diff --git a/cmd/create.go b/cmd/create.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f5a88df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/create.go
@@ -0,0 +1,231 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+
+	corecomponent "github.com/libops/sitectl/pkg/component"
+	"github.com/libops/sitectl/pkg/config"
+	"github.com/libops/sitectl/pkg/helpers"
+	"github.com/libops/sitectl/pkg/plugin"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+const (
+	drupalCreateRepo       = "https://github.com/libops/drupal"
+	drupalCreateBranch     = "main"
+	drupalCreateDrupalRoot = "."
+	drupalContainerRoot    = "/var/www/drupal"
+)
+
+var (
+	drupalCreateInput             = config.GetInput
+	drupalCreateCloneTemplateRepo = func(opts plugin.GitTemplateOptions) error {
+		return sdk.CloneTemplateRepo(opts)
+	}
+	drupalCreateRunShellCommand = runCreateShellCommand
+)
+
+type createRunner struct{}
+
+type createRequest struct {
+	plugin.ComposeCreateRequest
+}
+
+func (createRunner) BindFlags(cmd *cobra.Command) {
+	if err := sdk.BindComposeCreateFlags(cmd, createDefinition(), nil, ""); err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (createRunner) Run(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
+	if sdk == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("plugin sdk is not initialized")
+	}
+	req, err := resolveCreateRequest(cmd)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	ctx, err := ensureCreateContext(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	cloned, err := ensureDrupalCheckout(cmd.OutOrStdout(), req, ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if cloned {
+		if err := runCommandList(cmd, ctx, createDefinition().DockerComposeInit); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	if !req.SetupOnly {
+		if err := runCommandList(cmd, ctx, createDefinition().DockerComposeUp); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	printCreateSummary(cmd.OutOrStdout(), ctx, req)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func createDefinition() plugin.CreateSpec {
+	return plugin.CreateSpec{
+		Name:                "default",
+		Description:         "Create a Docker Compose Drupal stack",
+		Default:             true,
+		MinCPUCores:         2,
+		MinMemory:           "4 GiB",
+		MinDiskSpace:        "20 GiB",
+		DockerComposeRepo:   drupalCreateRepo,
+		DockerComposeBranch: drupalCreateBranch,
+		DockerComposeUp:     []string{"docker compose up --remove-orphans"},
+		DockerComposeDown:   []string{"docker compose down"},
+	}
+}
+
+func resolveCreateRequest(cmd *cobra.Command) (createRequest, error) {
+	resolved, err := sdk.ResolveComposeCreateRequest(cmd, drupalCreateInput, "", "", drupalCreateRepo, drupalCreateBranch)
+	if err != nil {
+		return createRequest{}, err
+	}
+	return createRequest{ComposeCreateRequest: resolved}, nil
+}
+
+func ensureCreateContext(req createRequest) (*config.Context, error) {
+	defaultDir := helpers.FirstNonEmpty(req.Path, "./drupal")
+	defaultName := filepath.Base(defaultDir) + "-local"
+	return sdk.EnsureComposeCreateContext(req.ComposeCreateRequest, plugin.ComposeCreateContextOptions{
+		DefaultName:         defaultName,
+		DefaultSite:         filepath.Base(defaultDir),
+		DefaultPlugin:       "drupal",
+		DefaultProjectDir:   defaultDir,
+		DefaultProjectName:  filepath.Base(defaultDir),
+		DefaultEnvironment:  "local",
+		DefaultDrupalRootfs: drupalCreateDrupalRoot,
+		DrupalContainerRoot: drupalContainerRoot,
+		Input:               drupalCreateInput,
+	})
+}
+
+func ensureDrupalCheckout(out io.Writer, req createRequest, ctx *config.Context) (bool, error) {
+	if req.CheckoutSource == plugin.CheckoutSourceExisting {
+		return false, nil
+	}
+	if req.TemplateRepo == "" {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("template repo cannot be empty")
+	}
+	if ctx == nil || ctx.ProjectDir == "" {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("project directory cannot be empty")
+	}
+	if ctx.DockerHostType == config.ContextRemote {
+		return ensureRemoteDrupalCheckout(out, req, ctx)
+	}
+	return ensureLocalDrupalCheckout(out, req, ctx.ProjectDir)
+}
+
+func ensureLocalDrupalCheckout(out io.Writer, req createRequest, projectDir string) (bool, error) {
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(projectDir)
+	if err == nil && len(entries) > 0 {
+		return false, nil
+	}
+	if err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("read project directory %q: %w", projectDir, err)
+	}
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(projectDir), 0o755); err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("create parent directory for %q: %w", projectDir, err)
+	}
+	fmt.Fprintf(out, "Cloning %s (%s) into %s\n", req.TemplateRepo, helpers.FirstNonEmpty(req.TemplateBranch, "default branch"), projectDir)
+	if err := drupalCreateCloneTemplateRepo(plugin.GitTemplateOptions{
+		TemplateRepo:   req.TemplateRepo,
+		TemplateBranch: req.TemplateBranch,
+		ProjectDir:     projectDir,
+		Quiet:          true,
+	}); err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	return true, nil
+}
+
+func ensureRemoteDrupalCheckout(out io.Writer, req createRequest, ctx *config.Context) (bool, error) {
+	checkCmd := exec.Command("bash", "-lc", fmt.Sprintf("if [ -d %s ] && [ -n \"$(ls -A %s 2>/dev/null)\" ]; then echo present; fi", shellQuote(ctx.ProjectDir), shellQuote(ctx.ProjectDir)))
+	output, err := ctx.RunCommand(checkCmd)
+	if err == nil && strings.TrimSpace(output) == "present" {
+		return false, nil
+	}
+	mkdirCmd := exec.Command("bash", "-lc", fmt.Sprintf("mkdir -p %s", shellQuote(filepath.Dir(ctx.ProjectDir))))
+	if _, err := ctx.RunCommand(mkdirCmd); err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("prepare remote parent directory: %w", err)
+	}
+	cloneCmd := fmt.Sprintf("git clone --branch %s %s %s && rm -rf %s/.git && git -C %s init -b %s", shellQuote(req.TemplateBranch), shellQuote(req.TemplateRepo), shellQuote(ctx.ProjectDir), shellQuote(ctx.ProjectDir), shellQuote(ctx.ProjectDir), shellQuote(req.TemplateBranch))
+	fmt.Fprintf(out, "Cloning %s (%s) into %s on %s\n", req.TemplateRepo, helpers.FirstNonEmpty(req.TemplateBranch, "default branch"), ctx.ProjectDir, ctx.SSHHostname)
+	if err := drupalCreateRunShellCommand(ctx, "", io.Discard, io.Discard, cloneCmd); err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	return true, nil
+}
+
+func runCommandList(cmd *cobra.Command, ctx *config.Context, commands []string) error {
+	for _, command := range commands {
+		command = strings.TrimSpace(command)
+		if command == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "Running %s\n", command)
+		if err := drupalCreateRunShellCommand(ctx, ctx.ProjectDir, cmd.OutOrStdout(), cmd.ErrOrStderr(), command); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func runCreateShellCommand(ctx *config.Context, projectDir string, stdout, stderr io.Writer, command string) error {
+	if ctx == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("context is nil")
+	}
+	if ctx.DockerHostType == config.ContextRemote {
+		remoteCommand := command
+		if strings.TrimSpace(projectDir) != "" {
+			remoteCommand = fmt.Sprintf("cd %s && %s", shellQuote(projectDir), command)
+		}
+		output, err := ctx.RunCommand(exec.Command("bash", "-lc", remoteCommand))
+		if strings.TrimSpace(output) != "" && stdout != nil {
+			_, _ = io.WriteString(stdout, output)
+			if !strings.HasSuffix(output, "\n") {
+				_, _ = io.WriteString(stdout, "\n")
+			}
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+	localCmd := exec.Command("bash", "-lc", command)
+	localCmd.Dir = projectDir
+	localCmd.Stdout = stdout
+	localCmd.Stderr = stderr
+	localCmd.Env = os.Environ()
+	return localCmd.Run()
+}
+
+func printCreateSummary(out io.Writer, ctx *config.Context, req createRequest) {
+	fmt.Fprintln(out)
+	fmt.Fprintln(out, corecomponent.RenderSection("Create complete", "Drupal is ready for use through sitectl."))
+	fmt.Fprintln(out)
+	fmt.Fprintf(out, "Checkout: %s\n", ctx.ProjectDir)
+	fmt.Fprintf(out, "Context:  %s\n", ctx.Name)
+	fmt.Fprintf(out, "Target:   %s\n", ctx.DockerHostType)
+	if req.SetupOnly {
+		fmt.Fprintln(out, "The stack was prepared but left stopped because --setup-only was used.")
+	} else {
+		fmt.Fprintln(out, "The stack was prepared and started.")
+	}
+	fmt.Fprintln(out)
+}
+
+func shellQuote(value string) string {
+	return "'" + strings.ReplaceAll(value, "'", "'\\''") + "'"
+}
diff --git a/cmd/create_test.go b/cmd/create_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..195aeeb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/create_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/libops/sitectl/pkg/config"
+	"github.com/libops/sitectl/pkg/plugin"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+func TestCreateDefinition(t *testing.T) {
+	spec := createDefinition()
+	if spec.Name != "default" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected default definition name, got %q", spec.Name)
+	}
+	if spec.DockerComposeRepo != drupalCreateRepo {
+		t.Fatalf("expected repo %q, got %q", drupalCreateRepo, spec.DockerComposeRepo)
+	}
+	if spec.DockerComposeBranch != drupalCreateBranch {
+		t.Fatalf("expected branch %q, got %q", drupalCreateBranch, spec.DockerComposeBranch)
+	}
+	if !spec.Default {
+		t.Fatal("expected Drupal create definition to be the default")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestResolveCreateRequestHonorsExplicitFlags(t *testing.T) {
+	oldSDK := sdk
+	t.Cleanup(func() { sdk = oldSDK })
+	sdk = plugin.NewSDK(plugin.Metadata{Name: "drupal"})
+
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{Use: "default"}
+	cmd.Flags().String("context", "", "")
+	if err := sdk.BindComposeCreateFlags(cmd, createDefinition(), nil, ""); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("BindComposeCreateFlags() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	_ = cmd.Flags().Set("context", "drupal-local")
+	_ = cmd.Flags().Set("type", "local")
+	_ = cmd.Flags().Set("checkout-source", "existing")
+	_ = cmd.Flags().Set("project-dir", "/tmp/drupal")
+	_ = cmd.Flags().Set("setup-only", "true")
+
+	req, err := resolveCreateRequest(cmd)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("resolveCreateRequest() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if req.ContextName != "drupal-local" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected context name drupal-local, got %q", req.ContextName)
+	}
+	if req.Path != "/tmp/drupal" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected path /tmp/drupal, got %q", req.Path)
+	}
+	if req.TargetType != config.ContextLocal {
+		t.Fatalf("expected local target, got %q", req.TargetType)
+	}
+	if req.CheckoutSource != plugin.CheckoutSourceExisting {
+		t.Fatalf("expected existing checkout source, got %q", req.CheckoutSource)
+	}
+	if !req.SetupOnly {
+		t.Fatal("expected setup-only request")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestEnsureLocalDrupalCheckoutClonesEmptyDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	projectDir := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "site")
+
+	oldClone := drupalCreateCloneTemplateRepo
+	t.Cleanup(func() { drupalCreateCloneTemplateRepo = oldClone })
+
+	var cloneInvoked bool
+	drupalCreateCloneTemplateRepo = func(opts plugin.GitTemplateOptions) error {
+		cloneInvoked = true
+		if opts.TemplateRepo != drupalCreateRepo {
+			t.Fatalf("expected repo %q, got %q", drupalCreateRepo, opts.TemplateRepo)
+		}
+		if opts.TemplateBranch != drupalCreateBranch {
+			t.Fatalf("expected branch %q, got %q", drupalCreateBranch, opts.TemplateBranch)
+		}
+		if opts.ProjectDir != projectDir {
+			t.Fatalf("expected project dir %q, got %q", projectDir, opts.ProjectDir)
+		}
+		return os.MkdirAll(opts.ProjectDir, 0o755)
+	}
+
+	cloned, err := ensureLocalDrupalCheckout(ioDiscard{}, createRequest{ComposeCreateRequest: plugin.ComposeCreateRequest{
+		TemplateRepo:   drupalCreateRepo,
+		TemplateBranch: drupalCreateBranch,
+	}}, projectDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ensureLocalDrupalCheckout() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if !cloned {
+		t.Fatal("expected checkout to be cloned")
+	}
+	if !cloneInvoked {
+		t.Fatal("expected clone to run")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPrintCreateSummarySetupOnly(t *testing.T) {
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+	printCreateSummary(&out, &config.Context{Name: "drupal-local", ProjectDir: "/tmp/drupal", DockerHostType: config.ContextLocal}, createRequest{
+		ComposeCreateRequest: plugin.ComposeCreateRequest{SetupOnly: true},
+	})
+	if !strings.Contains(out.String(), "left stopped because --setup-only was used") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected setup-only summary, got:\n%s", out.String())
+	}
+}
+
+type ioDiscard struct{}
+
+func (ioDiscard) Write(p []byte) (int, error) { return len(p), nil }
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 0e89ea8..72c63a0 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@ func init() {
 func RegisterCommands(s *plugin.SDK) {
 	sdk = s
 	pluginjobs.Register(s)
-	sdk.AddCommand(sdk.GetMetadataCommand())
+	sdk.AddCommand(sdk.GetDiscoveryMetadataCommand())
 	sdk.AddCommand(componentExtensionCmd)
+	sdk.RegisterCreateRunner(createDefinition(), createRunner{})
 	sdk.AddCommand(debugExtensionCmd)
 	sdk.AddCommand(drushCmd)
 	sdk.AddCommand(loginCmd)
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 05b2f9e..a0ea322 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module github.com/libops/sitectl-drupal
 go 1.25.8
 
 require (
-	github.com/libops/sitectl v0.13.4
+	github.com/libops/sitectl v0.15.0
 	github.com/spf13/cobra v1.10.2
 	github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.10
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index bce27b7..093bee8 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ github.com/kr/text v0.2.0 h1:5Nx0Ya0ZqY2ygV366QzturHI13Jq95ApcVaJBhpS+AY=
 github.com/kr/text v0.2.0/go.mod h1:eLer722TekiGuMkidMxC/pM04lWEeraHUUmBw8l2grE=
 github.com/kylelemons/godebug v1.1.0 h1:RPNrshWIDI6G2gRW9EHilWtl7Z6Sb1BR0xunSBf0SNc=
 github.com/kylelemons/godebug v1.1.0/go.mod h1:9/0rRGxNHcop5bhtWyNeEfOS8JIWk580+fNqagV/RAw=
-github.com/libops/sitectl v0.13.4 h1:x8NmFcfBzq7zVG45qiN+uoOrQaRdpo8p4JmXYljMhg0=
-github.com/libops/sitectl v0.13.4/go.mod h1:Q4mIOPKbV1CJAYJ/x0e+ZxKQ2M/zOrqiWE7YmL5kaH4=
+github.com/libops/sitectl v0.15.0 h1:YZrBcpvY3fAZlLeCFs9OndDHiam7l9nABy2hDpUllSI=
+github.com/libops/sitectl v0.15.0/go.mod h1:Q4mIOPKbV1CJAYJ/x0e+ZxKQ2M/zOrqiWE7YmL5kaH4=
 github.com/lucasb-eyer/go-colorful v1.3.0 h1:2/yBRLdWBZKrf7gB40FoiKfAWYQ0lqNcbuQwVHXptag=
 github.com/lucasb-eyer/go-colorful v1.3.0/go.mod h1:R4dSotOR9KMtayYi1e77YzuveK+i7ruzyGqttikkLy0=
 github.com/mattn/go-runewidth v0.0.20 h1:WcT52H91ZUAwy8+HUkdM3THM6gXqXuLJi9O3rjcQQaQ=