Nuxt/docs/3.api/4.advanced/2.kit.md

---
title: "Kit Utilities"
description: Nuxt Kit provides composable utilities to help interacting with Nuxt Hooks and Nuxt Builder.
---

# Kit Utilities

::ReadMore{link="/docs/guide/going-further/kit"}
::

## Modules

[source code](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/blob/main/packages/kit/src/module)

### `installModule`

Install specified Nuxt module programmatically. This is helpful when your module depends on other modules. You can pass the module options as an object to `inlineOptions` and they will be passed to the module's `setup` function.

#### Type

```ts
async function installModule (moduleToInstall: string | NuxtModule, inlineOptions?: any, nuxt?: Nuxt)
```

#### Parameters

##### `moduleToInstall`

**Type**: `string` | `NuxtModule`

**Required**: `true`

The module to install. Can be either a string with the module name or a module object itself.

##### `inlineOptions`

**Type**: `any`

**Default**: `{}`

An object with the module options to be passed to the module's `setup` function.

##### `nuxt`

**Type**: `Nuxt`

**Default**: `useNuxt()`

Nuxt instance. If not provided, it will be retrieved from the context via `useNuxt()` call.

#### Examples

```ts
import { defineNuxtModule, installModule } from '@nuxt/kit'

export default defineNuxtModule<ModuleOptions>({  
  async setup (options, nuxt) {
    // will install @nuxtjs/fontaine with Roboto font and Impact fallback
    await installModule('@nuxtjs/fontaine', {
      // module configuration
      fonts: [
        {
          family: 'Roboto',
          fallbacks: ['Impact'],
          fallbackName: 'fallback-a',
        }
      ]
    })
  }
})
```

## Programmatic Usage

[source code](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/blob/main/packages/kit/src/loader)

Programmatic usage can be helpfull when you want to use Nuxt programmatically, for example, when building a [CLI tool](https://github.com/nuxt/cli) or [test runner](https://github.com/nuxt/test-utils).

### `loadNuxt`

Load Nuxt programmatically. It will load the Nuxt configuration, instantiate and return the promise with Nuxt instance.

#### Type

```ts
async function loadNuxt (loadOptions?: LoadNuxtOptions): Promise<Nuxt>

interface LoadNuxtOptions extends LoadNuxtConfigOptions {
  dev?: boolean
  ready?: boolean
  rootDir?: string
  config?: LoadNuxtConfigOptions['overrides']
}
```

#### Parameters

##### `loadOptions`

**Type**: `LoadNuxtOptions`

**Default**: `{}`

Loading conditions for Nuxt. `loadNuxt` uses [`c12`](https://github.com/unjs/c12) under the hood, so it accepts the same options as `c12.loadConfig` with some additional options:

- `dev` (optional)

  **Type**: `boolean`

  **Default**: `false`

  If set to `true`, Nuxt will be loaded in development mode.

- `ready` (optional)
  
  **Type**: `boolean`
  
  **Default**: `true`
  
  If set to `true`, Nuxt will be ready to use after the `loadNuxt` call. If set to `false`, you will need to call `nuxt.ready()` to make sure Nuxt is ready to use.

- `rootDir` (optional)

  **Type**: `string`

  **Default**: `null`

  **Deprecated**: Use `cwd` option instead.

  The root directory of the Nuxt project.

- `config` (optional)

  **Type**: `LoadNuxtConfigOptions['overrides']`

  **Default**: `{}`

  **Deprecated**: Use `overrides` option instead.

  Overrides for the Nuxt configuration.

### `buildNuxt`

Build Nuxt programmatically. It will invoke the builder (currently [@nuxt/vite-builder](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/tree/main/packages/vite) or [@nuxt/webpack-builder](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/tree/main/packages/webpack)) to bundle the application.

#### Type

```ts
async function buildNuxt (nuxt: Nuxt): Promise<any>
```

#### Parameters

##### `nuxt`

**Type**: `Nuxt`

**Required**: `true`

Nuxt instance to build. It can be retrieved from the context via `useNuxt()` call.

### `loadNuxtConfig`

Load Nuxt configuration. It will return the promise with the configuration object.

#### Type

```ts
async function loadNuxtConfig (opts: LoadNuxtConfigOptions): Promise<NuxtOptions>
```

#### Parameters

##### `opts`

**Type**: `LoadNuxtConfigOptions`

**Required**: `true`

Options to pass in [`c12`](https://github.com/unjs/c12#options) `loadConfig` call.

## Compatibility

[source code](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/blob/main/packages/kit/src/compatibility.ts)

- `checkNuxtCompatibility(constraints)`
- `assertNuxtCompatibility(constraints)`
- `hasNuxtCompatibility(constraints)`
- `isNuxt2()`
- `isNuxt3()`
- `getNuxtVersion()`

## Auto-imports

[source code](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/blob/main/packages/kit/src/imports.ts)

- `addImports(imports)`
- `addImportsDir(importDirs, { prepend? })`
- `addImportsSources(importSources)`

## Components

[source code](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/blob/main/packages/kit/src/components.ts)

- `addComponentsDir(dir)`
- `addComponent(componentObject)`

## Context

[source code](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/blob/main/packages/kit/src/context.ts)

- `useNuxt()`

## Pages

[source code](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/blob/main/packages/kit/src/pages.ts)

- `extendPages (callback: pages => void)`
- `extendRouteRules (route: string, rule: NitroRouteConfig, options: ExtendRouteRulesOptions)`
- `addRouteMiddleware (input: NuxtMiddleware | NuxtMiddleware[], options: AddRouteMiddlewareOptions)`

## Plugins

[source code](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/blob/main/packages/kit/src/plugin.ts)

- `addPlugin(pluginOptions, { append? })`
- `addPluginTemplate(pluginOptions, { append? })`

## Templates

[source code](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/blob/main/packages/kit/src/template.ts)

- `addTemplate(templateOptions)`
- `addTypeTemplate(templateOptions)`
- `updateTemplates({ filter?: ResolvedNuxtTemplate => boolean })`

## Nitro

[source code](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/blob/main/packages/kit/src/nitro.ts)

- `addServerHandler (handler)`
- `addDevServerHandler (handler)`
- `useNitro()` (only usable after `ready` hook)
- `addServerPlugin`
- `addPrerenderRoutes`

## Resolving

[source code](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/blob/main/packages/kit/src/resolve.ts)

- `resolvePath (path, resolveOptions?)`
- `resolveAlias (path, aliases?)`
- `findPath (paths, resolveOptions?)`
- `createResolver (base)`

## Logging

[source code](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/blob/main/packages/kit/src/logger.ts)

- `useLogger(scope?)`

## Builder

[source code](https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/blob/main/packages/kit/src/build.ts)

- `extendWebpackConfig(callback, options?)`
- `extendViteConfig(callback, options?)`
- `addWebpackPlugin(webpackPlugin, options?)`
- `addVitePlugin(vitePlugin, options?)`