You create a Salesforce DX project from the command line, not from the Setup UI. Install the Salesforce CLI first, then generate the project folder and open it in your editor. These steps produce a tracked, ready-to-develop project.
- Install and verify the CLI
Install the Salesforce CLI, then run sf --version to confirm it resolves. The unified sf CLI replaced the original sfdx executable, so make sure you are on a current build before you start.
- Generate the project
Run sf project generate --name my-app from the folder where you want the project to live. The CLI scaffolds sfdx-project.json, a force-app directory, config, and manifest folders inside a new my-app directory.
- Put it under version control
Change into the new folder and run git init, then commit the generated files. Tracking the project from the first commit means every later change shows up cleanly in history and code review.
- Authorize an org and start the loop
Authorize a Dev Hub or sandbox with sf org login web, then create a scratch org or set a default org. Now you can deploy source into the org, retrieve changes back, and commit your work.
Passed with --name; becomes both the new folder name and the project name recorded in sfdx-project.json.
Generated automatically; its packageDirectories array with one default path is required for the CLI to treat the folder as a project.
The force-app folder created by default; exactly one directory must carry default true so retrieved metadata has a home.
- Running CLI commands that expect a project from outside the project root fails, because the CLI cannot find sfdx-project.json. Run them from the folder that holds that file.
- Keep the .sf or .sfdx state directory out of Git by leaving it in .gitignore. It holds local, machine-specific data that should not be shared.
- Exactly one package directory can be the default. Marking two with default true is a configuration error the CLI will reject.
- The --template flag picks the starting layout. Use the standard template for general work; the empty template skips the sample force-app structure if you want to build it yourself.