convex-deploy

name

convex-deploy

description

Implement Convex deployment workflows, environments, and CI/CD configuration. Use for dev/prod/preview deployments, deploy keys, local deployments, environment variables, schema/index rollout safety, and HTTP action URLs. Use proactively when users mention deploy, preview, staging, CI, env vars, or local backend. Examples: - user: "Set up Convex deploy in CI" → configure deploy key + npx convex deploy steps - user: "How do preview deployments work?" → explain preview keys, lifecycle, limits - user: "Deploy to prod safely" → list safe schema/function change patterns - user: "Use local convex" → explain npx convex dev --local and limitations

Cover deployment lifecycle, environments, and safe rollout strategies for Convex backends and full-stack apps. - Model: one prod deployment per project, one dev deployment per team member, preview deployments per branch. - Preview deployments are beta and auto-cleaned; data seeding requires `--preview-run`. - Local deployments: `npx convex dev --local --once`, no public URL, Node actions require Node 18. - Agent Mode: Use `CONVEX_AGENT_MODE=anonymous` for AI coding agents to limit permissions during development. - Env vars are per-deployment; system vars `CONVEX_CLOUD_URL` and `CONVEX_SITE_URL`. - Safe change rules: schema MUST match data; use optional/backfill/union migrations; keep functions backwards compatible; scheduled args MUST remain valid. - Project config: `convex.json` CAN change functions path, node runtime; static codegen is beta. - Pausing deployments returns errors for new calls, queues scheduled jobs, skips crons; You SHOULD test on dev first.

Deployment Operations

• Core commands: npx convex dev, npx convex deploy, npx convex codegen, npx convex run (use --prod for prod).
• Agent Mode: You SHOULD use CONVEX_AGENT_MODE=anonymous npx convex dev --once when iterating as an AI agent to safely generate codegen artifacts.
• Deploy target resolution: CONVEX_DEPLOY_KEY overrides, else uses production of CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT project.
• Build step: npx convex deploy --cmd "npm run build" and --cmd-url-env-var-name if needed.
• Deploy keys: production, preview, dev, admin (You MUST NOT commit/log).
• Hosting flows:
  • Vercel/Netlify build command SHOULD use npx convex deploy --cmd 'npm run build'.
  • You MUST set CONVEX_DEPLOY_KEY per environment (Preview vs Production).
  • Preview seeding via --preview-run 'functionName'.
  • Custom hosting: deploy backend, host frontend elsewhere; custom domains require overriding CONVEX_CLOUD_URL and redeploying; optional CONVEX_SITE_URL.

Required Outputs

• You MUST use exact CLI commands and flags from docs.
• You MUST state target deployment resolution (deploy key vs CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT).
• You MUST call out deploy-side effects: schema validation, index backfill, codegen, bundling.
• You SHOULD always mention .convex.site vs .convex.cloud URL usage where relevant.

Deployment Model

• Each project has one production deployment and one cloud dev deployment per team member.
• Preview deployments are per-branch and are auto-cleaned after a time window.
• Local deployments are dev-only and run as subprocesses of npx convex dev.

CLI Workflow

Dev

• npx convex dev:
  • Watches files, pushes changes to dev deployment.
  • Regenerates convex/_generated/*.
  • You SHOULD use --tail-logs to control log output.
• Local dev:
  • npx convex dev --local --once for local backend.
  • Note: No public URL; HTTP requests need a proxy (e.g., ngrok).
  • Node actions require Node 18 locally.

Deploy

• npx convex deploy:
  • Typechecks functions.
  • Regenerates codegen.
  • Bundles and pushes functions, schema, and indexes.
• Deploy target resolution:
  • If CONVEX_DEPLOY_KEY is set, deploys to that key's target.
  • Else uses the production deployment of CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT's project.
• Optional build command:
  • npx convex deploy --cmd "npm run build"
  • Use --cmd-url-env-var-name to customize env var name.

Deploy Keys

• Production deploy key: targets project production deployment (typical CI).
• Preview deploy key: creates preview deployment per branch.
• Dev deploy key: scoped to a single dev deployment.
• Admin key: full control; used for anonymous local deployments.
• Security: You MUST NOT paste deploy keys into code or commit history.

Preview Deployments

• Beta feature, lifecycle auto-cleans (5 days default).
• Preview deployment name is tied to branch; redeploy replaces previous preview.
• Data seeding requires running a function during deploy (--preview-run).

Environment Variables

• You MUST set per-deployment via dashboard or npx convex env.
• Same key MAY require values in both dev and prod.
• System vars:
  • CONVEX_CLOUD_URL for client RPCs.
  • CONVEX_SITE_URL for HTTP actions.
• You MUST NOT branch exports on process.env at runtime; functions set at deploy time.

Safe Rollout Rules

• Schema MUST match existing data; deploy blocks on validation failures.
• Safe schema changes:
  • Add tables.
  • Add optional fields, backfill, then make required.
  • Widen via v.union, backfill, then narrow.
• Functions MUST remain backward compatible while old clients are running.
• Scheduled functions MUST accept previously scheduled args.

Index Backfill

• New indexes backfill during deploy; CAN slow production push.
• You SHOULD use staged indexes (including search/vector) for large tables.
• Removing indexes deletes them on deploy; You MUST ensure no code paths depend on them.

URLs

• HTTP actions: https://<deployment>.convex.site.
• Client URLs: https://<deployment>.convex.cloud (via CONVEX_CLOUD_URL).
• You SHOULD warn about mixing .convex.site and .convex.cloud.

Response Checklist

• State environment (dev/prod/preview/local).
• Provide exact commands and required env vars.
• List safety considerations (schema, functions, scheduled).
• Mention logs location (CLI or dashboard) when troubleshooting.