Deployment Configuration (now.json)

When using Now CLI, Now Desktop or Now for GitHub, the configuration for your deployment is read from the now.json file.

The parameters stored in that file are passed to the Deployment Creation API endpoint, which performs validation and stores the metadata in our backend.

Schemas

If you are looking for a strict or machine-friendly specification of the configuration, we recommend looking at zeit/schemas.

Configuration File

The following sections describe each field allowed in a now.json configuration file and how to use them.

Each deployment receives and understands the now.json configuration as instructions of how to build and then act when deployed.

name

Type: String.

Valid values: string name for the deployment.

Limit: A maximum length of 52 characters

The prefix for all new deployment instances. The CLI usually generates this field automatically based on the name of the directory. But if you'd like to define it explicitly, this is the way to go.

The defined name is also used to organize the deployment into a project.

Usage Example:

{
  "name": "zeit-chat"
}

Specifies the Now Platform version the deployment should use and is known to work with. We strongly recommend setting a version when working on production systems or using source control (e.g. Git).

Usage Example:

{
  "version": 2
}

alias

Type: Array or String.

Valid values: domain names (optionally including subdomains) added to the account, or a string for a suffxed URL using .now.sh or a Custom Deployment Suffix.

The alias or aliases are applied automatically using Now for GitHub or Now for GitLab when merging or pushing to the default branch.

You can deploy to the defined aliases using Now CLI by setting the production deployment environment target.

Usage Example:

{
  "alias": ["my-domain.com", "my-alias"]
}

scope

Type: String.

Valid values: For teams, either an ID or slug. For users, either a email address, username, or ID.

This property determines the scope (user or team) under which the project will be deployed by Now CLI or Now Desktop.

Furthermore, it also affects any other actions that the user takes within the directory that contains this configuration (e.g. listing secrets using now secrets ls).

Usage Example:

{
  "scope": "my-team"
}

env

Type: Object of String keys and values.

Valid values: environment keys and values.

Environment variables passed to the invoked Lambdas.

Usage Example:

This example will pass the MY_KEY static env to all Lambdas and SECRET resolved from the my-secret-name secret dynamically.

{
  "env": {
    "MY_KEY": "this is the value",
    "SECRET": "@my-secret-name"
  }
}

build.env

Type: Object of String keys and values inside the build Object.

Valid values: environment keys and values.

Environment variables passed to the Build processes.

Usage Example:

The following example will pass the MY_KEY static env to all Builds andSECRET resolved from the my-secret-name secret dynamically.

{
  "build": {
    "env": {
      "MY_KEY": "this is the value",
      "SECRET": "@my-secret-name"
    }
  }
}

builds

Type: Array of build Object.

Valid values: a list of build descriptions whose src references valid source files.

Build object definition:

src (String): A glob expression or pathname. If more than one file is resolved, one build will be created per matched file. It can include * and **.
use (String): A npm module to be installed by the build process. It can include a semver compatible version (e.g.: @org/proj@1).
config (Object): Optionally, an object including arbitrary metadata to be passed to the Builder.

Usage Example:

The following will include all HTML files as-is (to be served statically), and Build all PHP files and JS files into Lambdas.

{
  "builds": [
    { "src": "*.html", "use": "@now/static" },
    { "src": "*.php", "use": "@now/php" },
    { "src": "*.js", "use": "@now/node" }
  ]
}

Note: When at least one builds item is specified, only the outputs of the build processes will be included in the resulting deployment as a security precaution. This is why we need to white-list static files explicitly with@now/static.

For more information on builds and builders, see the documentation:

Builds →

Transform sources into production ready outputs with builds.

Builders →

Choose from a range of existing builders or make your own.

routes

Type: Array of route Object.

Valid values: a list of route definitions.

Route object definition:

src: A PCRE-compatible regular expression that matches each incoming pathname (excluding querystring).
methods: A set of HTTP method types. If no method is provided, requests with any HTTP method will be a candidate for the route.
dest: A destination pathname or full URL, including querystring, with the ability to embed capture groups as $1, $2…
headers: A set of headers to apply for responses.
status: A status code to respond with. Can be used in tandem with Location: header to implement redirects.
continue: A boolean to change matching behavior. If true, routing will continue even when the src is matched.

Usage Example:

This example configures custom routes that map to static files and Lambdas.

{
  "builds": [
    { "src": "*.html", "use": "@now/static" },
    { "src": "*.js", "use": "@now/node" }
  ],
  "routes": [
    { "src": "/custom-page", "headers": {"cache-control": "s-maxage=1000"}, "dest": "/index.html" },
    { "src": "/api", "dest": "/my-api.js" },
    { "src": "/users", "methods": ["POST"], "dest": "/users-api.js" },
    { "src": "/users/(?<id>[^/]*)", "dest": "/users-api.js?id=$id" },
    { "src": "/.*", "dest": "https://my-old-site.com"},
    { "src": "/legacy", "status": 404},
    { "src": "/redirect", "status": 301, "headers": { "Location": "https://zeit.co/" } }
  ]
}

For more information on routes, see the documentation:

Routes →

Control your deployment's paths in detail with routes.

regions

Type: Array of region identifier String.

Valid values: a list of valid region identifiers.

By setting and modifying this value, you can decide the deployment regions of the Lambdas that get created as a result of the build steps. By default, the closest region to the geographical location of the deployment is used, or if using a Now for Git integration, SFO is used by default.

This value does not impact static files or edge caches, since deployments always have a CDN layer in front.

The special value all can be used to target all available regions.

Note: The values in regions support targeting a region generically, by omitting the number. If sfo is specified, our backend will select a singular region (like sfo1) at deploy time.

Usage Example:

{
  "regions": ["sfo1", "bru"]
}

public

Type: Boolean.

When set to true, both the source view and logs view will be publicly accessible (without authentication with ZEIT).

Usage Example:

{
  "public": true
}

github.enabled

Type: Boolean.

When set to false, Now for GitHub will not deploy the given project regardless of the GitHub app being installed.

Usage Example:

{
  "github": {
    "enabled": false
  }
}

github.autoAlias

Type: Boolean.

When set to false, Now for GitHub will not apply the alias upon merge.

Usage Example:

{
  "alias": ["my-zeit-website.com"],
  "github": {
    "autoAlias": false
  }
}

github.silent

Type: Boolean.

When set to true, Now for GitHub will stop commenting on pull requests and commits.

Usage Example:

{
  "github": {
    "silent": true
  }
}

github.autoJobCancelation

Type: Boolean.

When set to false, Now for GitHub will always build pushes in sequence without cancelling a build for the most recent commit.

Usage Example:

{
  "github": {
    "autoJobCancelation": false
  }
}

Note: If you are looking to configure the Now clients under your system user, read the documentation for global configuration.

Builds →

Builders →

Routes →

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