netlify-deploy

Original：🇺🇸 English
Translated

Deploy web projects to Netlify using the Netlify CLI (`npx netlify`). Use when the user asks to deploy, host, publish, or link a site/repo on Netlify, including preview and production deploys.

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Sourcenetlify/context-and-tools
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NPX Install

npx skill4agent add netlify/context-and-tools netlify-deploy

Tags

Translated version includes tags in frontmatter
netlifydeploymentcli-toolweb-hostingdevops

SKILL.md Content

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Netlify Deployment Skill

Deploy web projects to Netlify using the Netlify CLI with intelligent detection of project configuration and deployment context.

Overview

This skill automates Netlify deployments by:
  • Verifying Netlify CLI authentication
  • Detecting project configuration and framework
  • Linking to existing sites or creating new ones
  • Deploying to production or preview environments

Prerequisites

  • Netlify CLI: Installed via npx (no global install required)
  • Authentication: Netlify account with active login session
  • Project: Valid web project in current directory
  • Network access: Deployment requires outbound network calls. If sandboxing blocks these, the agent may need to request elevated permissions or prompt the user.
  • Timeouts: Deployments can take a few minutes. Use appropriate timeout values for CLI commands.

Authentication Pattern

The skill uses the pre-authenticated Netlify CLI approach:
  1. Check authentication status with 
    npx netlify status
  2. If not authenticated, guide user through 
    npx netlify login
  3. Fail gracefully if authentication cannot be established
Authentication uses either:
  • Browser-based OAuth (primary): 
    netlify login
    opens browser for authentication
  • API Key (alternative): Set 
    NETLIFY_AUTH_TOKEN
    environment variable

Workflow

1. Verify Netlify CLI Authentication

Check if the user is logged into Netlify:
bash
npx netlify status
Expected output patterns:
  • ✅ Authenticated: Shows logged-in user email and site link status
  • ❌ Not authenticated: "Not logged into any site" or authentication error
If not authenticated, guide the user:
bash
npx netlify login
This opens a browser window for OAuth authentication. Wait for user to complete login, then verify with 
netlify status
again.
Alternative: API Key authentication
If browser authentication isn't available, users can set:
bash
export NETLIFY_AUTH_TOKEN=your_token_here
Tokens can be generated at: https://app.netlify.com/user/applications#personal-access-tokens

2. Detect Site Link Status

From 
netlify status
output, determine:
  • Linked: Site already connected to Netlify (shows site name/URL)
  • Not linked: Need to link or create site

3. Link to Existing Site or Create New

If already linked → Skip to step 4
If not linked, attempt to link by Git remote:
bash
# Check if project is Git-based
git remote show origin

# If Git-based, extract remote URL
# Format: https://github.com/username/repo or git@github.com:username/repo.git

# Try to link by Git remote
npx netlify link --git-remote-url <REMOTE_URL>
If link fails (site doesn't exist on Netlify):
bash
# Create new site interactively
npx netlify init
This guides user through:
  1. Choosing team/account
  2. Setting site name
  3. Configuring build settings
  4. Creating netlify.toml if needed

4. Verify Dependencies

Before deploying, ensure project dependencies are installed:
bash
# For npm projects
npm install

# For other package managers, detect and use appropriate command
# yarn install, pnpm install, etc.

5. Deploy to Netlify

Choose deployment type based on context:
Preview/Draft Deploy (default for existing sites):
bash
npx netlify deploy
This creates a deploy preview with a unique URL for testing.
Production Deploy (for new sites or explicit production deployments):
bash
npx netlify deploy --prod
This deploys to the live production URL.
Deployment process:
  1. CLI detects build settings (from netlify.toml or prompts user)
  2. Builds the project locally
  3. Uploads built assets to Netlify
  4. Returns deployment URL

6. Report Results

After deployment, report to user:
  • Deploy URL: Unique URL for this deployment
  • Site URL: Production URL (if production deploy)
  • Deploy logs: Link to Netlify dashboard for logs
  • Next steps: Suggest 
    netlify open
    to view site or dashboard

Handling netlify.toml

If a 
netlify.toml
file exists, the CLI uses it automatically. If not, the CLI will prompt for:
  • Build command: e.g., 
    npm run build
    , 
    next build
  • Publish directory: e.g., 
    dist
    , 
    build
    , 
    .next
Common framework defaults:
  • Next.js: build command 
    npm run build
    , publish 
    .next
  • React (Vite): build command 
    npm run build
    , publish 
    dist
  • Static HTML: no build command, publish current directory
The skill should detect framework from 
package.json
if possible and suggest appropriate settings.

Example Full Workflow

bash
# 1. Check authentication
npx netlify status

# If not authenticated:
npx netlify login

# 2. Link site (if needed)
# Try Git-based linking first
git remote show origin
npx netlify link --git-remote-url https://github.com/user/repo

# If no site exists, create new one:
npx netlify init

# 3. Install dependencies
npm install

# 4. Deploy (preview for testing)
npx netlify deploy

# 5. Deploy to production (when ready)
npx netlify deploy --prod

Error Handling

Common issues and solutions:
"Not logged in" → Run 
npx netlify login
"No site linked" → Run 
npx netlify link
or 
npx netlify init
"Build failed" → Check build command and publish directory in netlify.toml or CLI prompts → Verify dependencies are installed → Review build logs for specific errors
"Publish directory not found" → Verify build command ran successfully → Check publish directory path is correct

Environment Variables

For secrets and configuration:
  1. Never commit secrets to Git
  2. Set in Netlify dashboard: Site Settings → Environment Variables
  3. Access in builds via 
    process.env.VARIABLE_NAME

Tips

  • Use 
    netlify deploy
    (no 
    --prod
    ) first to test before production
  • Run 
    netlify open
    to view site in Netlify dashboard
  • Run 
    netlify logs
    to view function logs (if using Netlify Functions)
  • Use 
    netlify dev
    for local development with Netlify Functions

Reference

References

  • CLI commands
  • Deployment patterns
  • netlify.toml guide