Skip to main content

Create a Move Project

In this lesson, you'll use the Sui CLI to create a new Move project and explore the generated file structure. It's not difficult—just one command and you're ready to go.

Why Create a Move Project?​

To develop smart contracts on Sui, you need a Move package. A Move package is a project structure that manages your smart contract code and configuration.

Using the sui move new command:

  • Automatically generates all the necessary files and folders
  • Creates Move.toml (the package configuration file)
  • Sets up the sources/ directory (where you write your code)
  • Gets you ready to start developing smart contracts right away

Prerequisites​

Before starting this lesson, make sure you have completed the following:

tip

If you have Sui CLI installed, you're all set. Run sui --version in your terminal to confirm it shows a version number.

Let's Create a Move Project​

Step 1: Navigate to Your Working Directory​

First, navigate to the directory where you want to create your project. In this example, we'll create a sui-projects folder under your home directory.

mkdir -p ~/sui-projects
cd ~/sui-projects

Step 2: Run the sui move new Command​

Run the following command to create a new Move project. You can replace my_first_package with any name you like.

sui move new my_first_package
Package Naming Rules
  • Snake case (lowercase with underscores) is recommended (e.g., my_first_package)
  • CamelCase like MyPackage also works
  • Cannot start with a number (e.g., 1abc is not allowed)
  • Hyphens are not allowed (e.g., my-package is not allowed)

Step 3: Explore the Generated Folder​

Once the command succeeds, a folder named my_first_package is created. Let's take a look inside.

ls -la my_first_package

The following structure has been generated:

sui-projects/
└── my_first_package/
    ├── .gitignore     # Git ignore configuration
    ├── Move.toml      # Package configuration file
    ├── sources/       # Directory for Move source code
    └── tests/         # Directory for test code

Open with VSCode + Sui Extension​

Open the project folder in VSCode, and the Sui Extension will automatically recognize the Move project, enabling code completion and error checking.

code my_first_package

If the Sui Extension is installed, you'll see a Sui icon in the left sidebar where you can view project information.

tip

You can also use VSCode's "Open Folder" feature to select the my_first_package folder.

Verify Success​

You've completed this lesson if you can check off the following:

  • Created a project using the sui move new command
  • Confirmed that Move.toml, sources/, and tests/ were generated

What You Did in This Lesson​

  • Created a Move project using the sui move new command
  • Explored the generated folder structure (Move.toml, sources/, tests/)
  • Opened the project with VSCode + Sui Extension