diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 990fc94..ce95f3a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ Three shapes: app-builder layout (frontend and/or backend selected), plain TS en
 
 ```
 .
+|-- .env-template              # only with backend; enables readable development logs
 |-- .gitignore
 |-- .prettierrc.js
 |-- .stylelintrc.json          # only with styles
@@ -108,6 +109,9 @@ Three shapes: app-builder layout (frontend and/or backend selected), plain TS en
 
 **Neither frontend nor backend, JavaScript** — plain `index.js` at project root.
 
+Backend projects include `.env-template`. Copy it to `.env` before development;
+`APP_DEV_MODE=true` enables human-readable, colorized NodeKit logs.
+
 ## Requirements
 
 Node.js `^22.13.0 || >=23.5.0`.
diff --git a/scripts/readme/readme.hbs b/scripts/readme/readme.hbs
index e0df393..86f11d1 100644
--- a/scripts/readme/readme.hbs
+++ b/scripts/readme/readme.hbs
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ Three shapes: app-builder layout (frontend and/or backend selected), plain TS en
 
 ```
 .
+|-- .env-template              # only with backend; enables readable development logs
 |-- .gitignore
 |-- .prettierrc.js
 |-- .stylelintrc.json          # only with styles
@@ -61,6 +62,9 @@ Three shapes: app-builder layout (frontend and/or backend selected), plain TS en
 
 **Neither frontend nor backend, JavaScript** — plain `index.js` at project root.
 
+Backend projects include `.env-template`. Copy it to `.env` before development;
+`APP_DEV_MODE=true` enables human-readable, colorized NodeKit logs.
+
 ## Requirements
 
 Node.js `{{{engines}}}`.
diff --git a/src/generators/base.test.ts b/src/generators/base.test.ts
index 7642a60..6e1cb58 100644
--- a/src/generators/base.test.ts
+++ b/src/generators/base.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,30 @@ import {setupGeneratorTest} from './__fixtures__/setupGeneratorTest.js';
 import {generateBase} from './base.js';
 
 test.describe('base generator', () => {
+    test('backend README documents the environment template', async (t: TestContext) => {
+        const {file} = await setupGeneratorTest(generateBase, {
+            destination: '/project',
+            projectName: 'my-app',
+            hasBackend: true,
+        });
+
+        const readme = file('README.md');
+        t.assert.ok(readme);
+        t.assert.match(String(readme.content), /cp \.env-template \.env/);
+        t.assert.match(String(readme.content), /APP_DEV_MODE=true/);
+    });
+
+    test('project without backend omits environment setup from README', async (t: TestContext) => {
+        const {file} = await setupGeneratorTest(generateBase, {
+            destination: '/project',
+            projectName: 'my-app',
+        });
+
+        const readme = file('README.md');
+        t.assert.ok(readme);
+        t.assert.doesNotMatch(String(readme.content), /\.env-template/);
+    });
+
     test('no registry set: does not write .npmrc', async (t: TestContext) => {
         const {file} = await setupGeneratorTest(generateBase, {
             destination: '/project',
diff --git a/src/generators/base.ts b/src/generators/base.ts
index 31771f8..53b912a 100644
--- a/src/generators/base.ts
+++ b/src/generators/base.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export async function generateBase(model: ProjectModel, fs: FileSystem): Promise
 
     await fs.writeFile(
         path.join(model.destination, 'README.md'),
-        renderReadme({projectName: model.projectName}),
+        renderReadme({hasBackend: model.hasBackend, projectName: model.projectName}),
     );
 
     if (model.registry && !isDefaultRegistry(model.registry)) {
diff --git a/src/generators/nodekit.test.ts b/src/generators/nodekit.test.ts
index 11ae47e..f36c967 100644
--- a/src/generators/nodekit.test.ts
+++ b/src/generators/nodekit.test.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ test.describe('nodekit generator', () => {
             language: 'ts',
         });
 
+        t.assert.equal(file('.env-template'), null);
         t.assert.equal(file('src/server/index.ts'), null);
     });
 
@@ -22,6 +23,10 @@ test.describe('nodekit generator', () => {
             hasBackend: true,
         });
 
+        const envTemplate = file('.env-template');
+        t.assert.ok(envTemplate);
+        t.assert.equal(envTemplate.content, 'APP_DEV_MODE=true\n');
+
         const server = file('src/server/index.ts');
         t.assert.ok(server);
         t.assert.match(server.content, /Hello, world!/);
diff --git a/src/generators/nodekit.ts b/src/generators/nodekit.ts
index f019809..f725f4b 100644
--- a/src/generators/nodekit.ts
+++ b/src/generators/nodekit.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {getDefaultEntryFileName} from '../utils/getDefaultEntryFileName.js';
 import {addDep} from '../utils/pm.js';
 import type {FileSystem} from '../utils/types.js';
 
+import renderEnvTemplate from './templates/.env-template.hbs.js';
 import renderServerIndexJs from './templates/src/server/index.js.hbs.js';
 import renderServerIndexTs from './templates/src/server/index.ts.hbs.js';
 
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ export async function generateNodekit(model: ProjectModel, fs: FileSystem): Prom
     const serverFile = path.join(model.destination, 'src', 'server', `index.${isTs ? 'ts' : 'js'}`);
     const render = isTs ? renderServerIndexTs : renderServerIndexJs;
 
+    await fs.writeFile(path.join(model.destination, '.env-template'), renderEnvTemplate({}));
     await fs.writeFile(
         serverFile,
         render({
diff --git a/src/generators/templates/.env-template.hbs b/src/generators/templates/.env-template.hbs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1852276
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/generators/templates/.env-template.hbs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+APP_DEV_MODE=true
diff --git a/src/generators/templates/README.md.hbs b/src/generators/templates/README.md.hbs
index 9241f65..4121f24 100644
--- a/src/generators/templates/README.md.hbs
+++ b/src/generators/templates/README.md.hbs
@@ -1,3 +1,15 @@
 # {{projectName}}
 
 Bootstrapped with @gravity-ui/create.
+{{#if hasBackend}}
+
+## Environment
+
+Create the local environment file:
+
+```bash
+cp .env-template .env
+```
+
+`APP_DEV_MODE=true` enables human-readable, colorized NodeKit logs.
+{{/if}}