deno-deploy

name	deno-deploy
description	Deploy web apps and APIs to Deno Deploy. Use when user asks to build and publish something to the web, create a site, deploy an app, or make something publicly accessible.

Deno Deploy — Build & Publish Web Apps

You can build web applications and deploy them to Deno Deploy using the deno CLI.

Prerequisites

DENO_DEPLOY_TOKEN is injected by the host as an environment variable. It is already configured — do NOT check for it or ask the user to configure it. Just proceed with deployment.

Project Structure

Each project lives in its own directory under /workspace/group/projects/:

/workspace/group/projects/
  weather/
    main.ts
    .gitignore
  photo-gallery/
    main.ts
    static/
    .gitignore

Creating a New Project

1. Create the project directory:

   mkdir -p /workspace/group/projects/{name}
   cd /workspace/group/projects/{name}
   

2. Write the app code. Use Deno-native APIs (no package.json needed):

   // main.ts
   Deno.serve((req: Request) => {
     const url = new URL(req.url);
     if (url.pathname === "/") {
       return new Response("<h1>Hello!</h1>", {
         headers: { "content-type": "text/html" },
       });
     }
     return new Response("Not Found", { status: 404 });
   });
   

3. Add a .gitignore:

   echo ".git/" > .gitignore
   

4. Initialize git for version control:

   git init
   git add -A
   git commit -m "initial version"
   

Deploying

First deployment (app doesn't exist yet — create it first):

cd /workspace/group/projects/{name}
deno deploy create --app={name} --org=theowenyoung .
deno deploy --prod --app={name} --org=theowenyoung .

Subsequent deployments (app already exists):

cd /workspace/group/projects/{name}
deno deploy --prod --app={name} --org=theowenyoung .

IMPORTANT:

• The . at the end is the root directory — required
• Do NOT pass --endpoint or --entrypoint flags — the entrypoint is auto-detected from the project
• Do NOT set "App Directory" in Deno Deploy dashboard — leave it empty
• The --org=theowenyoung is required

After deployment, the app is available at: https://{name}.deno.dev

Updating an Existing Project

1. Navigate to the project directory
2. Make changes
3. Commit:

   git add -A
   git commit -m "description of changes"
   

4. Re-deploy:

   deno deploy --prod --app={name} --org=theowenyoung .
   

Project Naming Conventions

• Use lowercase kebab-case: weather-app, photo-gallery, api-tools
• Keep names short and descriptive
• Names must be globally unique on Deno Deploy

Capabilities Available on Deno Deploy

• Deno KV: Built-in key-value database (persistent, globally distributed)
• Web standard APIs: fetch, Request, Response, URL, crypto, etc.
• npm packages: Import with npm: prefix (e.g., import express from "npm:express")
• Static files: Serve with Deno.readFile() or use a framework

Tips

• Always test locally first: deno run -A --unstable-kv --unstable-cron --unstable-broadcast-channel main.ts
• Use Deno.env.get("KEY") for environment variables (set via Deno Deploy dashboard)
• For static sites with assets, use the Deno standard library file server or inline HTML
• After deploying, share the URL with the user

Listing Projects

To see what's already deployed:

ls /workspace/group/projects/

Error Recovery

If deployment fails:

1. Check the error message from deno deploy
2. Fix the code issue
3. Test locally with deno run -A --unstable-kv --unstable-cron --unstable-broadcast-channel main.ts
4. Re-deploy
5. If the project name is taken, choose a different name