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CLI

The Convex command-line interface (CLI) is your interface for managing Convex projects and Convex functions.

To install the CLI, run:

npm install convex

You can view the full list of commands with:

npx convex

Configure​

Create a new project​

The first time you run

npx convex dev

it will ask you to log in your device and create a new Convex project. It will then create:

  1. The convex/ directory: This is the home for your query and mutation functions.
  2. .env.local with CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT variable: This is the main configuration for your Convex project. It is the name of your development deployment.

Recreate project configuration​

Run

npx convex dev

in a project directory without a set CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT to configure a new or existing project.

Log out​

npx convex logout

Remove the existing Convex credentials from your device, so subsequent commands like npx convex dev can use a different Convex account.

Develop​

Run the Convex dev server​

npx convex dev

Watches the local filesystem. When you change a function or the schema, the new versions are pushed to your dev deployment and the generated types in convex/_generated are updated.

Open the dashboard​

npx convex dashboard

Open the Convex dashboard.

Open the docs​

npx convex docs

Get back to these docs!

Run Convex functions​

npx convex run <functionName> [args]

Run a public or internal Convex query, mutation, or action on your development deployment.

Arguments are specified as a JSON object.

npx convex run messages:send '{"body": "hello", "author": "me"}'

Add --watch to live update the results of a query. Add --push to push local code to the deployment before running the function.

Use --prod to run functions in the production deployment for a project.

Tail deployment logs​

npx convex logs

This pipes logs from your dev deployment to your console. This can be followed with --prod to tail the prod deployment logs instead.

You can also simultaneously deploy code to the Convex dev deployment, watching for filesystem changes, and pipe logs generated on your dev deployment to your console:

npx convex dev --tail-logs

Import data from a file​

npx convex import --table <tableName> <path>
npx convex import <path>.zip

See description and use-cases: data import.

Export data to a file​

npx convex export --path <directoryPath>
npx convex export --path <filePath>.zip
npx convex export --include-file-storage --path <path>

See description and use-cases: data export.

Display data from tables​

npx convex data  # lists tables
npx convex data <table>

Display a simple view of the dashboard data page in the command line.

The command supports --limit and --order flags to change data displayed. For more complex filters, use the dashboard data page or write a query.

The npx convex data <table> command works with system tables, such as _storage, in addition to your own tables.

Read and write environment variables​

npx convex env list
npx convex env get <name>
npx convex env set <name> <value>
npx convex env remove <name>

See and update the deployment environment variables which you can otherwise manage on the dashboard environment variables settings page.

Deploy​

Deploy Convex functions to production​

npx convex deploy

The target deployment to push to is determined like this:

  1. If the CONVEX_DEPLOY_KEY environment variable is set (typical in CI), then it is the deployment associated with that key.
  2. If the CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT environment variable is set (typical during local development), then the target deployment is the production deployment of the project that the deployment specified by CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT belongs to. This allows you to deploy to your prod deployment while developing against your dev deployment.

This command will:

  1. Run a command if specified with --cmd. The command will have CONVEX_URL (or similar) environment variable available: 
    npx convex deploy --cmd "npm run build"
    You can customize the URL environment variable name with --cmd-url-env-var-name: 
    npx convex deploy --cmd 'npm run build' --cmd-url-env-var-name CUSTOM_CONVEX_URL
  2. Typecheck your Convex functions.
  3. Regenerate the generated code in the convex/_generated directory.
  4. Bundle your Convex functions and their dependencies.
  5. Push your functions, indexes, and schema to production.

Once this command succeeds the new functions will be available immediately.

Deploy Convex functions to a preview deployment​

npx convex deploy

When run with the CONVEX_DEPLOY_KEY environment variable containing a Preview Deploy Key, this command will:

  1. Create a deployment with the specified name. npx convex deploy will infer the Git branch name for Vercel, Netlify, GitHub, and GitLab environments, but the --preview-create option can be used to customize the name associated with the newly created deployment.

    npx convex deploy --preview-create my-branch-name

  2. Run a command if specified with --cmd. The command will have CONVEX_URL (or similar) environment variable available:

    npx convex deploy --cmd "npm run build"

    You can customize the URL environment variable name with --cmd-url-env-var-name:

    npx convex deploy --cmd 'npm run build' --cmd-url-env-var-name CUSTOM_CONVEX_URL

  3. Typecheck your Convex functions.

  4. Regenerate the generated code in the convex/_generated directory.

  5. Bundle your Convex functions and their dependencies.

  6. Push your functions, indexes, and schema to the deployment.

  7. Run a function specified by --preview-run (similar to the --run option for npx convex dev).

    npx convex deploy --preview-run myFunction

See the Vercel or Netlify hosting guide for setting up frontend and backend previews together.

Update generated code​

npx convex codegen

Update the generated code in convex/_generated without pushing. This can be useful for orchestrating build steps in CI.