Use convex dev for Development

Important: When working with Convex, always use npx convex dev during development. Never use npx convex deploy unless you're deploying to production.

The Commands

npx convex dev (Development)

Use this for all development work:

• Runs a local development server
• Watches for file changes
• Auto-reloads functions and schema
• Uses a development deployment
• Safe to experiment and test

bash
# Start development (use this!)
npx convex dev

npx convex deploy (Production Only!)

Only use this when deploying to production:

• Deploys to your production environment
• Used by CI/CD pipelines
• Should NOT be used during development
• Affects live users

bash
# Production deployment only!
npx convex deploy

Why This Matters

Using deploy during development can:

• ❌ Deploy untested code to production
• ❌ Affect live users
• ❌ Break production database schema
• ❌ Create production data inconsistencies

Using dev for development ensures:

• ✅ Safe, isolated development environment
• ✅ Fast iteration with auto-reload
• ✅ No risk to production
• ✅ Easy testing and debugging

Correct Workflow

Development:

bash
# 1. Start dev server
npx convex dev

# 2. Make changes to code
# 3. Test locally
# 4. Repeat

Deployment:

bash
# Only after thorough testing:
npx convex deploy

# Or in CI/CD:
# - Run tests
# - If tests pass, deploy

Common Patterns

Initial Setup

bash
npm install convex
npx convex dev  # Creates account & starts dev

Daily Development

bash
npx convex dev  # Always use this
# Keep it running while you code

Production Deployment

bash
# Test everything first!
npm run test
npm run build

# Then deploy
npx convex deploy

CI/CD Pipeline

yaml
# GitHub Actions example
- name: Deploy to Convex
  run: npx convex deploy --cmd 'npm run build'
  env:
    CONVEX_DEPLOY_KEY: ${{ secrets.CONVEX_DEPLOY_KEY }}

Red Flags

If you see someone suggest:

• "Just run npx convex deploy to test" ❌ Wrong!
• "Use deploy for development" ❌ Wrong!
• "Deploy to see if it works" ❌ Wrong!

Always use npx convex dev for development!

Documentation

When writing docs or instructions:

• ✅ Always mention npx convex dev for development
• ✅ Clearly label npx convex deploy as "Production only"
• ✅ Show the difference between the two
• ✅ Warn against using deploy during development