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Rendering Archetypes

Rendering is Archetect's core act: take an archetype, gather input, write a project.

Sources​

archetect render accepts an archetype from:

# A git repository (https or ssh)
archetect render https://github.com/your-org/rust-cli-archetype.git
archetect render git@github.com:your-org/rust-cli-archetype.git

# A local directory
archetect render ../archetypes/rust-cli-archetype

Git sources are cloned into Archetect's cache on first use and reused afterwards. Local directories are always used as-is — ideal while developing an archetype.

Destinations​

The destination defaults to the current directory. Set it with a second positional argument or the --destination / --dest flag:

archetect render https://github.com/your-org/rust-cli-archetype.git ~/projects
archetect render https://github.com/your-org/rust-cli-archetype.git --dest ~/projects

Most archetypes create a project directory inside the destination (named after your project name answer), so pointing at ~/projects yields ~/projects/my-service/.

Existing files​

By default Archetect preserves files that already exist at the destination — re-rendering over a project won't clobber your edits. Archetype authors can choose different policies per render step (overwrite, prompt, or hard-error); see Existing-file policies if you need the details.

Previewing with dry runs​

See what an archetype would do without writing a single file:

archetect render <source> --dry-run

You'll still be prompted (prompts are how archetypes decide what to render); combine with answers or -D to make it fully non-interactive.

Caching and updates​

Remote archetypes and catalogs live in ~/.cache/archetect. Archetect works from the cache aggressively, which is what makes repeat renders instant.

# Force-refresh all sources involved in this render
archetect render <source> -U

# Never touch the network — cache and local dirs only
archetect render <source> --offline

cache pull pre-downloads everything reachable from a source or your configured catalog (useful before a flight), and cache invalidate marks entries stale without deleting them. See Cache & System.

Shell execution safety​

Some archetypes run commands as part of generation — initializing git repositories, installing dependencies. Archetect's default policy is to prompt for approval per command. To pre-approve for a render you trust:

archetect render <source> --allow-exec

Set the policy permanently in configuration.

Verbosity​

Add -v (repeatable) to see what Archetect is doing under the hood — source resolution, cache decisions, configuration merging:

archetect render <source> -v

Next​