Guide · Open source

How to use shadcn-admin: install, run and adapt the dashboard

Updated 2026-10-29 · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

shadcn-admin (satnaing/shadcn-admin) is an open-source admin dashboard UI built with shadcn/ui, Tailwind CSS and Vite. This guide shows you how to clone it, run it locally, and understand which parts you can safely reuse or change. By the end you will have the dashboard running on your machine and a clear picture of what it does and does not include.

Shadcn Adminsatnaing/shadcn-admin · ★ 16.4k · MIT Install options & downloads

Quick start

1Clone the repository. Run git clone https://github.com/satnaing/shadcn-admin.git to download the project.
2Enter the project folder. Run cd shadcn-admin so later commands run inside the project.
3Install dependencies. Run pnpm install. You need Node.js and pnpm installed first.
4Start the dev server. Run pnpm run dev and open the local address shown in the terminal.
5Adapt the components. Edit files in src/components/ui/ and merge updates to customized components by hand rather than overwriting them.

What shadcn-admin includes

shadcn-admin is a collection of pre-built admin dashboard screens and components. The README lists light and dark mode, responsive and accessible layouts, a built-in Sidebar component, a global search command, 10+ pages, extra custom components, and RTL (right-to-left) support.

The README is explicit that this is a reusable UI collection, not a starter template. It does not wire up a backend, authentication or data for you. The project uses TypeScript, TanStack Router for routing, ESLint and Prettier for linting and formatting, and Lucide and Tabler icons.

Light/dark mode
Responsive and accessible layouts
Built-in Sidebar component and global search command
10+ pages and extra custom components
RTL support
Stack: shadcn/ui (Tailwind CSS + Radix UI), Vite, TanStack Router, TypeScript

What you need before you start

The README lists two prerequisites: Node.js and pnpm. You also need Git to clone the repository. Because the project is run with a local dev server, this guide assumes you are comfortable using a terminal.

Node.js
pnpm
Git

Install and run shadcn-admin locally

Run these commands in a terminal. The first clones the repository, the second moves into the project folder, the third installs dependencies and the last starts the development server.

When the server is running, open the local address it prints in your terminal to view the dashboard. The README does not list a specific URL, so check the terminal output for it.

git clone https://github.com/satnaing/shadcn-admin.git
cd shadcn-admin
pnpm install
pnpm run dev

Customize the components safely

Some shadcn/ui components in this project were modified for better RTL support and other improvements. The README groups them into Modified Components (scroll-area, sonner, separator) and RTL Updated Components (alert-dialog, calendar, command, dialog, dropdown-menu, select, table, sheet, sidebar, switch).

If you update components with the Shadcn CLI, the README says this is generally safe for non-customized components. For the listed ones, you may need to merge changes by hand so you do not overwrite RTL support or other customizations. Source files for these live in src/components/ui/.

Non-customized components can be updated with the Shadcn CLI, for example npx shadcn@latest add <component>
Modified and RTL-updated components should be merged manually
If you do not need RTL, the README says you can update the RTL-updated components via the CLI, but the Modified Components may carry other customizations

npx shadcn@latest add <component>

Decide whether it fits your project

shadcn-admin suits teams that already use shadcn/ui and Tailwind CSS and want a polished admin layout to adapt. It is a weaker fit if you need a full starter with backend, auth and data already connected, or if you need a no-code tool.

The README notes that Clerk is a sponsor and that auth is partial in the tech stack. Treat authentication as something you still need to plan for.

Good fit: developers who want a React and TypeScript admin UI with a Vite build
Good fit: projects that need RTL language support
Poor fit: people who need backend, auth and data wired up out of the box
Poor fit: non-developers, since it requires cloning and running a local server

What people use it for

Starting an internal admin panel with a sidebar, search and dark mode already in place
Adapting the layout and pages for a SaaS product built on shadcn/ui and Tailwind CSS
Building an admin interface for an app that must support right-to-left languages
Using the pages as a visual reference when designing your own React and TypeScript dashboard

Frequently asked questions

Is shadcn-admin free to use?

The project is licensed under the MIT License, as stated in the README. The README does not list pricing for any hosted version, so the license is the clearest fact to rely on.

What do I need to install shadcn-admin?

The README lists Node.js and pnpm as prerequisites. You clone the repository with git, then run pnpm install and pnpm run dev.

Is shadcn-admin a starter template with login and a backend?

No. The README says it is not a starter project or template. It is a reusable UI collection, and Clerk is listed only as a partial auth integration.

Can I update shadcn components with the CLI?

Non-customized components can generally be updated with npx shadcn@latest add <component>. Customized components listed in the README, such as dialog, select and sidebar, may need manual merging to keep RTL support.

Does shadcn-admin support right-to-left languages?

Yes. The README lists RTL support as a feature, and several components were changed specifically for RTL layouts.

How does it compare with TailAdmin, react-admin or Refine?

Comparable projects listed for this item are shadcn-ui/ui, TailAdmin, react-admin and Refine. shadcn-admin is a UI layout collection built on shadcn/ui, while the others differ in scope; choose based on whether you need a UI kit or a full data and backend framework.

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Our verdict

Choose shadcn-admin if you already use React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS and shadcn/ui and want a polished admin layout with RTL support to adapt. Pick a full starter template or a data-focused framework if you need backend, auth and data wired up from the start.

Install options & downloads