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The donkey createcar command sets up a complete car project with all necessary files and folder structure. This is typically the first command you’ll run when starting a new Donkeycar project.

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Usage

donkey createcar [options]

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Options

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--path
string
default:"~/mycar"
Path where the car folder will be created. If not specified, creates ~/mycar.
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--template
string
default:"complete"
Name of the car template to use. The template determines which application files are copied.
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--overwrite
boolean
default:"false"
Replace existing files if they already exist. Without this flag, existing files will not be modified.

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Templates

The --template option determines which application template is used. Common templates include:
  • complete (default): Full-featured car application with all standard components
  • Other templates may be available depending on your Donkeycar installation
Templates are stored in the donkeycar/templates/ directory and include:
  • Application file (manage.py)
  • Configuration file (config.py)
  • Training script (train.py)
  • Calibration script (calibrate.py)

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What Gets Created

When you run createcar, the following structure is created: 
mycar/
├── config.py          # Default configuration settings
├── myconfig.py        # Your custom configuration overrides
├── manage.py          # Main application entry point
├── train.py           # Training script
├── calibrate.py       # Calibration script
├── data/              # Recorded driving data (tubs)
├── models/            # Trained neural network models
└── logs/              # Application logs

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Key Files

  • manage.py: The main application script for running your car. Execute this to start driving.
  • config.py: Default configuration with all available settings
  • myconfig.py: Your personal configuration overrides. Edit this file to customize your car without modifying the default config.
  • train.py: Script for training models (alternative to using donkey train)
  • calibrate.py: Script for calibrating actuators (alternative to using donkey calibrate)

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Examples

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Create a car in the default location

donkey createcar
This creates a new car project at ~/mycar.

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Create a car with a custom path

donkey createcar --path ~/my_awesome_car

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Create a car with a specific template

donkey createcar --path ~/mycar --template complete

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Overwrite existing car files

donkey createcar --path ~/mycar --overwrite
Using --overwrite will replace existing manage.py, config.py, train.py, and calibrate.py files. Your myconfig.py file will not be overwritten, preserving your custom settings.

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Output Example

Creating car folder: /home/user/mycar
making dir /home/user/mycar
Creating data & model folders.
making dir /home/user/mycar/models
making dir /home/user/mycar/data
making dir /home/user/mycar/logs
Copying car application template: complete
Copying car config defaults. Adjust these before starting your car.
Copying train script. Adjust these before starting your car.
Copying calibrate script. Adjust these before starting your car.
Copying my car config overrides
Donkey setup complete.

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Next Steps

After creating your car:
  1. Configure your car: Edit myconfig.py to match your hardware setup
  2. Calibrate actuators: Use donkey calibrate to calibrate your steering and throttle
  3. Start driving: Run python manage.py drive to start the car application
  4. Collect data: Drive your car manually to collect training data
  5. Train a model: Use donkey train to train an autopilot model

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Updating an Existing Car

To update an existing car to the latest templates: 
cd ~/mycar
donkey update --template complete
This will overwrite the template files while preserving your myconfig.py.

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