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Kendo CLI Options for Vue

Updated on Sep 9, 2026

The Kendo CLI (@progress/kendo-cli) is a command-line tool shared across the Kendo UI product suite. For Kendo UI for Vue, it creates new projects, adds components to existing apps, manages your license, and migrates projects to newer package versions. This article describes the available commands and their options.

Install the Kendo CLI

Install the Kendo CLI globally so that the kendo command is available in any project:

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

Interactive Wizard

Running kendo with no arguments opens an interactive, menu-driven wizard. Use the arrow keys to navigate and Enter to select an option.

The wizard presents a two-level menu:

  • Create new project—Scaffolds a new Kendo UI for Vue application (kendo create).
  • Set up your environment—Configures your Kendo UI for Vue license (kendo setup).
  • Enhance Project
    • Add pages/components (kendo scaffold)
    • Add Kendo to existing project (kendo add)
    • Migrate to latest version (kendo migrate)
    • Build custom jQuery bundle (kendo custom-build)—Kendo UI for jQuery only, not applicable to Vue.
    • Configure AI generator (MCP) (kendo mcp)—Not yet available for Kendo UI for Vue.
  • Utilities
    • Manage license (kendo license)
    • Account settings
    • Display system & configuration info
    • Print machine ID (kendo machine-id)
  • Upgrade CLI—Checks for and installs a newer version of the Kendo CLI (kendo upgrade).

When a flow completes, the wizard prints a summary of the next steps, for example the commands to install dependencies and start the development server after creating a project.

Set Up Kendo UI for Vue

Use kendo setup vue to configure your development environment for Kendo UI for Vue, including your license:

sh
kendo setup vue
OptionDescription
--forceRe-runs setup even if already configured.

License Setup for Kendo UI for Vue

The kendo license command manages your Telerik and Kendo UI license key.

Activate Your License

Validates and imports a license key file in the current project. The command searches for a key in the TELERIK_LICENSE and KENDO_UI_LICENSE environment variables, and in telerik-license.txt or kendo-ui-license.txt files located in the current directory, its parent directories, or your home directory:

sh
kendo license activate
OptionDescription
--ignore-no-licenseSets the exit status to 0 (success) if a license file is missing.

Download or Refresh a License Key

Downloads a new license key file after you authenticate through telerik.com in your browser. By default, the file is saved to your home directory:

sh
kendo license refresh

Inspect the Active License

Prints information about the license that is currently active for the project:

sh
kendo license info

For more information, see the Set Up Your Kendo UI for Vue License Key article.

Generate a Kendo UI for Vue Project

Use kendo create vue vite to scaffold a new Kendo UI for Vue application built with Vite:

sh
kendo create vue vite MyKendoVueApp

Vue Generator Synopsis

kendo create vue vite [name]
OptionDescription
nameName of the generated application. Defaults to KendoUIForVueApp.
--typescript, --tsInitializes the project as TypeScript. Defaults to a JavaScript project.
--stylingStyling language to use—CSS or Sass. Defaults to CSS.
--themeKendo theme to apply—default, bootstrap, material, fluent, or meridian. Defaults to default.
--swatchTheme swatch to apply. See the available swatches below. Defaults to the base swatch of the selected theme.

Available Theme Swatches

  • default-main, default-main-dark, default-nordic, default-purple, default-turquoise, default-ocean-blue, default-ocean-blue-a11y
  • bootstrap-main, bootstrap-main-dark, bootstrap-nordic, bootstrap-urban, bootstrap-vintage
  • material-main, material-main-dark, material-arctic, material-lime-dark, material-nova
  • fluent-main, fluent-main-dark
  • meridian-main, meridian-main-dark

Build and Run

After the project is generated, install the dependencies and start the development server:

sh
cd MyKendoVueApp
npm install
npm run dev

Add Kendo UI to an Existing Project

Run kendo add inside an existing project to add Kendo UI for Vue to it. The command auto-detects the framework from package.json and lets you choose which Kendo UI packages to add:

sh
kendo add

Scaffold Components in an Existing Project

Use kendo scaffold vue to add a ready-made Kendo UI for Vue page to an existing Vue project:

sh
kendo scaffold vue grid
CommandDescription
kendo scaffold vue gridGenerates a new page with a Kendo UI for Vue Grid.
kendo scaffold vue chartGenerates a new page with a Kendo UI for Vue Chart.
kendo scaffold vue formGenerates a new page with a Kendo UI for Vue Form.
kendo scaffold vue schedulerGenerates a new page with a Kendo UI for Vue Scheduler.

Add --dry-run to preview the files that a scaffold command would generate without writing them to disk.

Assisted Migration for Kendo UI for Vue

Use kendo migrate to update the Kendo UI for Vue packages in a project and apply the related codemods (automated code transformations):

sh
kendo migrate @progress/kendo-vue-grid

Omit the package names to migrate every @progress package in the project:

sh
kendo migrate

Migration Arguments Reference

OptionDescription
packagesOne or more packages to migrate. Migrates all @progress packages if omitted.
--toVersion to migrate to. Defaults to the latest version.
--fromVersion to migrate from. Defaults to the current version.
-i, --installInstalls the new package versions. Defaults to true.
-c, --codemodsRuns the codemods for the listed or updated packages. Defaults to true.
--peer-deps, --pdAlso installs @progress packages found in peer dependencies. Defaults to true.
-o, --optionalRuns the optional codemods configured by the package. Defaults to true.
--ignore-patternGlob patterns of files to ignore.
-f, --forceRuns the migration in force mode.
--ai-modePrints post-codemod instructions for changes that could not be applied automatically.

For guidance on updating package versions manually, see the Keeping Up to Date article.

Utilities

A few generic commands are available regardless of the product you use:

sh
# Print a hardware-based hash for the current machine, useful for license troubleshooting.
kendo machine-id

# Check whether a newer version of the Kendo CLI is available and print the upgrade command.
kendo upgrade