fix(cli): support env files in app deploy (#72)

* fix(cli): support env files in app deploy

Signed-off-by: Aman Varshney <amanvarshney.work@gmail.com>

* fix(cli): clarify deploy env file database handling

Signed-off-by: Aman Varshney <amanvarshney.work@gmail.com>

* fix(cli): reject empty deploy env values

Signed-off-by: Aman Varshney <amanvarshney.work@gmail.com>

* fix(cli): validate deploy env names

Signed-off-by: Aman Varshney <amanvarshney.work@gmail.com>

---------

Signed-off-by: Aman Varshney <amanvarshney.work@gmail.com>

Author: AmanVarshney01

docs/product/command-spec.md

@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ prisma-cli app run --build-type nextjs
 prisma-cli app run --build-type bun --entry server.ts --port 3000
 ```
 
-## `prisma-cli app deploy --project <id-or-name> --create-project <name> --app <name> --branch <name> --framework <nextjs|hono|tanstack-start|bun> --entry <path> --http-port <port> --env <name=value> --db --no-db --prod`
+## `prisma-cli app deploy --project <id-or-name> --create-project <name> --app <name> --branch <name> --framework <nextjs|hono|tanstack-start|bun> --entry <path> --http-port <port> --env <name=value|file> --db --no-db --prod`
 
 Purpose:
 
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ Behavior:
 - after setup, deploy prints `Deploying to <Project> / <Branch> / <App>`; later deploys print a compact target header such as `Deploying ./j1 to j1 / main / j1`
 - deploy progress uses short stage copy (`Building locally...`, `Built <size>`, `Uploading...`, `Uploaded`, `Deploying...`, `Deployed`) and never prints `Status: running` or `Deployment is running at ...`
 - success human output prints `Live in <duration>`, the URL on its own line, and `Logs   prisma-cli app logs`
-- accepts repeated `--env NAME=VALUE` flags
+- accepts repeated `--env NAME=VALUE` flags and dotenv file paths such as `--env .env`
 - supports `--db` for preview Branches to create a new empty Prisma Postgres database, apply a supported local Prisma schema source when one exists, and write branch-scoped `DATABASE_URL` and `DIRECT_URL` overrides through the existing `project env` storage
 - supports `--no-db` to suppress automatic database prompting for the deploy
 - `--db` and `--no-db` are mutually exclusive; passing both is rejected
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ Behavior:
 - when no supported Prisma schema source is found, `--db` still creates the database and env overrides but skips schema setup
 - known non-Postgres Prisma sources do not trigger automatic database prompting; explicit `--db` is rejected because the created database is Prisma Postgres
 - if schema setup fails, deploy stops before the app build/deploy starts
-- inline `--env DATABASE_URL=...` or `--env DIRECT_URL=...` suppresses automatic database prompting; combining those inline env vars with `--db` is rejected
+- `--env DATABASE_URL=...`, `--env DIRECT_URL=...`, or the same keys loaded from an env file suppress automatic database prompting; combining those database env vars with `--db` is rejected
 - maps user-facing framework names to deploy build strategies
 - uses `src/index.ts` as the Hono deploy entrypoint when the app has no `package.json#main` or `package.json#module` and that file exists
 - supports vanilla Bun apps with `--framework bun` using `package.json#main` or `package.json#module`, or with `--entry <path>`

packages/cli/src/commands/app/index.ts

@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ function createDeployCommand(runtime: CliRuntime): Command {
     .addOption(new Option("--entry <path>", "Entrypoint path for Bun deploys"))
     .addOption(new Option("--http-port <port>", "HTTP port override for the deployed app"))
     .addOption(
-      new Option("--env <name=value>", "Environment variable")
+      new Option("--env <name=value|file>", "Environment variable assignment or dotenv file")
         .argParser(collectRepeatableValues),
     )
     .addOption(new Option("--db", "Create and wire an isolated database for the preview Branch"))

packages/cli/src/controllers/app.ts

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ import type { ProjectResolution, ProjectSummary } from "../types/project";
 import { requireComputeAuth } from "../lib/auth/guard";
 import { readAuthState } from "../lib/auth/auth-ops";
 import { getApiBaseUrl, SERVICE_TOKEN_ENV_VAR } from "../lib/auth/client";
-import { envVarNames, parseEnvAssignments } from "../lib/app/env-vars";
+import { envVarNames, parseEnvInputs } from "../lib/app/env-vars";
 import { renderDeployOutputRows, renderDeploySettingsPreview } from "../lib/app/deploy-output";
 import {
   DEFAULT_LOCAL_DEV_PORT,
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ export async function runAppDeploy(
   let runtime = resolveDeployRuntime(options?.httpPort, framework);
   assertSupportedEntrypoint(framework.buildType, options?.entrypoint, "deploy");
   const envVars = toOptionalEnvVars(
-    parseEnvAssignments(options?.envAssignments, {
+    await parseEnvInputs(context.runtime.cwd, options?.envAssignments, {
       commandName: "deploy",
     }),
   );
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ export async function runAppDeploy(
   const portMapping = parseDeployPortMapping(String(runtime.port));
   const branchDatabaseSetup = await maybeSetupBranchDatabase(context, provider, projectId, toBranchDatabaseDeployBranch(target.branch), {
     db: options?.db,
-    inlineEnvVars: envVars,
+    providedEnvVars: envVars,
   });
 
   const progressState = createPreviewDeployProgressState();

packages/cli/src/lib/app/branch-database-deploy.ts

@@ -46,19 +46,19 @@ export async function maybeSetupBranchDatabase(
   branch: BranchDatabaseDeployBranch,
   options: {
     db: boolean | undefined;
-    inlineEnvVars: Record<string, string> | undefined;
+    providedEnvVars: Record<string, string> | undefined;
   },
 ): Promise<BranchDatabaseSetupOutcome> {
   if (options.db === false) {
     return emptyBranchDatabaseSetupOutcome();
   }
 
-  if (hasInlineDatabaseEnvVars(options.inlineEnvVars)) {
+  if (hasProvidedDatabaseEnvVars(options.providedEnvVars)) {
     if (options.db === true) {
       throw usageError(
-        "Branch database setup cannot be combined with inline database env vars",
-        "The deploy command received --db and an inline DATABASE_URL or DIRECT_URL value.",
-        "Remove the inline --env database value to let --db create a branch override, or remove --db to deploy with the provided value.",
+        "Branch database setup cannot be combined with provided database env vars",
+        "The deploy command received --db and a DATABASE_URL or DIRECT_URL value from --env.",
+        "Remove the --env database value to let --db create a branch override, or remove --db to deploy with the provided value.",
         [
           "prisma-cli app deploy --db",
           "prisma-cli app deploy --env DATABASE_URL=postgresql://example",
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ function findEnvVar(
   return rows.find((row) => row.branchId === options.branchId) ?? null;
 }
 
-function hasInlineDatabaseEnvVars(envVars: Record<string, string> | undefined): boolean {
+function hasProvidedDatabaseEnvVars(envVars: Record<string, string> | undefined): boolean {
   return Boolean(envVars && ("DATABASE_URL" in envVars || "DIRECT_URL" in envVars));
 }
 

packages/cli/src/lib/app/env-file.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ export interface EnvFileAssignment {
   value: string;
 }
 
+type EnvFileCommand = "add" | "update" | "deploy";
+
 interface ParsedEnvFileKey {
   key: string;
   line: number;
@@ -20,7 +22,7 @@ const ASSIGNMENT_KEY_PATTERN = /^\s*(?:export\s+)?([^#=\s]+)\s*=/;
 export async function readEnvFileAssignments(
   cwd: string,
   filePath: string,
-  command: "add" | "update",
+  command: EnvFileCommand,
 ): Promise<EnvFileAssignment[]> {
   const resolvedPath = path.resolve(cwd, filePath);
   let contents: string;
@@ -31,7 +33,11 @@ export async function readEnvFileAssignments(
       `Failed to read env file "${filePath}"`,
       error instanceof Error ? error.message : "The file could not be read.",
       "Pass a readable dotenv file path.",
-      [`prisma-cli project env ${command} --file .env --role preview`],
+      [
+        command === "deploy"
+          ? "prisma-cli app deploy --env .env"
+          : `prisma-cli project env ${command} --file .env --role preview`,
+      ],
       "app",
     );
   }
@@ -42,7 +48,7 @@ export async function readEnvFileAssignments(
 export function parseEnvFileContents(
   contents: string,
   filePath: string,
-  command: "add" | "update",
+  command: EnvFileCommand,
 ): EnvFileAssignment[] {
   const parsedKeys = extractParsedKeys(contents);
   if (parsedKeys.length === 0) {
@@ -135,10 +141,10 @@ function validateEnvFileKey(
   key: string,
   line: number,
   filePath: string,
-  command: "add" | "update",
+  command: EnvFileCommand,
 ): void {
   try {
-    validateKey(key, command);
+    validateKey(key, command === "deploy" ? "add" : command);
   } catch (error) {
     const reason = error instanceof Error && error.message.length > 0
       ? error.message

packages/cli/src/lib/app/env-vars.ts

@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 import { usageError } from "../../shell/errors";
+import { validateKey } from "./env-config";
+import { readEnvFileAssignments } from "./env-file";
+
+type EnvAssignmentOptions = {
+  commandName: "deploy";
+  requireAtLeastOne?: boolean;
+};
 
 export function parseEnvAssignments(
   assignments: string[] | undefined,
-  options: {
-    commandName: "deploy";
-    requireAtLeastOne?: boolean;
-  },
+  options: EnvAssignmentOptions,
 ): Record<string, string> {
   const values = assignments ?? [];
 
@@ -44,6 +48,7 @@ export function parseEnvAssignments(
         "app",
       );
     }
+    validateEnvAssignmentName(name, options.commandName);
 
     if (seen.has(name)) {
       throw usageError(
@@ -55,13 +60,64 @@ export function parseEnvAssignments(
       );
     }
 
+    const value = assignment.slice(separatorIndex + 1);
+    if (value.length === 0) {
+      throw usageError(
+        `Environment variable "${name}" has an empty value`,
+        `A provided --env flag defines ${name} with no value.`,
+        "Pass a non-empty value, or omit the key from the deploy command.",
+        [`prisma-cli app ${options.commandName} --env ${name}=value`],
+        "app",
+      );
+    }
+
     seen.add(name);
-    parsed[name] = assignment.slice(separatorIndex + 1);
+    parsed[name] = value;
   }
 
   return parsed;
 }
 
+export async function parseEnvInputs(
+  cwd: string,
+  inputs: string[] | undefined,
+  options: EnvAssignmentOptions,
+): Promise<Record<string, string>> {
+  const values = inputs ?? [];
+  const expandedAssignments: string[] = [];
+
+  for (const value of values) {
+    if (value.includes("=")) {
+      expandedAssignments.push(value);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const fileAssignments = await readEnvFileAssignments(cwd, value, options.commandName);
+    expandedAssignments.push(
+      ...fileAssignments.map((assignment) => `${assignment.key}=${assignment.value}`),
+    );
+  }
+
+  return parseEnvAssignments(expandedAssignments, options);
+}
+
+function validateEnvAssignmentName(name: string, commandName: EnvAssignmentOptions["commandName"]): void {
+  try {
+    validateKey(name, "add");
+  } catch (error) {
+    const reason = error instanceof Error && error.message.length > 0
+      ? error.message
+      : "Invalid environment variable name.";
+    throw usageError(
+      `Invalid environment variable "${name}"`,
+      reason,
+      "Use a valid env-var name and retry the deploy.",
+      [`prisma-cli app ${commandName} --env DATABASE_URL=postgresql://example`],
+      "app",
+    );
+  }
+}
+
 export function envVarNames(
   envVars: Record<string, string | null> | undefined,
 ): string[] {

packages/cli/src/shell/command-meta.ts

@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ const DESCRIPTORS: CommandDescriptor[] = [
       "prisma-cli app deploy --project proj_123",
       "prisma-cli app deploy --create-project my-app --yes",
       "prisma-cli app deploy --app my-app --env DATABASE_URL=postgresql://example",
+      "prisma-cli app deploy --env .env",
       "prisma-cli app deploy --db",
       "prisma-cli app deploy --db --yes",
       "prisma-cli app deploy --app my-app --framework nextjs --http-port 3000",

packages/cli/tests/app-branch-database.test.ts

@@ -887,7 +887,7 @@ describe("app deploy branch database setup", () => {
     expect(createBranchDatabase).toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
-  it("rejects --db when deploy also passes inline database env vars", async () => {
+  it("rejects --db when deploy also passes database env vars", async () => {
     const requireComputeAuth = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(createProjectClient());
     const createBranchDatabase = vi.fn();
     const deployApp = vi.fn();
@@ -914,6 +914,7 @@ describe("app deploy branch database setup", () => {
     const { createTempCwd, createTestCommandContext } = await import("./helpers");
     const { runAppDeploy } = await import("../src/controllers/app");
     const cwd = await createTempCwd();
+    await writeFile(path.join(cwd, ".env"), "DATABASE_URL=postgresql://example\n");
     const { context } = await createTestCommandContext({
       cwd,
       stateDir: path.join(cwd, ".state"),
@@ -930,12 +931,12 @@ describe("app deploy branch database setup", () => {
       projectRef: "proj_123",
       branchName: "feature/db",
       framework: "hono",
-      envAssignments: ["DATABASE_URL=postgresql://example"],
+      envAssignments: [".env"],
       db: true,
     })).rejects.toMatchObject({
       code: "USAGE_ERROR",
       domain: "app",
-      summary: "Branch database setup cannot be combined with inline database env vars",
+      summary: "Branch database setup cannot be combined with provided database env vars",
     });
     expect(createBranchDatabase).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(deployApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();

packages/cli/tests/app-env-vars.test.ts

@@ -158,20 +158,41 @@ describe("app env vars", () => {
     expect(JSON.stringify(emptyValueError)).not.toContain("secret");
   });
 
-  it("parses repeated env assignments and allows empty values", async () => {
+  it("parses repeated env assignments", async () => {
     const { parseEnvAssignments } = await import("../src/lib/app/env-vars");
 
     expect(
       parseEnvAssignments(
         [
           "DATABASE_URL=postgresql://example",
-          "EMPTY=",
+          "TOKEN=value=with=equals",
         ],
         { commandName: "deploy" },
       ),
     ).toEqual({
       DATABASE_URL: "postgresql://example",
-      EMPTY: "",
+      TOKEN: "value=with=equals",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("parses deploy env inputs from assignments and dotenv files", async () => {
+    const { createTempCwd } = await import("./helpers");
+    const { parseEnvInputs } = await import("../src/lib/app/env-vars");
+    const cwd = await createTempCwd();
+    await writeFile(
+      path.join(cwd, ".env"),
+      [
+        "DATABASE_URL=postgresql://example",
+        "FEATURE_FLAG=enabled",
+      ].join("\n"),
+    );
+
+    await expect(
+      parseEnvInputs(cwd, [".env", "INLINE_FLAG=enabled"], { commandName: "deploy" }),
+    ).resolves.toEqual({
+      DATABASE_URL: "postgresql://example",
+      FEATURE_FLAG: "enabled",
+      INLINE_FLAG: "enabled",
     });
   });
 
@@ -190,6 +211,19 @@ describe("app env vars", () => {
         summary: "Environment variable name is required",
       }),
     );
+    expect(() => parseEnvAssignments(["lowercase-key=secret"], { commandName: "deploy" })).toThrowError(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        code: "USAGE_ERROR",
+        summary: 'Invalid environment variable "lowercase-key"',
+        why: expect.stringContaining("must match the POSIX env-var shape"),
+      }),
+    );
+    expect(() => parseEnvAssignments(["EMPTY="], { commandName: "deploy" })).toThrowError(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        code: "USAGE_ERROR",
+        summary: 'Environment variable "EMPTY" has an empty value',
+      }),
+    );
 
     try {
       parseEnvAssignments(
@@ -446,6 +480,7 @@ describe("app env vars", () => {
     const { createTempCwd, createTestCommandContext } = await import("./helpers");
     const { runAppDeploy } = await import("../src/controllers/app");
     const cwd = await createTempCwd();
+    await writeFile(path.join(cwd, ".env"), "FEATURE_FLAG=enabled\n");
     const stateDir = path.join(cwd, ".state");
     const { context } = await createTestCommandContext({
       cwd,
@@ -462,7 +497,7 @@ describe("app env vars", () => {
       {
         projectRef: "proj_123",
         framework: "hono",
-        envAssignments: ["DATABASE_URL=postgresql://example", "FEATURE_FLAG=enabled", "EMPTY="],
+        envAssignments: ["DATABASE_URL=postgresql://example", ".env", "INLINE_FLAG=enabled"],
       },
     );
 
@@ -473,7 +508,7 @@ describe("app env vars", () => {
         envVars: {
           DATABASE_URL: "postgresql://example",
           FEATURE_FLAG: "enabled",
-          EMPTY: "",
+          INLINE_FLAG: "enabled",
         },
       }),
     );

packages/cli/tests/app.test.ts

@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ describe("app commands", () => {
     expect(deployHelp.stderr).toContain("$ prisma-cli app deploy");
     expect(deployHelp.stderr).toContain("$ prisma-cli app deploy --project proj_123");
     expect(deployHelp.stderr).toContain("$ prisma-cli app deploy --create-project my-app --yes");
+    expect(deployHelp.stderr).toContain("$ prisma-cli app deploy --env .env");
     expect(deployHelp.stderr).toContain("$ prisma-cli app deploy --db");
     expect(deployHelp.stderr).toContain("$ prisma-cli app deploy --db --yes");
     expect(deployHelp.stderr).toContain("$ prisma-cli app deploy --app my-app --framework nextjs --http-port 3000");
@@ -159,7 +160,7 @@ describe("app commands", () => {
     expect(deployHelp.stderr).toContain("--framework <name>");
     expect(deployHelp.stderr).not.toContain("--build-type <type>");
     expect(deployHelp.stderr).toContain("--http-port <port>");
-    expect(deployHelp.stderr).toContain("--env <name=value>");
+    expect(deployHelp.stderr).toContain("--env <name=value|file>");
     expect(deployHelp.stderr).toContain("--db");
     expect(deployHelp.stderr).toContain("--no-db");