> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://beads.gascity.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# bd bootstrap

> Non-destructive database setup for fresh clones and recovery

Generated from `bd help --doc bootstrap`.

Bootstrap sets up the beads database without destroying existing data.
Unlike 'bd init --force', bootstrap will never delete existing issues.

Bootstrap auto-detects the right action:
• If sync.remote is configured: clones from the remote
• If git origin has Dolt data (refs/dolt/data): clones from git and wires origin for future push/pull
• If .beads/backup/\*.jsonl exists: restores from backup
• If .beads/issues.jsonl exists: imports from git-tracked JSONL
• If no database exists: creates a fresh one
• If database already exists: validates and reports status

This is the recommended command for:
• Setting up beads on a fresh clone
• Recovering after moving to a new machine
• Repairing a broken database configuration

Non-interactive mode (--non-interactive, --yes/-y, or BD\_NON\_INTERACTIVE=1):
Skips the confirmation prompt before executing the bootstrap plan.
Also auto-detected when stdin is not a terminal or CI=true is set.

Examples:
bd bootstrap              # Auto-detect and set up
bd bootstrap --dry-run    # Show what would be done
bd bootstrap --json       # Output plan as JSON
bd bootstrap --yes        # Skip confirmation prompt

```
bd bootstrap [flags]
```

**Flags:**

```
      --dry-run           Show what would be done without doing it
      --non-interactive   Alias for --yes
  -y, --yes               Skip confirmation prompts (for CI/automation)
```