# netlify-deploy

A skill that walks your agent through Netlify deploys: Git CD setup, netlify.toml contexts, Deploy Previews, build hooks and failed builds.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 3400 installs · ★ 45
- Author: netlify
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/netlify/context-and-tools/tree/HEAD/skills/netlify-deploy/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/netlify-netlify-deploy

## What it does

This skill hands the agent working knowledge of Netlify deploys. It covers connecting a repo for Git continuous deployment, running `netlify deploy` and `netlify deploy --prod` from the CLI, writing deploy contexts in `netlify.toml`, and fixing a failed deploy or a secrets-scanning hit.

It lays out every way to create a deploy: Git CD, the CLI, drag and drop, the API, a Deploy to Netlify button, build hooks, Agent Runners, and automation through Zapier or n8n. The five predefined contexts — `production`, `deploy-preview`, `branch-deploy`, `preview-server`, `dev` — get their own section, along with precedence: a more specific context overrides a general one, and a branch name works as a custom context. Deploy Previews, branch deploys, locking auto publishing and day-to-day deploy management are covered too.

One thing to remember up front: environment variables set in `netlify.toml` are not available to the deploy environment. The file is committed, so keep secrets out of it and set them through the UI, CLI or API. And if you hand-ship `netlify deploy --prod` on a Git-CD site, the next push to the production branch silently replaces it. When you link or create a site, add `.netlify` to `.gitignore` — that is where `.netlify/state.json` goes.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add netlify/context-and-tools --skill netlify-deploy -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/netlify-deploy/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/netlify-deploy/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add netlify/context-and-tools --skill netlify-deploy -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/netlify-deploy/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add netlify/context-and-tools --skill netlify-deploy -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/netlify-deploy/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install netlify/context-and-tools netlify-deploy
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/netlify-deploy/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add netlify/context-and-tools --skill netlify-deploy -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/netlify/context-and-tools --path skills/netlify-deploy
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/netlify-deploy/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add netlify/context-and-tools --skill netlify-deploy -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/netlify/context-and-tools/tree/HEAD/skills/netlify-deploy/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- set up Git continuous deployment for a repo
- split builds per branch with `netlify.toml` contexts
- turn on Deploy Previews for pull requests
- debug a failed deploy or a secrets-scanning block
- add a Deploy to Netlify button to a template README

## Example prompts
- Set up Git continuous deployment for this repo on Netlify
- Add separate `netlify.toml` contexts for production and staging
- Why did the last deploy fail? Check the logs and fix it

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 596bfe8bf6c226ec.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 596bfe8bf6c226ec
````text
---
name: netlify-deploy
description: Create, configure, and manage Netlify deploys from code — reach for this when setting up Git continuous deployment, running netlify deploy or netlify deploy --prod from the CLI, writing netlify.toml deploy contexts, adding a Deploy to Netlify button, wiring build hooks, configuring Deploy Previews or branch deploys, locking or skipping deploys, fixing a failed or secrets-scanning deploy, or when someone asks to "deploy my site", "set up preview deploys", "add per-branch build config", "keep staging out of Google", or "add a deploy button to my README".
---

# Netlify deploy

## Modern CLI

```bash
netlify deploy              # manual draft deploy (no CI)
netlify deploy --prod       # deploy straight to production
netlify create              # new project from a natural-language prompt
netlify deploy --allow-anonymous   # temp project, claim within 1 hour
npm update -g netlify-cli   # skew protection needs 23.11.0+
```

A deploy is a versioned, **atomic** snapshot: Netlify uploads only changed files and switches the live site only after all files land — the site is never in an inconsistent state. A deploy can be a preview or a production version served at your primary domain.

**Continuous deployment vs manual deploys:** Deploy with Git and the Netlify CLI support continuous deployment — a push auto-triggers a build. Drag and drop and the API create one-off manual deploys. Manual deploys (`netlify deploy`) do **not** run a build command; drag-and-drop while logged in is the only exception (framework auto-detected).

**⚠ When linking or creating a site, add `.netlify` to `.gitignore`.** Every linking path writes `.netlify/state.json`, which must not be committed.

## Ways to create a deploy

- **Git CD** — connect a repo; Netlify builds and deploys on every push (OAuth2 or the Netlify GitHub App). This is the default path. Production deploys come from pushes to the production branch — often the repo's default branch (e.g. `main`), changeable under Branches and deploy contexts.
- **CLI** — `netlify create`, `netlify deploy`, `netlify deploy --prod`.
- **Drag and drop** — https://app.netlify.com/drop. Logged in: builds if needed. Not logged in: publishes files as-is.
- **API** — create deploys via file digest or ZIP (one-off manual).
- **Deploy to Netlify button** — one-click from a public template repo.
````
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First 2399 of 14662 bytes. © netlify · MIT · https://github.com/netlify/context-and-tools/tree/HEAD/skills/netlify-deploy/SKILL.md

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---
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