clerk-install-auth

name	clerk-install-auth
description	Install and configure Clerk SDK/CLI authentication. Use when setting up a new Clerk integration, configuring API keys, or initializing Clerk in your project. Trigger with phrases like "install clerk", "setup clerk", "clerk auth", "configure clerk API key", "add clerk to project".
allowed-tools	Read, Write, Edit, Bash(npm:*), Bash(pnpm:*), Grep
version	1.14.0
license	MIT
author	Jeremy Longshore <[e-mail]>
tags	["saas","clerk","api","authentication"]
compatibility	Designed for Claude Code, also compatible with Codex and OpenClaw

Clerk Install & Auth

Overview

Set up Clerk SDK and configure authentication for Next.js, React, or Express. This skill covers SDK installation, environment variables, ClerkProvider, middleware, and initial auth verification.

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• Package manager (npm, pnpm, or yarn)
• Clerk account at dashboard.clerk.com
• Publishable Key (pk_test_*) and Secret Key (sk_test_*) from Clerk Dashboard > API Keys

Instructions

Step 1: Install SDK for Your Framework

set -euo pipefail
# Next.js (App Router or Pages Router)
npm install @clerk/nextjs

# React SPA (Vite, CRA, etc.)
npm install @clerk/clerk-react

# Express / Node.js backend
npm install @clerk/express

# Backend-only (Cloudflare Workers, serverless, etc.)
npm install @clerk/backend

Step 2: Configure Environment Variables

# .env.local — never commit this file
NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=pk_test_...
CLERK_SECRET_KEY=sk_test_...

# Optional: routing URLs
NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_SIGN_IN_URL=/sign-in
NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_SIGN_UP_URL=/sign-up
NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_AFTER_SIGN_IN_URL=/dashboard
NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_AFTER_SIGN_UP_URL=/onboarding

Ensure .env.local is in .gitignore:

echo ".env.local" >> .gitignore

Step 3: Add ClerkProvider (Next.js App Router)

// app/layout.tsx
import { ClerkProvider, SignInButton, SignedIn, SignedOut, UserButton } from '@clerk/nextjs'
import './globals.css'

export default function RootLayout() {
   (
    
  )
}