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The tenderly init command sets up the Tenderly CLI for a project by creating a tenderly.yaml configuration file that links your local environment to a Tenderly project.

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Usage

tenderly init [flags]

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Prerequisites

You must be logged in before initializing a project. Run tenderly login if you haven’t authenticated yet.

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Interactive Initialization

Run the command without flags for an interactive setup: 
tenderly init
The CLI will:
  1. Detect your deployment framework (Truffle, Hardhat, etc.)
  2. Verify the project directory structure
  3. Fetch your available Tenderly projects
  4. Prompt you to select or create a project
Example Output: 
? Select a project:
  ▸ my-defi-project
    nft-marketplace
    + Create new project

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Flags

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--project
string
The project slug to use for initialization.If the project exists, it will be used automatically. If it doesn’t exist, combine with --create-project to create it.
tenderly init --project my-project
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--create-project
boolean
default:"false"
Creates the project specified by --project if it doesn’t exist.
tenderly init --project new-project --create-project
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--re-init
boolean
default:"false"
Force re-initialization of an already initialized project.Use this to change the project configuration or switch to a different Tenderly project.
tenderly init --re-init
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--force
boolean
default:"false"
Skip directory structure validation.By default, the CLI validates that your current directory contains a supported framework structure (Truffle, Hardhat, etc.). Use this flag to initialize in any directory.
tenderly init --force

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Examples

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Basic Initialization

cd my-smart-contract-project
tenderly init
Output: 
? Select a project:
  ▸ my-project
    another-project
    + Create new project

Project successfully initialized. You can change the project information by editing the tenderly.yaml file or by rerunning tenderly init with the --re-init flag.

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Initialize with Specific Project

tenderly init --project my-defi-protocol

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Create New Project During Init

tenderly init --project new-protocol --create-project

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Re-initialize Existing Project

If you need to change project settings: 
tenderly init --re-init
Output: 
? Select a project:
  ▸ different-project
    my-project

Project successfully initialized.

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Force Init Without Framework Detection

tenderly init --force
Using --force skips framework detection. Some features may not work correctly if the CLI cannot detect your deployment provider.

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What Gets Created

After successful initialization, a tenderly.yaml file is created in your project directory:
tenderly.yaml
account_id: your-account-id
project_slug: your-project-slug
provider: hardhat

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Configuration Fields

  • account_id: Your Tenderly account ID
  • project_slug: The project identifier (format: username/project-name for shared projects, or just project-name for personal projects)
  • provider: The detected deployment framework (e.g., hardhat, truffle, foundry)

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Behavior

1

Authentication Check

Verifies you’re logged in. If not, prompts you to run tenderly login.
2

Detect Framework

Unless --force is used, detects your deployment framework by checking for:
  • Hardhat configuration files
  • Truffle directories
  • Foundry structure
  • Other supported frameworks
3

Check Existing Configuration

If tenderly.yaml exists and --re-init is not provided:
The project is already initialized. If you want to set up the project again,
rerun this command with the --re-init flag.
4

Fetch Available Projects

Retrieves all projects associated with your account from the Tenderly API.
5

Project Selection

  • If --project is provided, uses that project
  • Otherwise, presents an interactive selection menu
  • Option to create a new project if needed
6

Write Configuration

Creates or updates tenderly.yaml with:
  • Account ID
  • Project slug
  • Provider name

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Error Scenarios

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Not Logged In

You need to be logged in to use this command. Please run 'tenderly login' first.
Solution: Run tenderly login

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Already Initialized

The project is already initialized. If you want to set up the project again,
rerun this command with the --re-init flag.
Solution: Use tenderly init --re-init

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Wrong Directory

If not in a valid framework directory: 
This command needs to be run in a valid project directory.
Solution: Navigate to your project root or use --force to skip validation

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Failed to Fetch Projects

Fetching projects for account failed. This can happen if you are running an older version of the Tenderly CLI.
Solution: Update the CLI with tenderly update

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Configuration Updates

You can modify the generated tenderly.yaml file manually or use --re-init: 
account_id: your-account-id
project_slug: new-project-slug
provider: hardhat
The tenderly.yaml file should be committed to version control so team members can use the same Tenderly project.

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Next Steps

After initialization:
  1. Push contracts: Use tenderly push to upload your verified contracts
  2. Export transactions: Run tenderly export to analyze historical transactions
  3. Configure monitoring: Set up alerts and monitoring in the Tenderly dashboard
  4. Run simulations: Use tenderly simulate for transaction simulations

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