coder-convex-setup

name	coder-convex-setup
description	Initial Convex workspace setup in Coder workspaces with self-hosted Convex deployment, authentication configuration, Docker setup, and environment variable generation
updated	"2026-01-16T00:00:00.000Z"

Coder-Convex-Setup: Initial Convex Workspace Setup in Coder

You are an expert at initial setup and configuration of self-hosted Convex in Coder workspaces. This skill is ONLY for the one-time setup of a new Convex workspace. For everyday Convex development, use the coder-convex skill instead.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• Setting up Convex in a new Coder workspace for the first time
• Configuring a self-hosted Convex deployment
• Setting up Docker-based Convex backend
• Configuring environment variables for Convex
• Generating admin keys and deployment URLs

DO NOT use this skill for:

• Everyday Convex development (use coder-convex instead)
• Writing queries, mutations, or actions (use coder-convex instead)
• Schema modifications (use coder-convex instead)
• React integration issues (use coder-convex instead)

Prerequisites

Before setting up Convex in a Coder workspace, ensure:

1. Node.js and a package manager are installed:

   node --version  # Should be v18+
   # Check for package manager: pnpm, yarn, npm, or bun
   pnpm --version  # Or: yarn --version, npm --version, bun --version
   

2. Docker is available:

   docker --version
   docker compose version
   

3. Project has package.json with Convex dependency:

   {
     "dependencies": {
       "convex": "^1.31.3"
     }
   }
   

Coder Workspace Services Overview

In a Coder workspace, Convex is exposed through multiple services. Understanding these is critical:

Slug	Display Name	Internal URL	Port	Hidden	Purpose
convex-dashboard	Convex Dashboard	localhost:6791	6791	No	Admin dashboard
convex-api	Convex API	localhost:3210	3210	Yes	Main API endpoints
convex-site	Convex Site	localhost:3211	3211	Yes	Site Proxy (Auth)

Step 1: Install Convex Dependencies

# Install Convex package
[package-manager] add convex

# Install auth dependencies (required for Coder workspaces)
[package-manager] add @convex-dev/auth

# Install dev dependencies if not present
[package-manager] add -D @types/node typescript

Step 2: Create Convex Directory Structure

Create the following directory structure:

mkdir -p convex/lib

The structure should look like:

convex/
├── lib/                  # Internal utilities (optional)
├── schema.ts            # Database schema (required)
├── auth.ts              # Auth setup (required for Coder)
├── router.ts            # HTTP routes (required for auth endpoints)
└── http.ts              # HTTP exports with auth routes (required for Coder)

Step 3: Create Initial Schema

Create convex/schema.ts:

import { defineSchema, defineTable } from "convex/server";
import { v } from "convex/values";
import { authTables } from "@convex-dev/auth/server";

// Your application tables
const applicationTables = {
  // Add your tables here
  tasks: defineTable({
    title: v.string(),
    status: v.string(),
  }).index("by_status", ["status"]),
};

export default defineSchema({
  ...authTables,
  ...applicationTables,
});

Key Schema Rules:

• Always include ...authTables from @convex-dev/auth/server for Coder workspaces
• Never manually add _id or _creationTime - they're automatic
• Index names should be descriptive: by_fieldName
• All indexes automatically include _creationTime as the last field
• Don't use .index("by_creation_time", ["_creationTime"]) - it's built-in

Step 4: Create Auth Configuration

Note: Modern @convex-dev/auth (v0.0.90+) uses the convexAuth() function directly. A separate auth.config.ts file is no longer required.

Create convex/auth.ts:

import { convexAuth, getAuthUserId } from "@convex-dev/auth/server";
import { Password } from "@convex-dev/auth/providers/Password";
import { Anonymous } from "@convex-dev/auth/providers/Anonymous";
import { query } from "./_generated/server";

// Configure auth with providers
export const { auth, signIn, signOut, store, isAuthenticated } = convexAuth({
  providers: [Password, Anonymous],
});

// Query to get the current user
export const currentUser = query({
  args: {},
  handler: async (ctx) => {
    const userId = await getAuthUserId(ctx);
    if (!userId) {
      return null;
    }
    return await ctx.db.get(userId);
  },
});

Create convex/router.ts:

import { httpRouter } from "convex/server";

const http = httpRouter();

export default http;

Create convex/http.ts:

import { auth } from "./auth";
import router from "./router";

const http = router;

// CRITICAL: Add auth routes to the HTTP router
auth.addHttpRoutes(http);

export default http;

Critical: The auth.addHttpRoutes(http) call is required for auth endpoints (/auth/*) to be accessible. Without this, authentication will not work.

Step 5: Create Coder Setup Script

Create scripts/setup-convex.sh:

#!/bin/bash

# Detect Coder workspace environment
# Check for both CODER and CODER_WORKSPACE_NAME to confirm we're in a Coder workspace
if [ -n "$CODER" ] && [ -n "$CODER_WORKSPACE_NAME" ]; then
  # Running in Coder workspace
  # Extract protocol and domain from CODER_URL (e.g., https://coder.hahomelabs.com)
  CODER_PROTOCOL="${CODER_URL%%://*}"
  CODER_DOMAIN="${CODER_URL#*//}"
  WORKSPACE_NAME="${CODER_WORKSPACE_NAME}"
  USERNAME="${CODER_WORKSPACE_OWNER_NAME:-$USER}"

  # Generate Coder-specific URLs
  # Format: <protocol>://<service>--<workspace>--<owner>.<coder-domain>
  CONVEX_API_URL="${CODER_PROTOCOL}://convex-api--${WORKSPACE_NAME}--${USERNAME}.${CODER_DOMAIN}"
  CONVEX_SITE_URL="${CODER_PROTOCOL}://convex-site--${WORKSPACE_NAME}--${USERNAME}.${CODER_DOMAIN}"
  CONVEX_DASHBOARD_URL="${CODER_PROTOCOL}://convex--${WORKSPACE_NAME}--${USERNAME}.${CODER_DOMAIN}"
else
  # Local development
  CONVEX_API_URL="http://localhost:3210"
  CONVEX_SITE_URL="http://localhost:3211"
  CONVEX_DASHBOARD_URL="http://localhost:6791"
fi

# Determine PostgreSQL URL from environment
# Priority order: DATABASE_URL → POSTGRES_URI → POSTGRES_URL
# Note: We strip the database name from the URL since Convex appends INSTANCE_NAME automatically
# E.g., "postgres://...:5432/app" becomes "postgres://...:5432"
_RAW_POSTGRES_URL="${DATABASE_URL:-${POSTGRES_URI:-${POSTGRES_URL:-}}}"
if [ -n "$_RAW_POSTGRES_URL" ]; then
  # Remove trailing database name (e.g., /app) if present
  _STRIPPED_URL="${_RAW_POSTGRES_URL%/[^/]*}"
  # For Coder PostgreSQL with self-signed certificates, use sslmode=disable
  # Note: Rust postgres crate may not accept sslmode parameter in URL, depends on version
  if [[ "$_STRIPPED_URL" == *"?"* ]]; then
    # URL already has query parameters
    POSTGRES_URL="${_STRIPPED_URL}&sslmode=disable"
  else
    # Add query parameters - use disable for self-signed certs
    POSTGRES_URL="${_STRIPPED_URL}?sslmode=disable"
  fi
else
  # Fallback to default for local development
  POSTGRES_URL="postgresql://convex:convex@localhost:5432/convex?sslmode=disable"
fi

# Verify PostgreSQL URL is configured
if [ -z "$POSTGRES_URL" ]; then
  echo "❌ POSTGRES_URL is not set"
  echo "   Please set DATABASE_URL or POSTGRES_URL in your environment"
  echo ""
  echo "   In Coder workspaces, these variables are automatically provided."
  echo "   For local development, ensure PostgreSQL is running and set the variable."
  exit 1
fi

# Admin key will be generated by the container on first start
# The container's generate_admin_key.sh script is the proper way to generate keys
# We'll retrieve it after the container starts
CONVEX_ADMIN_KEY="${CONVEX_ADMIN_KEY:-}"

# Generate JWT private key for auth (PKCS#8 format)
if [ ! -f jwt_private_key.pem ]; then
  openssl genpkey -algorithm RSA -pkeyopt rsa_keygen_bits:2048 -out jwt_private_key.pem 2>/dev/null
fi

# Create .env.convex.local (only if missing or incomplete)
ENV_FILE=".env.convex.local"
ENV_FILE_MISSING=0

if [ ! -f "$ENV_FILE" ]; then
  echo "📝 Creating $ENV_FILE..."
  ENV_FILE_MISSING=1
else
  # Check if required variables are present
  if ! grep -q "^POSTGRES_URL=" "$ENV_FILE" 2>/dev/null; then
    echo "📝 $ENV_FILE exists but missing POSTGRES_URL, updating..."
    ENV_FILE_MISSING=1
  fi
  if ! grep -q "^CONVEX_CLOUD_ORIGIN=" "$ENV_FILE" 2>/dev/null && [ -n "$CONVEX_API_URL" ]; then
    echo "📝 $ENV_FILE exists but missing Convex URLs, updating..."
    ENV_FILE_MISSING=1
  fi
fi

if [ $ENV_FILE_MISSING -eq 1 ]; then
  # Create or update the env file
  cat > "$ENV_FILE" << ENVEOF
# Self-hosted Convex configuration
# Auto-generated by setup-convex.sh

# PostgreSQL connection URL
POSTGRES_URL=$POSTGRES_URL

# Convex Cloud Origin - External URL for Convex API access
CONVEX_CLOUD_ORIGIN=$CONVEX_CLOUD_ORIGIN

# Convex Site Origin - HTTP actions endpoint (for auth)
CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN=$CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN

# Convex Site URL - Used by @convex-dev/auth for provider domain
CONVEX_SITE_URL=$CONVEX_API_URL

# Convex Deployment URL
CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT_URL=$CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT_URL

# Frontend Configuration
VITE_CONVEX_URL=$CONVEX_CLOUD_ORIGIN

# Admin Key will be retrieved from container after it starts
# CONVEX_ADMIN_KEY and CONVEX_SELF_HOSTED_ADMIN_KEY are set by the container

# JWT Configuration (for auth)
# JWT_ISSUER should match CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN for proper auth validation
JWT_ISSUER=$CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN
ENVEOF
  echo "✅ Created $ENV_FILE"
fi

# Source environment variables from the (now existing) file
echo "📦 Loading environment variables from $ENV_FILE"
set -a
source "$ENV_FILE"
set +a

echo "Convex environment configured!"
echo "API URL: ${CONVEX_API_URL}"
echo "Site URL: ${CONVEX_SITE_URL}"
echo "Dashboard URL: ${CONVEX_DASHBOARD_URL}"
echo "Admin Key: ${CONVEX_ADMIN_KEY:0:20}..."

Make it executable and run:

chmod +x scripts/setup-convex.sh
./scripts/setup-convex.sh

Step 6: Create Custom Entrypoint Script

Create convex-backend-entrypoint.sh:

#!/bin/bash
# Wrapper script to start Convex backend with JWT_PRIVATE_KEY from file
# Based on the original run_backend.sh but with JWT_PRIVATE_KEY loading

set -e

export DATA_DIR=${DATA_DIR:-/convex/data}
export TMPDIR=${TMPDIR:-"$DATA_DIR/tmp"}
export STORAGE_DIR=${STORAGE_DIR:-"$DATA_DIR/storage"}
export SQLITE_DB=${SQLITE_DB:-"$DATA_DIR/db.sqlite3"}

# Database driver flags
POSTGRES_DB_FLAGS=(--db postgres-v5)
MYSQL_DB_FLAGS=(--db mysql-v5)

mkdir -p "$TMPDIR" "$STORAGE_DIR"

# NOTE: INSTANCE_NAME and INSTANCE_SECRET are set via Docker environment variables
# in docker-compose.convex.yml. They are NOT sourced from a credentials script.

# IMPORTANT: Set JWT_PRIVATE_KEY BEFORE sourcing anything else
# This environment variable MUST be set before the Convex backend starts
# for it to be available in the isolate workers
if [ -f /jwt_private_key.pem ]; then
  echo "Loading JWT_PRIVATE_KEY from /jwt_private_key.pem..."
  DECODED_KEY=$(cat /jwt_private_key.pem)
  echo "JWT_PRIVATE_KEY loaded (length: ${#DECODED_KEY})"
  export JWT_PRIVATE_KEY="$DECODED_KEY"
  echo "JWT_PRIVATE_KEY exported successfully"
  echo "Verifying: ${#JWT_PRIVATE_KEY} characters"
elif [ -n "$JWT_PRIVATE_KEY_BASE64" ]; then
  echo "Loading JWT_PRIVATE_KEY from JWT_PRIVATE_KEY_BASE64..."
  DECODED_KEY=$(echo "$JWT_PRIVATE_KEY_BASE64" | base64 -d)
  echo "JWT_PRIVATE_KEY loaded (length: ${#DECODED_KEY})"
  export JWT_PRIVATE_KEY="$DECODED_KEY"
  echo "JWT_PRIVATE_KEY exported successfully"
  echo "Verifying: ${#JWT_PRIVATE_KEY} characters"
fi

# Make JWT_PRIVATE_KEY available to child processes via env file
if [ -n "$JWT_PRIVATE_KEY" ]; then
  # Export to a file that will be sourced by child processes
  # This is necessary because Convex isolate workers don't inherit all environment variables
  echo "export JWT_PRIVATE_KEY=\"$JWT_PRIVATE_KEY\"" > /convex/jwt_env.sh
  echo "JWT environment written to /convex/jwt_env.sh"
  # Source it ourselves for good measure
  . /convex/jwt_env.sh
fi

# Determine database configuration
if [ -n "$POSTGRES_URL" ]; then
  DB_SPEC="$POSTGRES_URL"
  DB_FLAGS=("${POSTGRES_DB_FLAGS[@]}")
elif [ -n "$MYSQL_URL" ]; then
  DB_SPEC="$MYSQL_URL"
  DB_FLAGS=("${MYSQL_DB_FLAGS[@]}")
elif [ -n "$DATABASE_URL" ]; then
  echo "Warning: DATABASE_URL is deprecated."
  DB_SPEC="$DATABASE_URL"
  DB_FLAGS=("${POSTGRES_DB_FLAGS[@]}")
else
  DB_SPEC="$SQLITE_DB"
  DB_FLAGS=()
fi

# Use local storage (S3 not configured)
STORAGE_FLAGS=(--local-storage "$STORAGE_DIR")

# Run the Convex backend with JWT_PRIVATE_KEY explicitly set in the environment
# Using env to ensure the variable is passed to the child process
exec env JWT_PRIVATE_KEY="$JWT_PRIVATE_KEY" "$@" ./convex-local-backend \
  --instance-name "$INSTANCE_NAME" \
  --instance-secret "$INSTANCE_SECRET" \
  --port 3210 \
  --site-proxy-port 3211 \
  --convex-origin "$CONVEX_CLOUD_ORIGIN" \
  --convex-site "$CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN" \
  --beacon-tag "self-hosted-docker" \
  ${DISABLE_BEACON:+--disable-beacon} \
  ${REDACT_LOGS_TO_CLIENT:+--redact-logs-to-client} \
  ${DO_NOT_REQUIRE_SSL:+--do-not-require-ssl} \
  "${DB_FLAGS[@]}" \
  "${STORAGE_FLAGS[@]}" \
  "$DB_SPEC"

Make it executable:

chmod +x convex-backend-entrypoint.sh

Step 7: Create Docker Compose Configuration

Create docker-compose.convex.yml:

services:
  convex-backend:
    image: ghcr.io/get-convex/convex-backend:latest
    container_name: convex-backend-local
    env_file:
      - .env.convex.local
    stop_grace_period: 10s
    stop_signal: SIGINT
    ports:
      - "3210:3210" # Convex API port
      - "3211:3211" # Convex site proxy port (for auth)
    volumes:
      - convex-data:/convex/data
      - ./convex-backend-entrypoint.sh:/convex-backend-entrypoint.sh:ro
      - ./jwt_private_key.pem:/jwt_private_key.pem:ro
    entrypoint: ["/bin/bash", "/convex-backend-entrypoint.sh"]
    environment:
      # Convex Cloud Origin - External URL for Convex API access
      # For local development, defaults to http://localhost:3210
      # In Coder workspaces, set via .env.convex.local
      - CONVEX_CLOUD_ORIGIN=${CONVEX_CLOUD_ORIGIN:-http://localhost:3210}
      # Convex Site Origin - HTTP actions endpoint (for auth)
      # For local development, defaults to http://localhost:3211
      # In Coder workspaces, set via .env.convex.local
      - CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN=${CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN:-http://localhost:3211}
      # PostgreSQL Database URL (required)
      - POSTGRES_URL=${POSTGRES_URL}
      # Instance name for identification (matches PostgreSQL database name)
      - INSTANCE_NAME=app
      # Admin key for authentication (generated on first start)
      - CONVEX_ADMIN_KEY=${CONVEX_ADMIN_KEY:-}
      # Logging
      - RUST_LOG=info,convex=debug
      # Lower document retention for development
      - DOCUMENT_RETENTION_DELAY=172800
      # Disable SSL requirement for local development
      - DO_NOT_REQUIRE_SSL=true
      # Auth configuration for @convex-dev/auth
      # Note: JWT_PRIVATE_KEY is set by convex-backend-entrypoint.sh from mounted file
      - JWT_ISSUER=${JWT_ISSUER:-http://localhost:3211}
      # Instance secret (auto-generated by backend if not set)
      - INSTANCE_SECRET=${INSTANCE_SECRET:-}
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "http://localhost:3210/version"]
      interval: 5s
      start_period: 10s
      timeout: 5s
      retries: 3

  convex-dashboard:
    image: ghcr.io/get-convex/convex-dashboard:latest
    container_name: convex-dashboard-local
    env_file:
      - .env.convex.local
    stop_grace_period: 10s
    stop_signal: SIGINT
    ports:
      - "6791:6791" # Dashboard port
    environment:
      # Deployment URL for dashboard
      - NEXT_PUBLIC_DEPLOYMENT_URL=${CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT_URL:-http://localhost:3210}
    depends_on:
      convex-backend:
        condition: service_healthy

volumes:
  convex-data:
    driver: local

Critical Configuration Explained:

• Custom Entrypoint: Loads JWT_PRIVATE_KEY from mounted file before starting backend
• Volume Mount: jwt_private_key.pem is mounted at /jwt_private_key.pem:ro
• Ports: 3210 (API), 3211 (site proxy for auth), 6791 (dashboard)
• CONVEX_CLOUD_ORIGIN: External URL for the API (for internal Convex communication)
• CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN: External URL for the site proxy (for auth provider discovery, set via npx convex env set)
• JWT_ISSUER: Points to site proxy URL
• Healthcheck: Ensures backend is ready before dashboard starts

Step 8: Create Startup Script

Create start-convex-backend.sh:

#!/bin/bash

# Load environment
if [ -f .env.convex.local ]; then
  set -a
  source .env.convex.local
  set +a
fi

# Start Docker services
docker compose -f docker-compose.convex.yml up -d

echo "Waiting for Convex backend to be healthy..."
until curl -s http://localhost:3210/version > /dev/null 2>&1; do
  echo "Waiting for Convex API..."
  sleep 2
done

echo "Convex backend is running!"
echo "Dashboard: ${CONVEX_DASHBOARD_URL:-http://localhost:6791}"

CRITICAL DEPLOYMENT ORDER: The startup sequence must follow this order:

1. Start Docker services (backend becomes healthy)
2. Initialize deployment environment variables (npx convex env set) - These MUST be set before deployment!
3. Then deploy functions (npx convex deploy --yes)

Why this order: Auth-related environment variables (like CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN, JWT_ISSUER, JWKS) must be set before deploying functions. If you deploy first, the deployment may fail or auth may not work properly.

Step 9: Add NPM Scripts

Add these scripts to your package.json:

{
  "scripts": {
    "dev": "npm-run-all --parallel dev:frontend convex:start",
    "dev:frontend": "vite",
    "dev:backend": "convex dev --local --once",
    "convex:start": "./scripts/setup-convex.sh",
    "convex:stop": "docker compose -f docker-compose.convex.yml down",
    "convex:logs": "docker compose -f docker-compose.convex.yml logs -f",
    "convex:status": "docker compose -f docker-compose.convex.yml ps",
    "deploy:functions": "npx convex deploy --yes"
  }
}

Script explanations:

• dev - Starts both frontend and Convex backend in parallel
• dev:frontend - Runs the frontend development server (Vite, Next.js, etc.)
• dev:backend - Runs Convex in development mode against local backend, then exits
• convex:start - Sets up environment and starts Docker services
• convex:stop - Stops Docker services
• convex:logs - Shows Convex backend logs
• convex:status - Shows status of Docker containers
• deploy:functions - Deploys Convex functions to the self-hosted backend

Step 10: Initialize Convex Deployment

# Setup environment and start backend
[package-manager] run convex:start

# Initialize Convex (creates schema, generates types)
[package-manager] run dev:backend

This will:

1. Generate Coder-specific environment variables
2. Start Docker services with correct configuration
3. Create the database schema
4. Generate type definitions in convex/_generated/

Step 11: Initialize Deployment Environment Variables

IMPORTANT: Run this step BEFORE deploying functions. Auth environment variables must be set first.

Create scripts/init-convex-env.sh:

#!/bin/bash
# Initialize Convex deployment environment variables
# Reads from .env.convex.deployment and sets variables via npx convex env set

set -e

DEPLOYMENT_ENV_FILE=".env.convex.deployment"
CONTAINER_ENV_FILE=".env.convex.local"

echo "🔐 Initializing Convex deployment environment variables..."

# Create deployment env file if it doesn't exist
if [ ! -f "$DEPLOYMENT_ENV_FILE" ]; then
    echo "📝 Creating $DEPLOYMENT_ENV_FILE..."
    cat > "$DEPLOYMENT_ENV_FILE" << 'EOF'
# Convex Deployment Environment Variables
# These variables are set via npx convex env set and appear in the dashboard
# This file should be gitignored (contains secrets)

# === AUTO-GENERATED VARIABLES (do not edit manually) ===
# These are managed by scripts/init-convex-env.sh
# Multi-line values are stored as base64 for safe env file storage
JWT_PRIVATE_KEY_BASE64=""
JWT_ISSUER=""
JWKS=""

# === USER VARIABLES (add your own below) ===
# Add your environment variables here, one per line
# Example:
# OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
# STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=sk_live_...
# ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
EOF
fi

# Source container env file to get CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN
set -a
source "$CONTAINER_ENV_FILE"
set +a

# Check if JWT key file exists and has content
JWT_KEY_FILE="jwt_private_key.pem"

if [ -f "$JWT_KEY_FILE" ] && [ -s "$JWT_KEY_FILE" ]; then
    # Read existing key from file
    JWT_PRIVATE_KEY=$(cat "$JWT_KEY_FILE")
    echo "📂 Using existing JWT key from $JWT_KEY_FILE"
else
    # Generate a new key
    echo "🔑 Generating new JWT private key..."
    JWT_PRIVATE_KEY=$(openssl genpkey -algorithm RSA -pkeyopt rsa_keygen_bits:2048 2>/dev/null | openssl pkcs8 -topk8 -nocrypt -outform PEM 2>/dev/null)

    if [ -z "$JWT_PRIVATE_KEY" ]; then
        echo "❌ Failed to generate JWT private key"
        exit 1
    fi

    echo "✅ Generated new JWT private key"

    # Write the key to the host file for persistence
    echo "$JWT_PRIVATE_KEY" > "$JWT_KEY_FILE"
    echo "📝 Saved key to $JWT_KEY_FILE"
    echo ""
    echo "⚠️  Note: The convex-backend container will use this key on next restart."
    echo "   To restart: docker compose -f docker-compose.convex.yml restart convex-backend"
fi

# Generate JWKS from private key
echo "🔑 Generating JWKS from private key..."
JWKS=$(node -e "
const crypto = require('crypto');
const privateKey = \`$JWT_PRIVATE_KEY\`;
const publicKey = crypto.createPublicKey(privateKey);
const jwk = publicKey.export({ format: 'jwk' });
// JWKS format requires {\"keys\": [...]} wrapper
const jwks = { keys: [{ use: 'sig', ...jwk }] };
console.log(JSON.stringify(jwks));
")

# Update auto-generated variables in the deployment env file
echo "📝 Updating auto-generated variables in $DEPLOYMENT_ENV_FILE..."
TEMP_FILE=$(mktemp)

# Encode the multi-line JWT private key as base64 for safe env file storage
JWT_PRIVATE_KEY_BASE64=$(echo "$JWT_PRIVATE_KEY" | base64 -w 0)

# Process the file and update auto-generated variables
while IFS= read -r line || [ -n "$line" ]; do
    if [[ "$line" =~ ^JWT_PRIVATE_KEY_BASE64= ]]; then
        echo "JWT_PRIVATE_KEY_BASE64=\"$JWT_PRIVATE_KEY_BASE64\""
    elif [[ "$line" =~ ^JWT_ISSUER= ]]; then
        echo "JWT_ISSUER=\"$CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN\""
    elif [[ "$line" =~ ^JWKS= ]]; then
        echo "JWKS=\"$JWKS\""
    else
        echo "$line"
    fi
done < "$DEPLOYMENT_ENV_FILE" > "$TEMP_FILE"

mv "$TEMP_FILE" "$DEPLOYMENT_ENV_FILE"

# Now set all variables via npx convex env set
echo "📤 Setting deployment environment variables..."

# Set JWT_PRIVATE_KEY (multi-line value, use stdin)
echo "  Setting JWT_PRIVATE_KEY..."
if ! echo "$JWT_PRIVATE_KEY" | npx convex env set JWT_PRIVATE_KEY; then
    echo "❌ Failed to set JWT_PRIVATE_KEY"
    exit 1
fi

# Set CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN (required for auth provider discovery)
echo "  Setting CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN..."
if ! npx convex env set CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN "$CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN"; then
    echo "❌ Failed to set CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN"
    exit 1
fi

# Set JWT_ISSUER
echo "  Setting JWT_ISSUER..."
if ! npx convex env set JWT_ISSUER "$CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN"; then
    echo "❌ Failed to set JWT_ISSUER"
    exit 1
fi

# Set JWKS (multi-line value, use stdin)
echo "  Setting JWKS..."
if ! echo "$JWKS" | npx convex env set JWKS; then
    echo "❌ Failed to set JWKS"
    exit 1
fi

# Now set user variables from the deployment env file
# Parse only the user section (after the USER VARIABLES comment)
USER_SECTION=false
while IFS= read -r line || [ -n "$line" ]; do
    # Start processing after USER VARIABLES comment
    if [[ "$line" == *"USER VARIABLES"* ]]; then
        USER_SECTION=true
        continue
    fi

    # Only process user variables
    [ "$USER_SECTION" = false ] && continue

    # Skip comments and empty lines
    [[ "$line" == \#* ]] && continue
    [ -z "$line" ] && continue

    # Extract variable name and value
    VAR_NAME="${line%%=*}"
    VAR_VALUE="${line#*=}"

    # Skip empty values
    [ -z "$VAR_VALUE" ] && continue

    echo "  Setting $VAR_NAME..."
    npx convex env set "$VAR_NAME" "$VAR_VALUE"
done < "$DEPLOYMENT_ENV_FILE"

echo "✅ Convex deployment environment variables initialized"
echo "   Verify in dashboard: Environment Variables section"

Make it executable:

chmod +x scripts/init-convex-env.sh

Run the script to initialize deployment environment variables:

bash scripts/init-convex-env.sh

What this script does:

1. Creates .env.convex.deployment file for tracking deployment variables
2. Generates or reads existing JWT private key from jwt_private_key.pem
3. Generates JWKS from the private key using Node.js crypto API
4. Sets JWT_PRIVATE_KEY, CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN, JWT_ISSUER, and JWKS via npx convex env set
5. Sets any user-defined variables from the deployment env file

Note: The .env.convex.deployment file uses JWT_PRIVATE_KEY_BASE64 for safe storage of the multi-line key as a single-line value. The script decodes it before setting in Convex.

Step 12: Deploy Functions

Now that environment variables are initialized, deploy your Convex functions:

[package-manager] run deploy:functions

This deploys your Convex functions to the self-hosted backend.

Why this order matters: Auth-related environment variables (CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN, JWT_ISSUER, JWKS) must be set before deploying functions. If you deploy first, the deployment may fail or authentication may not work properly.

Step 13: Create Frontend Integration

Create or update src/main.tsx:

import { ConvexReactClient } from "convex/react";
import { ConvexProviderWithAuth } from "convex/react";
import React from "react";
import ReactDOM from "react-dom/client";

const convex = new ConvexReactClient(import.meta.env.VITE_CONVEX_URL);

ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById("root")!).render(
  <React.StrictMode>
    <ConvexProviderWithAuth client={convex}>
      <App />
    </ConvexProviderWithAuth>
  </React.StrictMode>
);

Create src/App.tsx:

import { useQuery } from "convex/react";
import { api } from "../convex/_generated/api";
import { SignInButton, SignOutButton, useAuth } from "@convex-dev/auth/react";

export default function App() {
  const { isAuthenticated } = useAuth();
  const tasks = useQuery(api.tasks.list) || [];

  return (
    <main>
      <h1>Convex in Coder</h1>
      {isAuthenticated ? (
        <>
          <p>Welcome!</p>
          <SignOutButton />
          <ul>
            {tasks.map(task => (
              <li key={task._id}>{task.title}</li>
            ))}
          </ul>
        </>
      ) : (
        <SignInButton />
      )}
    </main>
  );
}

Verification Checklist

After setup, verify:

• .env.convex.local exists with correct Coder URLs
• convex/_generated/ directory exists with type definitions
• convex/schema.ts includes ...authTables
• convex/auth.ts uses convexAuth() with providers
• convex/http.ts calls auth.addHttpRoutes(http)
• Docker services are running: docker ps
• Can access API: curl http://localhost:3210/version
• Can access site proxy: curl http://localhost:3211/
• Can run [package-manager] run dev:backend without errors
• Can run [package-manager] run deploy:functions successfully
• Frontend can import from convex/_generated/api

Troubleshooting Setup Issues

Issue: Authentication fails

Solution: Verify your environment variables:

grep "CONVEX_SITE" .env.convex.local
# CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN should point to convex-site URL (port 3211)
# JWT_ISSUER should match CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN

Issue: CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN not set in deployment

Solution: Run ./scripts/setup-convex.sh to regenerate environment.

Issue: Port 3211 not accessible

Solution: Verify Docker is running the site proxy:

docker ps | grep 3211
curl http://localhost:3211/

Issue: Docker container not starting

Solution:

# Check container logs
[package-manager] run convex:logs

# Check if ports are already in use
lsof -i :3210
lsof -i :3211
lsof -i :6791

# Recreate container
[package-manager] run convex:stop
[package-manager] run convex:start

Issue: Type definitions not generating

Solution:

# Clear Convex cache
rm -rf convex/_generated

# Re-run dev backend
[package-manager] run dev:backend

# Or explicitly deploy
[package-manager] run deploy:functions

Issue: Cannot connect to Convex deployment

Solution:

# Verify Docker services are running
docker ps

# Check deployment URL is correct
grep CONVEX .env.convex.local

# Test connection
curl $CONVEX_CLOUD_ORIGIN/version
curl $CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN/

Coder Workspace URL Patterns

Internal (Localhost)

Service	URL
Convex API	http://localhost:3210
Site Proxy (Auth)	http://localhost:3211
Dashboard	http://localhost:6791

External (Coder Proxy)

Service	URL Pattern	Example
Convex API	https://convex-api--<workspace>--<user>.<domain>	https://convex-api--myproject--johndoe.coder.hahomelabs.com
Convex Site	https://convex-site--<workspace>--<user>.<domain>	https://convex-site--myproject--johndoe.coder.hahomelabs.com
Convex Dashboard	https://convex--<workspace>--<user>.<domain>	https://convex--myproject--johndoe.coder.hahomelabs.com

Environment Variables Reference

Required for Coder Convex

# Coder Workspace URLs (auto-generated by setup script)
CONVEX_CLOUD_ORIGIN=<convex-api URL>       # e.g., https://convex-api--...coder.hahomelabs.com
CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN=<convex-site URL>       # e.g., https://convex-site--...coder.hahomelabs.com
CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT_URL=<convex-api URL>     # Same as CONVEX_CLOUD_ORIGIN

# Frontend Configuration
VITE_CONVEX_URL=<convex-api URL>           # Same as CONVEX_CLOUD_ORIGIN

# Admin Key
CONVEX_SELF_HOSTED_ADMIN_KEY=<admin-key>   # Auto-generated

# JWT Configuration (for auth)
JWT_ISSUER=<convex-site URL>               # Same as CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN
# JWT_PRIVATE_KEY is loaded from jwt_private_key.pem via entrypoint script

# Database (if using PostgreSQL)
POSTGRES_URL=<postgres-connection-string>  # e.g., postgresql://convex:convex@localhost:5432/convex

Critical Variable Relationships

CONVEX_CLOUD_ORIGIN = CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT_URL = VITE_CONVEX_URL (all point to convex-api, port 3210)
CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN = JWT_ISSUER (both point to convex-site, port 3211)

Why this works:

• All Convex client communication goes through the API (port 3210)
• The CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN is used for auth provider discovery (set via npx convex env set)
• The site proxy (port 3211) handles HTTP routes and auth endpoint discovery
• JWT tokens are validated against the JWT_ISSUER which must match CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN

Docker Commands Reference

# Start services
[package-manager] run convex:start                    # Setup and start all services

# Stop services
[package-manager] run convex:stop                     # Stop all services

# View logs
[package-manager] run convex:logs                     # View backend logs

# Check status
[package-manager] run convex:status                   # Check container status

# Restart services
docker compose -f docker-compose.convex.yml restart

# Execute command in container
docker exec -it <container-name> sh

Post-Setup: Next Steps

After completing the setup:

1. Switch to coder-convex skill for everyday development
2. Define your schema in convex/schema.ts (in applicationTables)
3. Write queries and mutations in convex/*.ts files
4. Integrate with React using convex/react hooks
5. Deploy functions with [package-manager] run deploy:functions]

Common Setup Patterns

Pattern 1: Minimal Setup with Auth

// convex/schema.ts
import { defineSchema, defineTable } from "convex/server";
import { v } from "convex/values";
import { authTables } from "@convex-dev/auth/server";

const applicationTables = {
  tasks: defineTable({
    title: v.string(),
    status: v.string(),
    userId: v.id("users"),
  }).index("by_user", ["userId"]),
};

export default defineSchema({
  ...authTables,
  ...applicationTables,
});

Pattern 2: With AI/RAG

Requires:

• OPENAI_API_KEY in environment
• ENABLE_RAG=true
• Embeddings generation script

Quick Setup Command Sequence

For a complete fresh setup:

# 1. Install dependencies
[package-manager] add convex @convex-dev/auth
[package-manager] add -D @types/node typescript

# 2. Create directories
mkdir -p convex lib scripts

# 3. Create schema with auth
cat > convex/schema.ts << 'EOF'
import { defineSchema, defineTable } from "convex/server";
import { v } from "convex/values";
import { authTables } from "@convex-dev/auth/server";

const applicationTables = {
  tasks: defineTable({
    title: v.string(),
    status: v.string(),
  }).index("by_status", ["status"]),
};

export default defineSchema({
  ...authTables,
  ...applicationTables,
});
EOF

# 4. Create auth file
cat > convex/auth.ts << 'EOF'
import { convexAuth, getAuthUserId } from "@convex-dev/auth/server";
import { Password } from "@convex-dev/auth/providers/Password";
import { Anonymous } from "@convex-dev/auth/providers/Anonymous";
import { query } from "./_generated/server";

export const { auth, signIn, signOut, store, isAuthenticated } = convexAuth({
  providers: [Password, Anonymous],
});

export const currentUser = query({
  args: {},
  handler: async (ctx) => {
    const userId = await getAuthUserId(ctx);
    if (!userId) return null;
    return await ctx.db.get(userId);
  },
});
EOF

# 5. Create HTTP router files
cat > convex/router.ts << 'EOF'
import { httpRouter } from "convex/server";
const http = httpRouter();
export default http;
EOF

cat > convex/http.ts << 'EOF'
import { auth } from "./auth";
import router from "./router";
const http = router;
auth.addHttpRoutes(http);
export default http;
EOF

# 6. Create setup script (copy from Step 5 above)
# ...

# 7. Create docker-compose file (copy from Step 7 above)
# ...

# 8. Run setup
[package-manager] run convex:start

# 9. Initialize env vars and deploy
bash scripts/init-convex-env.sh
[package-manager] run deploy:functions

Summary

This skill covers the one-time setup of self-hosted Convex in Coder workspaces:

1. Install dependencies (including @convex-dev/auth)
2. Create directory structure
3. Define schema with auth tables
4. Configure auth (convexAuth() in auth.ts, router.ts, http.ts)
5. Create Coder-specific setup script
6. Configure Docker with proper flags
7. Generate environment variables
8. Initialize deployment environment variables
9. Deploy functions
10. Verify setup

For everyday Convex development (queries, mutations, React integration, etc.), use the coder-convex skill instead.

Working Example Reference

For a complete, working implementation of self-hosted Convex in a Coder workspace, you can reference:

jovermier/convex-ai-chat

This project demonstrates:

• Self-hosted Convex deployment with Docker Compose
• Complete authentication setup using @convex-dev/auth
• Coder workspace environment configuration
• PostgreSQL database integration
• React frontend with Convex integration
• start.sh and stop.sh scripts that fully sequence the initialization (env files, admin key generation, deployment)

Use this reference to:

• See how all the pieces connect in a real project
• Verify your setup against a working implementation
• Copy configuration patterns (docker-compose, environment setup, scripts)
• Reference the start.sh script for the complete initialization sequence

Note: This is a demonstration project. Follow the setup steps in this skill for your own project rather than cloning the repo directly.

Key Differences from Standard Convex

Aspect	Standard Convex	Coder Convex
Deployment URL	*.convex.cloud	Custom Coder proxy URL
Environment Variables	CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT	CONVEX_CLOUD_ORIGIN, CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN
Auth Configuration	Uses Convex Cloud	Uses convexAuth() with providers, CONVEX_SITE_ORIGIN (site proxy, port 3211)
Site Proxy Port	Not applicable	3211
Dashboard	Web dashboard at convex.dev	Local at localhost:6791
Setup Script	Guided in dashboard	Custom setup-convex.sh script