# Using the Kendo CLI The Kendo CLI (`@progress/kendo-cli`) is a command-line tool that helps you set up and manage Kendo UI for jQuery projects from the terminal. With the Kendo CLI you can: * Create a new Kendo UI for jQuery application from a built-in template. * Scaffold Kendo UI components into an existing application. * Build a custom Kendo UI script bundle with only the components your project needs. * Set up your development environment, including license activation and AI assistant configuration. * Migrate your project to the latest version of the Kendo UI packages. ## Prerequisites Ensure you have Node 22 or Node 24 installed. See [Node Setup on Windows with nvm-windows](https://www.telerik.com/kendo-jquery-ui/documentation/intro/installation/node-setup-windows-nvm) for a quick setup guide. ## Installation Install the Kendo CLI globally so the `kendo` command is available in any terminal session: ```sh npm i -g @progress/kendo-cli ``` Verify the installation by checking the version: ```sh kendo --version ``` ## Available Commands The following commands apply to Kendo UI for jQuery. Run `kendo --help` to see all available commands at any time. | Command | Description | | --------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `kendo create jquery` | Create a new jQuery app from a built-in template. | | `kendo scaffold jquery` | Add Kendo UI for jQuery components to an existing app. | | `kendo custom-build jquery` | Generate a custom Kendo UI for jQuery UMD bundle with selected components. | | `kendo setup jquery` | Set up Kendo UI for jQuery in your development environment. | | `kendo migrate` | Migrate the project to the latest version of the Kendo UI packages. | | `kendo license` | Manage your Kendo UI license (activate, refresh, info). | | `kendo mcp config jquery` | Configure the Kendo UI for jQuery MCP server for your AI coding assistant. | | `kendo machine-id` | Print a hardware-based hash for license troubleshooting. | ### kendo create jquery Creates a new Kendo UI for jQuery application from a template. The available templates are: | Template shorthand | Description | | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `jba` | Blank — a minimal starting point with Kendo UI scripts and stylesheets included and no pre-built pages. | | `jqa` | Admin — a multi-view app with a Task Dashboard, Products, Performance statistics, and Account Settings pages, showcasing Grid, Charts, and navigational components. | | `jda` | Dashboard — includes a ListView of team members and Scheduler and Chart components representing task and performance data. | | `jdla` | Dashboard Layout — displays data through Chart components arranged in a TileLayout. | | `jga` | Grid — demonstrates a simple Grid configuration. | | `jsa` | Standard — showcases navigational components such as PanelBar, Menu, TabStrip, and TreeView. | ```sh kendo create jquery jba MyApp kendo create jquery jqa MyAdminApp --theme=bootstrap ``` After the project is generated, navigate into the new directory, install packages, and run: ```sh cd MyApp npm install npm start ``` #### Options | Option | Description | Default | | --------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------- | | `--theme` | Kendo theme to apply. Choices: `default`, `bootstrap`, `material`, `fluent`. | `default` | ### kendo scaffold jquery Adds Kendo UI for jQuery components to an existing application. The command detects your project directory and guides you through selecting a component to add. ```sh kendo scaffold jquery ``` ### kendo custom-build jquery Generates a custom Kendo UI for jQuery UMD bundle that includes only the components you select, reducing the overall file size. The CLI resolves and installs the target `@progress/kendo-ui` version, lets you choose components interactively, and outputs a single `kendo-custom.min.js` file. A `kendo-config.json` file is saved so you can reproduce the build later. ```sh kendo custom-build jquery kendo custom-build jquery --version xxxx.x.xxx kendo custom-build jquery --no-interactive kendo custom-build jquery --config path/to/kendo-config.json ``` #### Options | Option | Description | Default | | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------- | | `--version` | Target `@progress/kendo-ui` version (2026 and later only). | Latest | | `--config`, `-c` | Path to `kendo-config.json`. | `kendo-config.json` | | `--interactive` | Run interactive component selection. Pass `--no-interactive` to skip prompts and use an existing config file. | `true` | ### kendo setup jquery Sets up Kendo UI for jQuery in your development environment. The wizard checks for a valid license and opens a browser to authenticate if needed, then configures the product-specific MCP server for your IDE. ```sh kendo setup jquery ``` > If you prefer not to install the package globally, you can use `npx`: > > ```sh > npx @progress/kendo-cli kendo setup jquery > ``` ### kendo migrate Migrates the project to the latest version of the Kendo UI packages and applies available codemods. Run the command in the root of your project: ```sh kendo migrate ``` For more targeted migrations: ```sh # Migrate a specific package between versions kendo migrate @progress/kendo-ui --from 10 --to 11 # Only install updates, skip codemods kendo migrate --no-codemods # Only run codemods, skip package installation kendo migrate --no-install # Skip confirmation prompts kendo migrate --force ``` For AI guidance with the jQuery migration, see [AI-Assisted Migration](https://www.telerik.com/kendo-jquery-ui/documentation/ai-assistant/ai-migration). #### Options | Option | Description | Default | | ---------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------- | | `packages` | One or more packages to migrate. If omitted, runs for all detected Kendo packages. | All packages | | `--to` | Target version to migrate to. | Latest version | | `--from` | Source version to migrate from. | Currently installed version | | `-f`, `--force` | Skip all confirmation prompts. | `false` | | `-i`, `--install` / `--no-install` | Install the updated `@progress` packages. Pass `--no-install` to skip installation and run codemods only. | `true` | | `-c`, `--codemods` / `--no-codemods` | Run codemods for the listed or updated packages. Pass `--no-codemods` to skip codemods and install packages only. | `true` | | `--peer-deps`, `--pd` / `--no-peer-deps` | Install `@progress` packages gathered from peer dependencies. | `true` | | `-o`, `--optional` / `--no-optional` | Run optional codemods. Pass `--no-optional` to run only required transformations. | `true` | | `--ignore-pattern` | Glob pattern for files and directories to exclude from codemod transformations. | — | | `--ai-mode` | Display post-codemod instructions for changes that could not be applied automatically. | `false` | ### kendo license Manages your Kendo UI license key. ```sh # Activate a license key kendo license activate # Download or refresh a license key by authenticating in the browser kendo license refresh # Display the active license details kendo license info ``` `kendo license activate` searches for a license key in the following locations, in order: * The path specified in the `TELERIK_LICENSE_PATH` environment variable. * The `TELERIK_LICENSE` or `KENDO_UI_LICENSE` environment variables. * `telerik-license.txt` or `kendo-ui-license.txt` files in the current directory, each parent directory, or `~/.telerik/` (Linux and macOS) / `%APPDATA%\Telerik\` (Windows). `kendo license refresh` opens a browser to authenticate with telerik.com and saves a fresh key to `~/.telerik/telerik-license.txt`. `kendo license info` prints the audience, issue date, and list of products covered by the current license key. ### kendo mcp config jquery Configures the Kendo UI for jQuery MCP server so your AI coding assistant can look up components, APIs, and best practices directly from the official documentation. ```sh # Configure for all supported IDEs (default) kendo mcp config jquery # Configure for a specific IDE kendo mcp config jquery --ide=cursor kendo mcp config jquery --ide=vscode kendo mcp config jquery --ide=visualstudio # Overwrite existing entries kendo mcp config jquery --ide=cursor --force # Output machine-readable JSON kendo mcp config jquery --json ``` #### Options | Option | Description | Default | | --------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- | | `--ide` | IDE to configure. Choices: `cursor`, `vscode`, `visualstudio`, `all`. | `all` | | `--force` | Overwrite existing MCP server entries instead of skipping them. | `false` | | `--json` | Print machine-readable JSON output instead of human-readable text. | `false` | ### kendo machine-id Prints a hardware-based hash for your machine. Useful when troubleshooting license activation issues. ```sh kendo machine-id ``` ## Next Steps * [Installing with NPM](https://www.telerik.com/kendo-jquery-ui/documentation/intro/installation/npm) * [Building Custom Kendo UI Scripts Locally](https://www.telerik.com/kendo-jquery-ui/documentation/intro/installation/custom-builder-cli) ## See Also * [Downloading the Bundles](https://www.telerik.com/kendo-jquery-ui/documentation/intro/installation/hosting-kendoui) * [Installing Kendo UI by Using the CDN Services](https://www.telerik.com/kendo-jquery-ui/documentation/intro/installation/cdn-service) * [Licensing Overview](https://www.telerik.com/kendo-jquery-ui/documentation/intro/installation/licensing/overview)