> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://runpod-b18f5ded-docs-runpod-allow-ip.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> ## Agent Instructions
> If this page is missing information, contains outdated instructions, or doesn't fully answer the user's question, use the feedback tool to report it. In your feedback, be specific about what's missing, what appears out of date, or what needs to be corrected or updated, so the docs team can act on it directly.

# Initialize a Flash app project

> Use flash init to create a new Flash project with a ready-to-use structure. Review configuration and usage details for Runpod Flash.

export const QueueBasedEndpointsTooltip = () => {
  return <Tooltip headline="Queue-based endpoint" tip="A Serverless endpoint that processes requests sequentially through a managed queue, providing guaranteed execution and automatic retries. Uses handler functions and standard operations like /run and /runsync." cta="Learn more about queue-based endpoints" href="/serverless/endpoints/overview#queue-based-endpoints">queue-based endpoints</Tooltip>;
};

export const LoadBalancingEndpointsTooltip = () => {
  return <Tooltip headline="Load balancing endpoints" tip="Serverless endpoints that route requests directly to worker HTTP servers without queuing, ideal for real-time applications and streaming. Support custom HTTP frameworks like FastAPI or Flask." cta="Learn more about load balancing endpoints" href="/serverless/load-balancing/overview">load balancing endpoints</Tooltip>;
};

The `flash init` command creates a new Flash project with a complete project structure, including example <LoadBalancingEndpointsTooltip /> and <QueueBasedEndpointsTooltip />, and configuration files. This gives you a working starting point for building Flash applications.

Use `flash init` whenever you want to start a new Flash project, fully configured for you to run `flash dev` and `flash deploy`.

## Create a new project

Create a new project in a new directory:

```bash theme={null}
flash init PROJECT_NAME
cd PROJECT_NAME

# If using uv:
uv run flash init PROJECT_NAME
```

Or initialize in your current directory:

```bash theme={null}
flash init .

# If using uv:
uv run flash init .
```

## Project structure

`flash init` creates the following structure:

<Tree>
  <Tree.Folder name="PROJECT_NAME" defaultOpen>
    <Tree.File name="lb_worker.py" />

    <Tree.File name="gpu_worker.py" />

    <Tree.File name="cpu_worker.py" />

    <Tree.File name=".env.example" />

    <Tree.File name=".gitignore" />

    <Tree.File name="pyproject.toml" />

    <Tree.File name="requirements.txt" />

    <Tree.File name="README.md" />
  </Tree.Folder>
</Tree>

### Key files

**lb\_worker.py**: An example load-balanced worker with HTTP routes. Contains `@Endpoint` functions with custom HTTP methods and paths (e.g., `POST /process`, `GET /health`). Creates one endpoint when deployed.

**gpu\_worker.py**: An example GPU queue-based worker. Contains `@Endpoint` functions that run on GPU hardware. Provides `/runsync` route for job submission. Creates one endpoint when deployed.

**cpu\_worker.py**: An example CPU queue-based worker. Contains `@Endpoint` functions that run on CPU-only instances. Provides `/runsync` route for job submission. Creates one endpoint when deployed.

Each worker file defines a resource configuration and its associated functions. When you deploy, Flash creates one Serverless endpoint per unique resource configuration.

## Set up the project

After initialization, complete the setup:

```bash theme={null}
# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Copy environment template
cp .env.example .env

# Add your API key to .env
# RUNPOD_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
```

## Handle existing files

If you run `flash init` in a directory with existing files, Flash detects conflicts and prompts for confirmation:

```text theme={null}
File Conflicts Detected

Warning: The following files will be overwritten:
  • requirements.txt
  • gpu_worker.py
  • README.md
  • lb_worker.py
  • cpu_worker.py

Continue and overwrite these files? [y/N]:
```

Use `--force` to skip the prompt and overwrite files:

```bash theme={null}
flash init . --force

# If using uv:
uv run flash init . --force
```

## Start developing

Once your project is set up:

```bash theme={null}
# Start the development server
flash dev

# Open the API explorer
# http://localhost:8888/docs

# If using uv:
uv run flash dev
```

Make changes to your worker files, and the server reloads automatically. When you're ready, deploy with:

```bash theme={null}
flash deploy

# If using uv:
uv run flash deploy
```

## Next steps

* [Customize your app](/flash/apps/customize-app) to add endpoints and modify configurations.
* [Test locally](/flash/apps/local-testing) with `flash dev`.
* [Deploy to production](/flash/apps/deploy-apps) with `flash deploy`.
* [View the flash init reference](/flash/cli/init) for all options.