diff --git a/check/src/main.rs b/check/src/main.rs
index 9f8912b..f3c3c75 100644
--- a/check/src/main.rs
+++ b/check/src/main.rs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ struct Opts {
 
 #[derive(Parser, Debug, Clone)]
 enum Apis {
-    /// Create a new Rust project.
+    /// Create a new Stylus project.
     New {
         /// Project name.
         name: PathBuf,
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ enum Apis {
         #[arg(long)]
         minimal: bool,
     },
+    /// Initializes a Stylus project in the current directory.
+    Init {
+        /// Create a minimal contract.
+        #[arg(long)]
+        minimal: bool,
+    },
     /// Export a Solidity ABI.
     ExportAbi {
         /// The output file (defaults to stdout).
@@ -296,6 +302,9 @@ async fn main_impl(args: Opts) -> Result<()> {
         Apis::New { name, minimal } => {
             run!(new::new(&name, minimal), "failed to open new project");
         }
+        Apis::Init { minimal } => {
+            run!(new::init(minimal), "failed to initialize project");
+        }
         Apis::ExportAbi { json, output } => {
             run!(export_abi::export_abi(output, json), "failed to export abi");
         }
diff --git a/check/src/new.rs b/check/src/new.rs
index 668df01..213dffa 100644
--- a/check/src/new.rs
+++ b/check/src/new.rs
@@ -29,3 +29,42 @@ pub fn new(name: &Path, minimal: bool) -> Result<()> {
     println!("{GREY}new project at: {}", path.to_string_lossy().mint());
     Ok(())
 }
+
+pub fn init(minimal: bool) -> Result<()> {
+    let current_dir = current_dir().wrap_err("no current dir")?;
+    let repo = if minimal {
+        GITHUB_TEMPLATE_REPO_MINIMAL
+    } else {
+        GITHUB_TEMPLATE_REPO
+    };
+
+    let output = sys::new_command("git")
+        .arg("clone")
+        .arg("--depth")
+        .arg("1")
+        .arg("--no-checkout")
+        .arg(repo)
+        .arg(".")
+        .output()
+        .wrap_err("git clone failed")?;
+
+    if !output.status.success() {
+        bail!("git clone command failed");
+    }
+
+    let output = sys::new_command("git")
+        .arg("checkout")
+        .arg(".")
+        .output()
+        .wrap_err("git checkout failed")?;
+
+    if !output.status.success() {
+        bail!("git checkout command failed");
+    }
+
+    println!(
+        "{GREY}initialized project in: {}",
+        current_dir.to_string_lossy().mint()
+    );
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/main/src/main.rs b/main/src/main.rs
index bd01fc8..ab9a655 100644
--- a/main/src/main.rs
+++ b/main/src/main.rs
@@ -28,8 +28,11 @@ struct Opts {
 #[derive(Parser, Debug, Clone)]
 enum Subcommands {
     #[command(alias = "n")]
-    /// Create a new Rust project.
+    /// Create a new Stylus project.
     New,
+    #[command(alias = "i")]
+    /// Initializes a Stylus project in the current directory.
+    Init,
     #[command(alias = "x")]
     /// Export a Solidity ABI.
     ExportAbi,
@@ -69,6 +72,7 @@ const COMMANDS: &[Binary] = &[
         name: "cargo-stylus-check",
         apis: &[
             "new",
+            "init",
             "activate",
             "export-abi",
             "cache",
@@ -76,6 +80,7 @@ const COMMANDS: &[Binary] = &[
             "deploy",
             "verify",
             "a",
+            "i",
             "n",
             "x",
             "c",