diff --git a/src/main/index.ts b/src/main/index.ts
index 48c57a2..6a5513a 100644
--- a/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/src/main/index.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { registerTerminalIpc } from './ipc/terminal'
 import { registerDatabaseIpc } from './ipc/database'
 import { registerAddonsIpc } from './ipc/addons'
 import { registerLogsIpc } from './ipc/logs'
+import { registerCreateIpc } from './ipc/create'
 import { killAllRunningCommands } from './commandRunner'
 
 function createWindow(): void {
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ app.whenReady().then(() => {
   registerDatabaseIpc()
   registerAddonsIpc()
   registerLogsIpc()
+  registerCreateIpc()
 
   createWindow()
 
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/create.ts b/src/main/ipc/create.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cee4613
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/ipc/create.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { dialog, ipcMain } from 'electron'
+import { runStreamed } from '../commandRunner'
+
+export function registerCreateIpc(): void {
+  ipcMain.handle('create:pickDirectory', async () => {
+    const result = await dialog.showOpenDialog({
+      properties: ['openDirectory', 'createDirectory']
+    })
+    return result.canceled ? null : result.filePaths[0]
+  })
+
+  ipcMain.handle(
+    'create:configure',
+    (
+      event,
+      operationId: string,
+      directory: string,
+      projectName: string,
+      projectType: string,
+      docroot: string
+    ) => {
+      const args = ['config', `--project-name=${projectName}`, '--auto']
+      if (projectType) args.push(`--project-type=${projectType}`)
+      if (docroot.trim()) args.push(`--docroot=${docroot.trim()}`)
+      return runStreamed(operationId, args, event.sender, { cwd: directory })
+    }
+  )
+}
diff --git a/src/preload/index.ts b/src/preload/index.ts
index e4dc01f..693022a 100644
--- a/src/preload/index.ts
+++ b/src/preload/index.ts
@@ -79,6 +79,24 @@ const api = {
       ipcRenderer.on('logs:exit', listener)
       return () => ipcRenderer.removeListener('logs:exit', listener)
     }
+  },
+  create: {
+    pickDirectory: (): Promise<string | null> => ipcRenderer.invoke('create:pickDirectory'),
+    configure: (
+      operationId: string,
+      directory: string,
+      projectName: string,
+      projectType: string,
+      docroot: string
+    ): Promise<void> =>
+      ipcRenderer.invoke(
+        'create:configure',
+        operationId,
+        directory,
+        projectName,
+        projectType,
+        docroot
+      )
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/App.tsx b/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
index 6222f3a..1a7fb5c 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
@@ -1,21 +1,33 @@
+import { useState } from 'react'
+import { Plus } from 'lucide-react'
 import { ProjectDetail } from './components/projects/ProjectDetail'
 import { ProjectList } from './components/projects/ProjectList'
 import { TerminalPanel } from './components/terminal/TerminalPanel'
 import { StatusBar } from './components/layout/StatusBar'
 import { Toaster } from './components/ui/Toaster'
+import { CreateProjectModal } from './components/create/CreateProjectModal'
 import { useAppStore } from './stores/appStore'
 import { useTerminalEvents } from './hooks/useTerminalEvents'
 
 function App(): React.JSX.Element {
   const selectedProjectName = useAppStore((s) => s.selectedProjectName)
+  const [isCreateOpen, setIsCreateOpen] = useState(false)
   useTerminalEvents()
 
   return (
     <div className="flex h-screen w-screen flex-col bg-white text-neutral-900 dark:bg-neutral-950 dark:text-neutral-100">
       <div className="flex flex-1 overflow-hidden">
         <aside className="flex w-72 flex-shrink-0 flex-col border-r border-neutral-200 dark:border-neutral-800">
-          <div className="border-b border-neutral-200 px-4 py-3 dark:border-neutral-800">
+          <div className="flex items-center justify-between border-b border-neutral-200 px-4 py-3 dark:border-neutral-800">
             <h1 className="text-sm font-semibold">Aurora Dockside</h1>
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={() => setIsCreateOpen(true)}
+              title="New Project"
+              className="rounded p-1 text-neutral-500 hover:bg-neutral-100 hover:text-neutral-900 dark:hover:bg-neutral-800 dark:hover:text-neutral-100"
+            >
+              <Plus size={16} />
+            </button>
           </div>
           <div className="flex-1 overflow-y-auto">
             <ProjectList />
@@ -34,6 +46,7 @@ function App(): React.JSX.Element {
       <TerminalPanel />
       <StatusBar />
       <Toaster />
+      {isCreateOpen && <CreateProjectModal onClose={() => setIsCreateOpen(false)} />}
     </div>
   )
 }
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/create/CreateProjectModal.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/create/CreateProjectModal.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e90975f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/create/CreateProjectModal.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+import { useState } from 'react'
+import { FolderOpen, X } from 'lucide-react'
+import { useCreateProject } from '../../hooks/useCreateProject'
+import { useStartProject } from '../../hooks/useDdev'
+import { useAppStore } from '../../stores/appStore'
+
+const PROJECT_TYPES = [
+  { value: '', label: 'Auto-detect' },
+  { value: 'php', label: 'PHP (generic)' },
+  { value: 'wordpress', label: 'WordPress' },
+  { value: 'drupal', label: 'Drupal' },
+  { value: 'laravel', label: 'Laravel' },
+  { value: 'backdrop', label: 'Backdrop' },
+  { value: 'craftcms', label: 'Craft CMS' },
+  { value: 'magento2', label: 'Magento 2' },
+  { value: 'shopware6', label: 'Shopware 6' },
+  { value: 'symfony', label: 'Symfony' },
+  { value: 'typo3', label: 'TYPO3' }
+]
+
+export function CreateProjectModal({ onClose }: { onClose: () => void }): React.JSX.Element {
+  const [directory, setDirectory] = useState<string | null>(null)
+  const [projectName, setProjectName] = useState('')
+  const [projectType, setProjectType] = useState('')
+  const [docroot, setDocroot] = useState('')
+  const [startAfterCreate, setStartAfterCreate] = useState(true)
+
+  const createProject = useCreateProject()
+  const startProject = useStartProject()
+  const selectProject = useAppStore((s) => s.selectProject)
+
+  const isSubmitting = createProject.isPending || startProject.isPending
+  const canSubmit = directory !== null && projectName.trim().length > 0 && !isSubmitting
+
+  async function handlePickDirectory(): Promise<void> {
+    const picked = await window.api.create.pickDirectory()
+    if (!picked) return
+    setDirectory(picked)
+    if (!projectName) {
+      setProjectName(picked.split('/').filter(Boolean).pop() ?? '')
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function handleSubmit(): Promise<void> {
+    if (!directory) return
+    await createProject.mutateAsync({
+      directory,
+      projectName: projectName.trim(),
+      projectType,
+      docroot
+    })
+    if (startAfterCreate) {
+      startProject.mutate(projectName.trim())
+    }
+    selectProject(projectName.trim())
+    onClose()
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className="fixed inset-0 z-50 flex items-center justify-center bg-black/40 p-8">
+      <div className="flex w-full max-w-md flex-col rounded-xl bg-white shadow-2xl dark:bg-neutral-900">
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between border-b border-neutral-200 px-4 py-3 dark:border-neutral-800">
+          <h2 className="text-sm font-semibold">New Project</h2>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            onClick={onClose}
+            className="rounded p-1 text-neutral-400 hover:bg-neutral-100 hover:text-neutral-700 dark:hover:bg-neutral-800 dark:hover:text-neutral-200"
+          >
+            <X size={16} />
+          </button>
+        </div>
+
+        <div className="flex flex-col gap-4 p-4">
+          <div>
+            <label className="mb-1 block text-xs font-medium text-neutral-500 dark:text-neutral-400">
+              Project folder
+            </label>
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={handlePickDirectory}
+              className="flex w-full items-center gap-2 rounded-md border border-dashed border-neutral-300 px-3 py-2 text-left text-sm hover:bg-neutral-50 dark:border-neutral-700 dark:hover:bg-neutral-800"
+            >
+              <FolderOpen size={16} className="flex-shrink-0 text-neutral-400" />
+              <span className="truncate">{directory ?? 'Choose a folder…'}</span>
+            </button>
+          </div>
+
+          <div>
+            <label className="mb-1 block text-xs font-medium text-neutral-500 dark:text-neutral-400">
+              Project name
+            </label>
+            <input
+              type="text"
+              value={projectName}
+              onChange={(e) => setProjectName(e.target.value)}
+              placeholder="my-project"
+              className="w-full rounded-md border border-neutral-300 px-3 py-1.5 text-sm dark:border-neutral-700 dark:bg-neutral-950"
+            />
+          </div>
+
+          <div>
+            <label className="mb-1 block text-xs font-medium text-neutral-500 dark:text-neutral-400">
+              Project type
+            </label>
+            <select
+              value={projectType}
+              onChange={(e) => setProjectType(e.target.value)}
+              className="w-full rounded-md border border-neutral-300 px-3 py-1.5 text-sm dark:border-neutral-700 dark:bg-neutral-950"
+            >
+              {PROJECT_TYPES.map((t) => (
+                <option key={t.value} value={t.value}>
+                  {t.label}
+                </option>
+              ))}
+            </select>
+          </div>
+
+          <div>
+            <label className="mb-1 block text-xs font-medium text-neutral-500 dark:text-neutral-400">
+              Docroot (optional)
+            </label>
+            <input
+              type="text"
+              value={docroot}
+              onChange={(e) => setDocroot(e.target.value)}
+              placeholder="e.g. web, public — leave blank for project root"
+              className="w-full rounded-md border border-neutral-300 px-3 py-1.5 text-sm dark:border-neutral-700 dark:bg-neutral-950"
+            />
+          </div>
+
+          <label className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm">
+            <input
+              type="checkbox"
+              checked={startAfterCreate}
+              onChange={(e) => setStartAfterCreate(e.target.checked)}
+            />
+            Start project after creating
+          </label>
+        </div>
+
+        <div className="flex justify-end gap-2 border-t border-neutral-200 p-3 dark:border-neutral-800">
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            onClick={onClose}
+            className="rounded-md px-3 py-1.5 text-sm font-medium text-neutral-500 hover:bg-neutral-100 dark:hover:bg-neutral-800"
+          >
+            Cancel
+          </button>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            disabled={!canSubmit}
+            onClick={handleSubmit}
+            className="rounded-md bg-neutral-900 px-3 py-1.5 text-sm font-medium text-white disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:opacity-40 dark:bg-neutral-100 dark:text-neutral-900"
+          >
+            Create
+          </button>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/useCreateProject.ts b/src/renderer/src/hooks/useCreateProject.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71fbdc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/useCreateProject.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { useMutation, useQueryClient, type UseMutationResult } from '@tanstack/react-query'
+import { useTerminalStore } from '../stores/terminalStore'
+import { useStatusStore } from '../stores/statusStore'
+
+export interface CreateProjectInput {
+  directory: string
+  projectName: string
+  projectType: string
+  docroot: string
+}
+
+// Only runs `ddev config`, not `ddev start` — the caller is expected to
+// follow a successful creation with the existing useStartProject() mutation,
+// reusing its own tracked operation/toast lifecycle rather than needing this
+// one to juggle two unrelated command phases under a single operationId.
+export function useCreateProject(): UseMutationResult<void, Error, CreateProjectInput> {
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient()
+  return useMutation({
+    mutationFn: async ({ directory, projectName, projectType, docroot }: CreateProjectInput) => {
+      const operationId = crypto.randomUUID()
+      const label = `Create project ${projectName}`
+      useTerminalStore.getState().startOperation(operationId, label)
+      useStatusStore.getState().begin(operationId, label)
+      await window.api.create.configure(operationId, directory, projectName, projectType, docroot)
+    },
+    onSuccess: () => queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['projects'] })
+  })
+}