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Changelog for Template-NEXT: Version 0.4.1

March 13, 2026
Today

In this changelog, we'll cover the updates in v0.4.1 that make Template-NEXT feel more complete out of the box, with a stronger default starter and a more reliable local/package execution flow.

Version 0.4.1 - What's New

1) Custom Next.js scaffold defaults

Template-NEXT now creates projects using a more opinionated custom Next.js setup instead of the more generic baseline.

New defaults include:

  • TypeScript
  • ESLint
  • React Compiler
  • Tailwind CSS
  • App Router
  • src/ directory
  • default @/* import alias
  • Turbopack
  • npm-based install flow

This makes the generated starter closer to the exact stack used in real projects.

2) shadcn/ui preset: abkeIa

The scaffold now initializes shadcn/ui with the preset below instead of the generic init flow:

Terminal
npx shadcn@latest init --preset abkeIa

Preset link:

https://ui.shadcn.com/create?preset=abkeIa

That gives new projects a stronger visual and structural baseline right away.

3) Built-in next-themes support

Generated apps now include next-themes by default, along with a typed theme provider and the layout wiring needed to use it immediately.

Theme provider:

src/components/theme-provider.tsx
"use client";

import * as React from "react";
import { ThemeProvider as NextThemesProvider } from "next-themes";

export function ThemeProvider({
  children,
  ...props
}: React.ComponentProps<typeof NextThemesProvider>) {
  return <NextThemesProvider {...props}>{children}</NextThemesProvider>;
}

Layout integration:

src/app/layout.tsx
export default function RootLayout({
  children,
}: Readonly<{
  children: React.ReactNode;
}>) {
  return (
    <html lang="en" suppressHydrationWarning>
      <body
        className={cn(
          "bg-background text-foreground relative h-full font-sans antialiased",
          geistSans.variable,
          geistMono.variable
        )}
      >
        <main className="relative flex min-h-screen flex-col">
          <ThemeProvider
            attribute="class"
            defaultTheme="system"
            enableSystem
            disableTransitionOnChange
          >
            <div className="flex-1 grow">{children}</div>
          </ThemeProvider>
        </main>
      </body>
    </html>
  );
}

This means theme support is ready out of the box instead of being another manual post-install step.

4) Refreshed landing page and layout

The generated app now ships with an updated starter page and layout:

  • improved landing page structure
  • script list section for quick onboarding
  • updated metadata and layout setup
  • corrected font variable wiring for Geist / Geist Mono
  • cleanup around generated theme provider typing

The goal here was to make the starter feel more polished without becoming bloated.

5) Automatic formatting before setup completes

Template-NEXT now runs formatting before the setup finishes, so generated projects land in a cleaner state immediately.

Terminal
npm run format

This also helps keep the initial git state cleaner when git initialization is enabled.

6) Better reliability for packaged/local runs

A few practical fixes landed in this release:

  • improved execution flow for packaged CLI usage
  • validation for current-directory project naming
  • cleanup of overly playful CLI output
  • small publish and setup polish

These changes were mainly about making the tool behave more predictably when tested and published for real.

Usage Examples

Terminal
# Standard starter
npx @edward-hyde/template-next my-app

# Initialize in the current directory
npx @edward-hyde/template-next .

# Use latest instead of pins
npx @edward-hyde/template-next my-app --latest

# Inspect pinned versions
npx @edward-hyde/template-next versions

Current Pin Set (0.4.1)

PackagePinned VersionReason
next16Stable baseline for the generated starter
prettier^3.5.0Stable formatter setup for generated apps
prettier-plugin-tailwindcss^0.6.0Tailwind-aware class sorting with Prettier 3

System Requirements

  • Node.js ≥ 20.9.0
  • npm installed

If you're scaffolding into the current directory, keep the folder name lowercase so it stays valid as an npm package name.

Summary

Template-NEXT 0.4.1 is a more complete starter release. It moves the scaffold toward a stronger default setup with React Compiler, Turbopack, shadcn/ui preset abkeIa, next-themes, a refreshed landing page, and automatic formatting before setup completes.

With 0.4.1, Template-NEXT feels less like a thin wrapper and more like a ready-to-build foundation. If you want a cleaner starting point with solid defaults and less setup friction, this release gets the template much closer to that goal.