# Kendo CLI Options for Angular

This article covers setup tasks you can complete with the Kendo CLI for Kendo UI for Angular. It includes installation, the interactive wizard, setup, license management, MCP server configuration, Angular project generation, and assisted migration.

## Install the Kendo CLI

Install the CLI globally:

```sh
npm i -g @progress/kendo-cli@latest
```

## Interactive Wizard

Run `kendo` with no arguments to open the interactive wizard, a guided experience that walks you through each command with a visual step-by-step flow.

```sh
kendo
```

The wizard starts with a categorized command menu:

| Group           | Commands                                                               |
| --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Quick Start** | Create a new project, Scaffold components                              |
| **Environment** | Set up your environment, Configure AI assistant (MCP), Manage license  |
| **Manage**      | Migrate to the latest version, Build custom Kendo UI for jQuery bundle |
| **Utilities**   | Print machine ID                                                       |

### Guided Flows

Each command in the wizard prompts you through its options interactively:

* **Create** — Select product, template, app name, theme, swatch, and styling
* **Scaffold** — Detect and confirm project directory, then choose a component
* **Setup** — Detect already configured products, then prompt only for the remaining ones
* **MCP** — Detect already configured servers, then prompt for product and IDE
* **Migrate** — Choose scope, target version, mode (full / install-only / codemods-only), optional codemods, and AI mode
* **License** — Choose activate, refresh, or info

### Wizard Features

* Color-coded UI with selection indicators and completion confirmations
* Automatic detection of already configured products (`setup`, `mcp`)
* Project directory detection for scaffold commands
* Progress spinner during command execution
* Success summary box after each completed command
* **Run another command?** loop to chain operations in one session without relaunching the CLI

### Example Session

The following is an example of a session where a user creates a new Kendo UI for Angular app and configures their license and MCP server:

```sh
$ kendo

  ██████╗ ██████╗  ██████╗  ██████╗ ██████╗ ███████╗███████╗███████╗
  ██╔══██╗██╔══██╗██╔═══██╗██╔════╝ ██╔══██╗██╔════╝██╔════╝██╔════╝
  ██████╔╝██████╔╝██║   ██║██║  ███╗██████╔╝█████╗  ███████╗███████╗
  ██╔═══╝ ██╔══██╗██║   ██║██║   ██║██╔══██╗██╔══╝  ╚════██║╚════██║
  ██║     ██║  ██║╚██████╔╝╚██████╔╝██║  ██║███████╗███████║███████║
  ╚═╝     ╚═╝  ╚═╝ ╚═════╝  ╚═════╝ ╚═╝  ╚═╝╚══════╝╚══════╝╚══════╝

  ? What would you like to do?
  Quick Start
  › Create a new project          kendo create
    Scaffold components           kendo scaffold
    ...

  ? Which product?
    KendoReact
  › Kendo UI for Angular
    ...

  ╭───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
  │  ✓ Kendo UI for Angular app ready                             │
  │                                                               │
  │  Next steps:                                                  │
  │    cd MyBlankAngularApp                                       │
  │    npm install                                                │
  │    ng serve                                                   │
  │                                                               │
  │  Theme       Default                                          │
  │                                                               │
  │  Docs  https://www.telerik.com/kendo-angular-ui/components    │
  ╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯

  ? What would you like to do next?
  ❯ Back to main menu
    Exit
```

> All wizard operations are also available as direct CLI commands for scripting and CI. See the sections below for full syntax details.

## Set Up Kendo UI for Angular

Run the setup wizard for Kendo UI for Angular:

```sh
kendo setup angular
```

The setup command walks you through license activation and MCP server configuration for your IDE.

## License Setup for Kendo UI for Angular

A valid Telerik or Kendo UI license is required to use the Kendo UI for Angular components in your projects.

### Activate Your License

Find your license key at [Your Licenses](https://www.telerik.com/account/your-licenses), then run:

```sh
kendo license activate
```

The command searches for a license key in the following locations:

* `TELERIK_LICENSE` environment variable
* `KENDO_UI_LICENSE` environment variable
* `telerik-license.txt` in the current directory, any parent directory, or `~/.telerik/`
* `kendo-ui-license.txt` in the current directory, any parent directory, or `~/.telerik/`

`license activate` options:

| Option                | Description                                                                                                                |
| --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `--ignore-no-license` | Exit with code `0` even when no license file is found. Useful in CI when a missing license should be treated as a warning. |

### Download or Refresh a License Key

To authenticate with telerik.com in a browser and save a fresh key to `~/.telerik/telerik-license.txt`, run:

```sh
kendo license refresh
```

### Inspect the Active License

To print the current license audience, issue date, and covered products, run:

```sh
kendo license info
```

## Configure the Kendo UI Agent (MCP) for Angular

Use MCP commands to register Kendo UI for Angular MCP servers for your AI coding assistant.

### Configure for a Specific IDE

Use `angular` as the product when you configure Kendo UI for Angular.

```sh Cursor
kendo mcp config angular --ide=cursor
```

```sh VS Code
kendo mcp config angular --ide=vscode
```

```sh All IDEs
kendo mcp config angular --ide=all
```

Supported IDEs: `cursor`, `vscode`, `visualstudio`, `all`

### Configure All Products for All IDEs

Run the following command to configure MCP servers for all Kendo products and all supported IDEs in one step:

```sh
kendo mcp all
```

### Force Overwrite Existing Entries

By default, `mcp config` and `mcp all` skip entries that already exist in the config file. Use `--force` to overwrite existing entries:

```sh Angular for Cursor
kendo mcp config angular --ide=cursor --force
```

```sh All products and IDEs
kendo mcp all --force
```

### JSON Output for Scripts and CI

Use `--json` to return machine-readable output:

```sh
kendo mcp config angular --ide=cursor --json
```

Example output:

```json
{
  "exitCode": 0,
  "message": "MCP servers registered successfully.",
  "data": {
    "registered": [
      { "ide": "Cursor", "configPath": "/Users/you/.cursor/mcp.json" }
    ]
  },
  "success": true
}
```

MCP config files written per IDE:

| IDE                | Config file                                                |
| ------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| Cursor             | `~/.cursor/mcp.json`                                       |
| Visual Studio Code | `~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/mcp.json` (macOS) |
| Visual Studio      | `~/.mcp.json`                                              |

### MCP Command Synopsis

Register MCP servers for your IDE to enable AI coding assistance with Kendo UI for Angular.

```sh
kendo mcp config <product>
```

Options:

| Option        | Applies to              | Description                                                                   |
| ------------- | ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `--ide=<ide>` | `mcp config`            | IDE to configure: `cursor`, `vscode`, `visualstudio`, `all` (default: `all`). |
| `--json`      | `mcp config`, `mcp all` | Print machine-readable JSON output.                                           |
| `--force`     | `mcp config`, `mcp all` | Overwrite existing MCP server entries.                                        |

```sh
kendo mcp all
```

Configures all MCP servers for all IDEs and products.

## Generate a Kendo UI for Angular Project

Use the Kendo CLI Angular generator to create a new Angular project.

```sh
kendo create angular aba MyAngularBlankApp
```

The generator creates a blank Angular project template with Kendo UI for Angular styles and scripts.

### Angular Generator Options

Theme options:

* `--theme=default`
* `--theme=bootstrap`
* `--theme=material`
* `--theme=fluent`

Swatch options:

* `--swatch=default-main`
* `--swatch=default-main-dark`
* `--swatch=default-nordic`
* `--swatch=default-purple`
* `--swatch=default-turquoise`
* `--swatch=default-ocean-blue`
* `--swatch=default-ocean-blue-a11y`
* `--swatch=fluent-main`
* `--swatch=fluent-main-dark`
* `--swatch=bootstrap-main`
* `--swatch=bootstrap-main-dark`
* `--swatch=bootstrap-nordic`
* `--swatch=bootstrap-urban`
* `--swatch=bootstrap-vintage`
* `--swatch=material-main`
* `--swatch=material-main-dark`
* `--swatch=material-arctic`
* `--swatch=material-lime-dark`
* `--swatch=material-nova`

### Angular Generator Synopsis

Create a new Kendo UI for Angular app.

Commands:

* `kendo create angular aba [name]` - Create Angular blank app.

Options:

| Option      | Description                                                         |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `--help`    | Show help.                                                          |
| `--version` | Show version number.                                                |
| `--verbose` | Set verbosity level.                                                |
| `--quiet`   | Minimize output (equivalent to verbosity level `0`).                |
| `--theme`   | Kendo theme to apply: `default`, `bootstrap`, `material`, `fluent`. |
| `--swatch`  | Kendo theme swatch to apply from the supported swatch list.         |

### Build and Run

After generation, install dependencies, build, and run the development server:

```sh
cd MyAngularBlankApp
npm install
ng build
ng serve
```

## Assisted Migration for Kendo UI for Angular

Use CLI-assisted migration to update Kendo UI for Angular packages and apply available codemods.

> For full migration guidance, see [Assisted Migration Tooling](https://www.telerik.com/kendo-angular-ui/components/assisted-migration). To let AI handle the migration end-to-end, see [AI-Assisted Migration](https://www.telerik.com/kendo-angular-ui/components/ai-migration).

Install the CLI globally (if needed):

```sh
npm i -g @progress/kendo-cli
```

Run migration from your project root:

```sh
kendo migrate
```

The guided flow can:

1. Check for available package updates and peer dependencies.
2. Prompt you to install updates.
3. Prompt you to apply codemods.
4. Apply transformations version by version.

After migration, review added code comments and run your app and tests.

### Best Practices

* Migrate between consecutive major versions (for example, v10 to v11).
* Migrate one package at a time for better control.
* Validate behavior with a full test run after migration.

### Quick Migration Commands

Run the following commands for common migration scenarios:

```sh Guided migration
kendo migrate
```

```sh Specific package
kendo migrate @progress/kendo-angular-grid
```

```sh Specific versions
kendo migrate @progress/kendo-angular-grid --from=22 --to=23
```

```sh Force mode (no prompts)
kendo migrate --force
```

```sh Install updates only (no codemods)
kendo migrate --no-codemods
```

```sh Codemods only (no install)
kendo migrate @progress/kendo-angular-grid --no-install
```

```sh Ignore files/directories
kendo migrate @progress/kendo-angular-grid --no-install --ignore-pattern="dist/**"
```

### Migration Arguments Reference

| Argument           | Description                                                               |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `[packages..]`     | Package(s) to migrate. If omitted, runs for all available Kendo packages. |
| `--help`           | Print command help.                                                       |
| `--version`        | Print Kendo CLI version.                                                  |
| `--verbose`        | Set output verbosity level (`0` to `5`).                                  |
| `--quiet`          | Minimal output (equivalent to `--verbose=0`).                             |
| `--force`          | Run without confirmations.                                                |
| `--to`             | Target version to migrate to.                                             |
| `--from`           | Source version to migrate from.                                           |
| `--no-install`     | Skip package installation and run codemods only.                          |
| `--no-codemods`    | Skip codemods and install updates only.                                   |
| `--no-peer-deps`   | Skip peer dependency installation.                                        |
| `--no-optional`    | Skip optional codemods.                                                   |
| `--ignore-pattern` | Ignore files/directories by glob pattern.                                 |
| `--ai-mode`        | Show post-codemod instructions for changes that require manual follow-up. |

## Suggested Links

* [Getting Started with Kendo UI for Angular](https://www.telerik.com/kendo-angular-ui/components/getting-started)
* [Set Up Your Kendo UI for Angular License Key](https://www.telerik.com/kendo-angular-ui/components/licensing)
* [License Activation Errors and Warnings](https://www.telerik.com/kendo-angular-ui/components/licensing/license-errors-and-warnings)
* [Kendo UI for Angular AI Tools Overview](https://www.telerik.com/kendo-angular-ui/components/ai-tools/agentic-ui-generator)
* [Agentic UI Generator Getting Started](https://www.telerik.com/kendo-angular-ui/components/ai-tools/agentic-ui-generator/getting-started)