+                            message:
+                                'Enter GitHub template specifier (e.g. owner/repo#main)',
+                            required: true,
+                        })
+                    } else {
+                        selectedOptions.templateSource = communityTemplate
+                    }
                 } else {
                     selectedOptions.templateSource = template
                 }
@@ -174,21 +230,45 @@ const command = {
             })
             reporter.debug('Successfully ran git clean')
         } catch (err) {
-            reporter.debug(err)
+            reporter.debug(err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err))
         }
 
         reporter.info('Copying template files')
         let resolvedExternalTemplate
         try {
+            const normalizedTemplateSource = String(
+                selectedOptions.templateSource || ''
+            ).trim()
             const builtInTemplatePath = getBuiltInTemplateDirectory(
-                selectedOptions.templateSource
+                normalizedTemplateSource
             )
 
             if (builtInTemplatePath) {
                 fs.copySync(builtInTemplatePath, cwd)
             } else {
+                const resolvedTemplateSource = resolveTemplateSourceInput(
+                    normalizedTemplateSource,
+                    communityTemplates
+                )
+                const externalTemplateSource = resolvedTemplateSource.source
+
+                if (!isGitTemplateSpecifier(externalTemplateSource)) {
+                    if (resolvedTemplateSource.kind === 'community') {
+                        throw new Error(
+                            `Community template "${resolvedTemplateSource.name}" has an invalid source "${externalTemplateSource}".`
+                        )
+                    }
+
+                    throw new Error(
+                        formatUnknownTemplateError(
+                            normalizedTemplateSource,
+                            communityTemplates
+                        )
+                    )
+                }
+
                 resolvedExternalTemplate = await resolveExternalTemplateSource(
-                    selectedOptions.templateSource
+                    externalTemplateSource
                 )
                 fs.copySync(resolvedExternalTemplate.templatePath, cwd)
             }

diff --git a/packages/create-app/src/utils/getCommunityTemplates.js b/packages/create-app/src/utils/getCommunityTemplates.js
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+const path = require('node:path')
+const fs = require('fs-extra')
+const yaml = require('yaml')
+
+const defaultRegistryPath = path.join(__dirname, '../community-templates.yaml')
+
+const getRequiredString = (value, fieldPath, registryPath) => {
+    if (typeof value !== 'string' || value.trim() === '') {
+        throw new Error(
+            `Invalid community template registry "${registryPath}": "${fieldPath}" must be a non-empty string.`
+        )
+    }
+
+    return value.trim()
+}
+
+const getOptionalString = (value, fieldPath, registryPath) => {
+    if (value === undefined || value === null) {
+        return null
+    }
+
+    if (typeof value !== 'string' || value.trim() === '') {
+        throw new Error(
+            `Invalid community template registry "${registryPath}": "${fieldPath}" must be a non-empty string when provided.`
+        )
+    }
+
+    return value.trim()
+}
+
+const getOptionalPersonMetadata = (value, fieldPath, registryPath) => {
+    if (value === undefined || value === null) {
+        return null
+    }
+
+    if (typeof value !== 'object' || Array.isArray(value)) {
+        throw new TypeError(
+            `Invalid community template registry "${registryPath}": "${fieldPath}" must be an object when provided.`
+        )
+    }
+
+    const name = getOptionalString(
+        value.name,
+        `${fieldPath}.name`,
+        registryPath
+    )
+    const url = getOptionalString(value.url, `${fieldPath}.url`, registryPath)
+
+    if (!name && !url) {
+        return null
+    }
+
+    return {
+        ...(name ? { name } : {}),
+        ...(url ? { url } : {}),
+    }
+}
+
+const getCommunityTemplates = (registryPath = defaultRegistryPath) => {
+    let registryFileContent
+
+    try {
+        registryFileContent = fs.readFileSync(registryPath, 'utf8')
+    } catch (error) {
+        const detail =
+            error instanceof Error && error.message ? ` ${error.message}` : ''
+        throw new Error(
+            `Failed to read community template registry "${registryPath}".${detail}`
+        )
+    }
+
+    let parsedRegistry
+    try {
+        parsedRegistry = yaml.parse(registryFileContent)
+    } catch (error) {
+        const detail =
+            error instanceof Error && error.message ? ` ${error.message}` : ''
+        throw new Error(
+            `Failed to parse community template registry "${registryPath}".${detail}`
+        )
+    }
+
+    if (!parsedRegistry || !Array.isArray(parsedRegistry.templates)) {
+        throw new Error(
+            `Invalid community template registry "${registryPath}": "templates" must be an array.`
+        )
+    }
+
+    const knownTemplateSources = new Set()
+
+    return parsedRegistry.templates.map((template, index) => {
+        const templateFieldPrefix = `templates[${index}]`
+        if (
+            !template ||
+            typeof template !== 'object' ||
+            Array.isArray(template)
+        ) {
+            throw new Error(
+                `Invalid community template registry "${registryPath}": "${templateFieldPrefix}" must be an object.`
+            )
+        }
+
+        const name = getRequiredString(
+            template.name,
+            `${templateFieldPrefix}.name`,
+            registryPath
+        )
+        const source = getRequiredString(
+            template.source,
+            `${templateFieldPrefix}.source`,
+            registryPath
+        )
+
+        if (knownTemplateSources.has(source)) {
+            throw new Error(
+                `Invalid community template registry "${registryPath}": duplicate template source "${source}" in "${templateFieldPrefix}.source".`
+            )
+        }
+        knownTemplateSources.add(source)
+
+        const description = getOptionalString(
+            template.description,
+            `${templateFieldPrefix}.description`,
+            registryPath
+        )
+        const maintainer = getOptionalPersonMetadata(
+            template.maintainer,
+            `${templateFieldPrefix}.maintainer`,
+            registryPath
+        )
+        const organisation = getOptionalPersonMetadata(
+            template.organisation,
+            `${templateFieldPrefix}.organisation`,
+            registryPath
+        )
+
+        const attributionParts = []
+        if (maintainer?.name) {
+            attributionParts.push(`by ${maintainer.name}`)
+        }
+        if (organisation?.name) {
+            attributionParts.push(`org: ${organisation.name}`)
+        }
+        const displayName = attributionParts.length
+            ? `${name} (${attributionParts.join(', ')})`
+            : name
+
+        return {
+            name,
+            source,
+            ...(description ? { description } : {}),
+            ...(maintainer ? { maintainer } : {}),
+            ...(organisation ? { organisation } : {}),
+            displayName,
+        }
+    })
+}
+
+module.exports = getCommunityTemplates
diff --git a/packages/create-app/src/utils/resolveTemplateSourceInput.js b/packages/create-app/src/utils/resolveTemplateSourceInput.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+const resolveTemplateSourceInput = (
+    templateSource,
+    communityTemplates = []
+) => {
+    const normalizedTemplateSource = String(templateSource || '').trim()
+
+    const matchedCommunityTemplate = communityTemplates.find(
+        (communityTemplate) =>
+            communityTemplate.source === normalizedTemplateSource
+    )
+    if (matchedCommunityTemplate) {
+        return {
+            kind: 'community',
+            name: matchedCommunityTemplate.name,
+            source: matchedCommunityTemplate.source,
+        }
+    }
+
+    return {
+        kind: 'external',
+        source: normalizedTemplateSource,
+    }
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+    resolveTemplateSourceInput,
+}