CLI Deploy
Deploy documentation directly from the command line — upload, build, and go live without pushing to GitHub.
The deploy command packages your docs, uploads them to Jamdesk, and triggers a build from the terminal. Use it for quick iterations, testing changes, or projects not connected to a GitHub repo.
Quick Start
jamdesk login # First time only
jamdesk deploy # From your project directoryOptions
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
--detach | Queue the build and exit immediately (prints a dashboard link) |
--full-rebuild | Force a full rebuild, bypassing the build cache |
--project <id> | Deploy to a specific project ID (skips interactive selection) |
jamdesk push is an alias for jamdesk deploy.
How It Works
Verifies your session is valid. If your token has expired, you'll be prompted to run jamdesk login.
Reads and validates docs.json from the current directory.
Reads projectId from docs.json. If it's missing (first deploy), the CLI prompts you to select from your projects. Your choice is saved back to docs.json so the next deploy skips the prompt.
Use --project <id> to override.
Creates a compressed tarball of your docs, respecting .gitignore. If any files look like they might contain secrets, the CLI prints a warning (but doesn't block the upload).
Sends the tarball to Jamdesk via a presigned URL. Maximum upload size is 100 MB.
Queues a build and polls for status, printing each phase as it completes. Press Ctrl+C to stop polling — the build continues in the background.
Prints the live URL when the build finishes.
Build Phases
During polling, you'll see each phase complete in sequence:
| Phase | Description |
|---|---|
| Extracting files | Unpacking the uploaded tarball |
| Validating configuration | Checking docs.json schema and content |
| Preparing content | Processing MDX files and assets |
| Building documentation | Compiling pages and generating static artifacts |
| Uploading to CDN | Pushing built output to the edge network |
| Refreshing cache | Purging stale content from the CDN |
File Exclusions
The following are always excluded from uploads, regardless of your .gitignore:
.git, node_modules, .next, .env, .env.*, *.pem, *.key, credentials.json, .gcloud, .DS_Store, Thumbs.db
Everything in your .gitignore is also excluded.
Secret file warnings
The CLI warns (but doesn't block) when it detects files that look like secrets:
.envand.env.*files*.pemand*.keyfilescredentials.jsonservice_account*.json- Files starting with
secret
Add them to .gitignore to suppress the warning and exclude them from uploads.
Error Reference
| Error | Code | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not logged in | AUTH_REQUIRED | No stored credentials | jamdesk login |
| Session expired | AUTH_EXPIRED | Token refresh failed | jamdesk login |
| Access denied | FORBIDDEN | Not a member of this project | Check project membership in dashboard |
| Project not found | NOT_FOUND | Invalid project ID | Verify ID or remove projectId from docs.json |
| Build in progress | BUILD_IN_PROGRESS | Another build is running | Wait or check dashboard |
| Upload too large | TOO_LARGE | Server rejected upload (100 MB limit) | Exclude large files via .gitignore |
| Project too large | PROJECT_TOO_LARGE | Tarball exceeds 100 MB during packaging | Exclude large files via .gitignore |
| No projects | NO_PROJECTS | No projects in your account | Create a project in the dashboard first |
| No files | EMPTY_PROJECT | All files excluded | Check .gitignore |
| Config invalid | CONFIG_NOT_FOUND | Missing or invalid docs.json | Run from project root, check config |
| Upload failed | UPLOAD_FAILED | Network issue during upload | Check internet, retry |
| Build failed | BUILD_FAILED | Build service error | Check build logs in dashboard |
Troubleshooting
Only one build runs at a time per project. Wait for the current build to finish — check status in the dashboard under Deployments.
Make sure you're running the command from the directory that contains docs.json. Run jamdesk validate to check for config errors.
The 100 MB limit applies to the compressed tarball of all non-excluded files. Review what's being included — large images, videos, or data files are common causes. Add them to .gitignore to exclude.
Press Ctrl+C to exit — the build keeps running in the background. Check the dashboard for status. If this happens consistently, your network may be dropping the polling requests.
You need at least one project in your Jamdesk account. Create one at dashboard.jamdesk.com.
For more CLI troubleshooting, see the Help Center CLI guide.