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Overview

The bench get-app command (also available as bench get) clones an application from a Git repository and sets it up in your bench. This is the primary way to add new apps to your bench instance.

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Syntax

bench get-app [GIT_URL] [OPTIONS]

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Arguments

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GIT_URL
string
required
The Git repository URL or path to clone from. Can be:
  • HTTPS URL: https://github.com/frappe/erpnext
  • SSH URL: [email protected]:frappe/erpnext.git
  • Local path: /path/to/local/repo
  • GitHub shorthand: frappe/erpnext

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Options

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--branch
string
default:"None"
Specific branch to checkout after cloning.
bench get-app https://github.com/frappe/erpnext --branch version-15
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--overwrite
boolean
default:"false"
Overwrite the app if it already exists in the bench. Use with caution as this will remove the existing app directory.
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--skip-assets
boolean
default:"false"
Do not build front-end assets after installing the app. Useful for faster installation when you plan to build assets later.
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--soft-link
boolean
default:"false"
Create a symbolic link to the Git repository instead of cloning. Useful for development when you want to work on the app code directly.
bench get-app /home/user/my-app --soft-link
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--init-bench
boolean
default:"false"
Initialize a new bench if the current directory is not already a bench. This allows you to run get-app from any directory.
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--resolve-deps
boolean
default:"false"
Automatically resolve and install app dependencies before installing the app. Dependencies are read from the app’s metadata.
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--cache-key
string
default:"None"
Cache key for storing get-app artifacts. Only the first 10 characters are used. Useful in CI/CD pipelines for caching app installations.
bench get-app erpnext --cache-key "v15-prod"
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--compress-artifacts
boolean
default:"false"
Compress (gzip) get-app artifacts that are cached. Used in combination with --cache-key to reduce storage space.

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Usage Examples

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Install App from GitHub

Install ERPNext from the official repository: 
bench get-app erpnext
Or with full URL: 
bench get-app https://github.com/frappe/erpnext

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Install Specific Branch

Install a specific version of an app: 
bench get-app erpnext --branch version-15

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Development Installation

Link a local app repository for development: 
bench get-app /home/developer/my-custom-app --soft-link

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Install with Dependencies

Automatically resolve and install dependencies: 
bench get-app custom-app --resolve-deps

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CI/CD with Caching

Install app with caching for faster subsequent builds: 
bench get-app erpnext --cache-key "erpnext-v15" --compress-artifacts

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Skip Asset Building

Install app without building assets (build them all at once later): 
bench get-app payments --skip-assets
bench get-app hrms --skip-assets
bench build

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Overwrite Existing App

Replace an existing app installation: 
bench get-app custom-app --overwrite
Using --overwrite will delete the existing app directory. Make sure you’ve committed or backed up any local changes.

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Common Patterns

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Installing Multiple Apps

Install multiple apps efficiently by skipping assets and building once: 
bench get-app erpnext --skip-assets
bench get-app hrms --skip-assets
bench get-app payments --skip-assets
bench build --apps erpnext,hrms,payments

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Development Workflow

Set up apps for active development: 
# Fork and clone to local machine first
git clone [email protected]:yourusername/custom-app.git ~/dev/custom-app

# Link to bench
cd ~/frappe-bench
bench get-app ~/dev/custom-app --soft-link

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Install from Private Repository

For private repositories, use SSH authentication: 
bench get-app [email protected]:yourcompany/private-app.git --branch main
Make sure your SSH keys are properly configured and you have access to the repository.

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After Installation

After getting an app, you need to install it on a site to use it: 
bench --site sitename install-app appname

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What Happens During get-app

  1. Clone: The app repository is cloned into the apps/ directory
  2. Install: Python dependencies are installed in the virtual environment
  3. Build: Front-end assets are built (unless --skip-assets is used)
  4. Cache: Artifacts are cached if --cache-key is provided

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Troubleshooting

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App Already Exists

If you get an error that the app already exists: 
# Remove the app first
bench remove-app appname

# Or use --overwrite
bench get-app appname --overwrite

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Asset Build Errors

If asset building fails, you can skip it and build manually: 
bench get-app appname --skip-assets
bench build --app appname

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