Clean Architecture Solution Template
A .NET project template that generates a starter ASP.NET Core app with Clean Architecture layers.jasontaylordev/CleanArchitecture
- Stars
- 20.7k
- Forks
- 4.3k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- C#
- Last update
- 4 days ago
- Type
- Framework
What it is
This is a solution template for the .NET CLI. It creates a new ASP.NET Core project organized into Clean Architecture layers, with an optional Angular or React frontend and a choice of SQLite, PostgreSQL, or SQL Server as the database. It is meant as a starting point so you do not have to set up the project structure yourself.
- Generate a Web API-only solution with SQLite using the ca-sln template
- Generate an Angular or React single-page app backed by ASP.NET Core
- Run the generated app with the Aspire CLI and view its dashboard
- Use the included ADR documents to understand design decisions
Great for
- Developers starting a new ASP.NET Core web app or Web API who want a structured layout
- Teams that want a Clean Architecture starting point with a chosen database and frontend
- .NET developers learning how layered architecture is laid out in a real project
- Developers who want SQLite by default for quick local work without Docker
Not ideal for
- Developers who do not use .NET or C#, since the template only generates ASP.NET Core solutions
- Anyone wanting a minimal single-file app, because the template generates a multi-project solution
- Teams needing a non-.NET stack; the README covers only ASP.NET Core
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: .NET 10.0 SDK or later · Node.js (LTS), only for Angular or React frontend · Docker Desktop or Podman, only for SQL Server or PostgreSQL
Install the template
dotnet new install Clean.Architecture.Solution.TemplateCreate a new solution (example: Angular with PostgreSQL)
dotnet new ca-sln -cf angular -db postgresql -o YourProjectName - 2
Run it
- Install the .NET template with dotnet new install
- Create a solution with dotnet new ca-sln, choosing client framework and database
- Run the app with aspire run (recommended) or dotnet run --project .\src\AppHost
- Open the Aspire dashboard that opens automatically to see application URLs and logs
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Run dotnet new ca-sln --help to see all template options
- Choose -cf none for a Web API only setup
- Read the Architecture overview in the project documentation to understand the layers
- Review the Architecture Decision Records in docs/decisions to see why choices were made
Downloads
Strengths
- Installs as a standard .NET template with a documented command and options
- Lets you choose frontend and database at creation time, with SQLite as the default
- Includes a published documentation site and architecture decision records
Trade-offs
- Generates a sizable multi-project solution, which may be more structure than a small app needs
- Using SQL Server or PostgreSQL requires Docker or Podman, per the README
- The README is truncated here, so details beyond the setup steps are not fully verified
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CleanArchitecture (this) | 20.7k | Framework | intermediate | 4 days ago | Developers starting a new ASP.NET Core web app or Web API who want a structured layout |
| CleanArchitecture | 18.5k | Framework | intermediate | 2 months ago | C# developers starting a new ASP.NET Core project who want a structured layout |
| modular-monolith-with-ddd | 14.1k | Learning resource | advanced | 2.4 years ago | Developers learning Domain-Driven Design tactical patterns in C# |
| aspnetboilerplate | 12k | Framework | advanced | 11 days ago | C# developers already working in the ASP.NET Core ecosystem |
| angular | 101k | Framework | intermediate | 5 days ago | Developers building larger, multi-screen web applications |
| aspnetcore | 38.5k | Library | intermediate | 4 days ago | C# and .NET developers building web apps or HTTP APIs |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.