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webflow-code-component:deploy-guide

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by webflow · part of webflow/webflow-skills

Step-by-step guide for deploying Webflow Code Components to a workspace. Covers authentication, pre-flight checks, deployment execution, and verification.

🔥🔥FreeQuick setup
#git
🧩 One of 7 skills in the webflow/webflow-skills package — works on its own, and pairs well with its siblings.

This is the playbook your agent receives when the skill activates — you don't need to read it to use the skill, but it's here to audit before installing.

Deploy Guide

Guide users through deploying their code component library to Webflow.

When to Use This Skill

Use when:

  • User is ready to deploy components to Webflow
  • User asks how to share, publish, or deploy their library
  • First-time deployment to a workspace
  • Step-by-step deployment walkthrough needed

Do NOT use when:

  • Deployment failed (use troubleshoot-deploy instead)
  • Just validating before deploy (use pre-deploy-check instead)
  • Setting up local development (use local-dev-setup instead)

Note: The CLI command is webflow library share. This skill uses "deploy" as the user-facing term.

Instructions

Phase 1: Pre-Flight Checks

  1. Verify project is ready:

    • Check webflow.json configuration
    • Ensure all dependencies installed
    • Run pre-deploy-check skill checks

  2. Check authentication status:

    • Look for existing .env with API token
    • Verify WEBFLOW_WORKSPACE_API_TOKEN if set
    • Prepare for authentication if needed

  3. Confirm deployment target:

    • Which workspace?
    • New library or update existing?

Phase 2: Authentication

  1. Guide authentication:
    • Interactive: Follow CLI prompts
    • CI/CD: Use --api-token flag
    • Show how to get workspace API token if needed

Phase 3: Deployment

  1. Execute deployment:
    • Run npx webflow library share
    • Monitor for errors
    • Capture output

Phase 4: Verification

  1. Verify deployment:

    • Check Webflow Designer for components
    • Test component functionality
    • Confirm all components appear

  2. Provide next steps:

    • How to use components in Designer
    • How to update in future
    • Common post-deploy tasks
    • If deployment fails, use troubleshoot-deploy to diagnose and fix issues

Examples

User prompt:

Deploy my components to Webflow

Response:

🚀 Deploy Guide: Code Components

Let me guide you through deploying your component library.

---

## Step 1: Pre-Flight Checks

Running validation...

✅ webflow.json configured
✅ Dependencies installed
✅ Build succeeds
✅ Bundle size: 2.3MB (under 50MB limit)

All checks passed! Ready to deploy.

---

## Step 2: Authentication

**Option A: Interactive (Recommended for first time)**

Run the deploy command:
```bash
npx webflow library share

This will:

  1. Open your browser for Webflow login
  2. Ask you to authorize the app
  3. Save credentials to .env

Option B: API Token (For CI/CD or returning users)

  1. Get your Workspace API Token:

    • Go to Webflow Dashboard
    • Navigate to your Workspace Settings
    • Find "Apps & Integrations" → "Manage"
    • Under "Workspace API Access", click "Generate API Token"
    • Copy the token

  2. Run with token:

npx webflow library share --api-token YOUR_TOKEN_HERE

Or set environment variable:

export WEBFLOW_WORKSPACE_API_TOKEN=YOUR_TOKEN_HERE
npx webflow library share

Step 4: Verify in Designer

After deployment:

  1. Open Webflow Designer for any site in your workspace
  2. Open Add Panel (A key or + button)
  3. Find "Components" section
  4. Look for your library under custom components
  5. Drag a component onto the canvas to test

Step 5: Next Steps

✅ Your components are live!

To update components later:

# Make your changes, then re-deploy
npx webflow library share

Important notes:

  • Updates replace the entire library (no partial updates)
  • Existing component instances will update automatically
  • Don't rename .webflow.tsx files (breaks instances)

💡 Tips:

  • Add .env to .gitignore to protect your token
  • Use --verbose flag for debugging issues
  • Run npx webflow library log to see recent deploy logs

---

**Example: First-Time Setup**

🚀 Deploy Guide: First-Time Setup

I see this is your first deployment. Let me walk you through the full setup.

Step 1: Get Workspace API Token

You'll need a Workspace API token to deploy:

  1. Open Webflow Dashboard Go to webflow.com and log in

  2. Navigate to Workspace Settings Click your workspace name → Settings

  3. Find API Access Go to "Apps & Integrations" → "Manage"

  4. Generate Token Under "Workspace API Access":

    • Click "Generate API Token"
    • Copy the token (you won't see it again!)

  5. Save Token Add to your .env file:

    WEBFLOW_WORKSPACE_API_TOKEN=your-token-here

    ⚠️ Add .env to .gitignore:

    echo ".env" >> .gitignore

Step 3: Verify

After successful deploy:

  1. Open Webflow Designer
  2. Press 'A' to open Add panel
  3. Find your components in the Components section
  4. Drag onto canvas to test

🎉 First deployment complete!

Future deployments are simpler:

# Just run this after making changes
npx webflow library share

---

**Example: CI/CD Setup**

🚀 Deploy Guide: CI/CD Setup

Setting up automated deployments for your pipeline.

GitHub Actions Example

Create .github/workflows/deploy.yml:

name: Deploy to Webflow

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest

    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Setup Node.js
        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: '20'
          cache: 'npm'

      - name: Install dependencies
        run: npm ci

      - name: Deploy to Webflow
        env:
          WEBFLOW_WORKSPACE_API_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.WEBFLOW_WORKSPACE_API_TOKEN }}
        run: npx webflow library share --no-input

Add Secret to GitHub

  1. Go to your repo → Settings → Secrets and variables → Actions
  2. Click "New repository secret"
  3. Name: WEBFLOW_WORKSPACE_API_TOKEN
  4. Value: Your workspace API token
  5. Click "Add secret"

Key Flags for CI/CD

npx webflow library share --no-input
  • --no-input: Disables interactive prompts
  • Uses WEBFLOW_WORKSPACE_API_TOKEN env var automatically

Optional: Add TypeScript Check

- name: Type check
  run: npx tsc --noEmit

✅ CI/CD configured!

Now every push to main will automatically deploy your components.


## Validation

After deployment, verify success with these checks:

| Check | How to Verify |
|-------|---------------|
| Deploy completed | `npx webflow library share` exited without errors |
| Components visible | Open Designer Add panel → find your library |
| Import logs clean | `npx webflow library log` shows successful import |
| Bundle size OK | Output shows bundle under 50MB |
| Props work | Drag component onto canvas, verify props in right panel |

## Guidelines

### Terminology

The CLI command is `webflow library share`. This skill uses "deploy" as the user-facing term for consistency with common developer vocabulary. See the [CLI reference](https://github.com/webflow/webflow-skills/blob/main/plugins/webflow-skills/skills/deploy-guide/references/CODE_COMPONENTS_REFERENCE.md) (Section 12) for full command documentation.

### Authentication Methods

| Method | Use Case | Command |
|--------|----------|---------|
| Interactive | First time, local dev | `npx webflow library share` |
| Environment variable | CI/CD, automation | Set `WEBFLOW_WORKSPACE_API_TOKEN` |
| CLI flag | One-off with different token | `--api-token TOKEN` |

### Pre-Deploy Checklist

Before every deployment:

- [ ] `npm install` is up to date
- [ ] Build succeeds locally
- [ ] Bundle under 50MB
- [ ] All component tests pass
- [ ] No SSR-breaking code (or ssr: false set)
- [ ] Props have default values where supported (not available for Link, Image, Slot, ID)

### Common Deploy Issues

| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|-------|-------|----------|
| "Authentication failed" | Invalid/expired token | Regenerate workspace token |
| "Bundle too large" | Over 50MB | Optimize dependencies |
| "Library not found" | Wrong workspace | Check token workspace |
| "Build failed" | Code errors | Fix compilation errors |

### CLI Flags Reference

All flags for `npx webflow library share`:

| Flag | Description | Default |
|------|-------------|---------|
| `--manifest` | Path to `webflow.json` file | Scans current directory |
| `--api-token` | Workspace API token | Uses `WEBFLOW_WORKSPACE_API_TOKEN` from `.env` |
| `--no-input` | Skip interactive prompts (for CI/CD) | No |
| `--verbose` | Display more debugging information | No |
| `--dev` | Bundle in development mode (no minification) | No |

### Rollback & Versioning

- Each `library share` replaces the **entire** library — there are no partial updates
- There is **no built-in rollback** — use git to revert changes and re-deploy
- **Never rename `.webflow.tsx` files** — renaming creates a new component and removes the old one, breaking all existing instances in projects

### Debugging Commands

```bash
# Check recent deploy logs
npx webflow library log

# Verbose deploy output (detailed errors)
npx webflow library share --verbose

# Local bundle verification (catches build errors before deploying)
npx webflow library bundle --public-path http://localhost:4000/

CI/CD Deployment

The GitHub Actions example above applies to any CI system. The key elements are:

# Generic CI pattern:
npm ci                                        # Install dependencies
npx webflow library share --no-input          # Deploy without prompts
# Requires WEBFLOW_WORKSPACE_API_TOKEN env var

Post-Deploy Verification

Always verify after deployment:

  1. Check Designer: Components appear in Add panel
  2. Test drag-and-drop: Component renders on canvas
  3. Test props: Props editable in right panel
  4. Test preview: Component works in preview mode
  5. Test publish: Component works on published site