[WIP] Add CLI deploy command

docs/content/docs/api-reference/cli.mdx

@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 ---
 title: "@openuidev/cli"
-description: API reference for the OpenUI CLI to scaffold apps and generate system prompts or library specs.
+description: API reference for the OpenUI CLI to scaffold apps, generate system prompts or library specs, and deploy projects.
 ---
 
-A command-line tool for scaffolding OpenUI chat apps and generating system prompts, JSON schemas, or serialized library specs from library definitions.
+A command-line tool for scaffolding OpenUI chat apps, generating system prompts, JSON schemas, or serialized library specs from library definitions, and deploying those apps.
 
 ## Installation
 
@@ -201,6 +201,80 @@ npx @openuidev/cli@latest create --name my-app --skill
 npx @openuidev/cli@latest create --name my-app --no-skill
 ```
 
+## `openui deploy`
+
+Deploys an OpenUI project. The default platform supported is **Vercel**.
+
+```
+openui deploy [dir] [options]
+```
+
+**Arguments**
+
+| Argument | Description                                    |
+| -------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
+| `[dir]`  | Project directory (default: current directory) |
+
+**Options**
+
+| Flag                  | Description                                                                 |
+| --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `-y, --yes`           | Skip confirmation prompts (also saves missing env keys to the Vercel project) |
+| `--skip-env`          | Do not pass or save local `.env` / `.env.local` values                      |
+| `--no-interactive`    | Skip prompts (implies `--yes`)                                              |
+| `--verbose`           | Stream full Vercel build logs (hidden by default; failures print a log tail) |
+| `--agent-name <name>` | Declare the invoking coding-agent slug (default: `unknown`)                 |
+
+Extra flags after `deploy` are forwarded as-is to the target deployment platform, which validates them (for example `--prod` or `--force`). `--skip-env` is OpenUI-specific so it does not collide with Vercel's `--env KEY=value`.
+
+Unlinked projects run `vercel link` first. Allowlisted keys from `.env` / `.env.local` that are missing on production, preview, or development can be saved to the project (prompted; auto-accepted with `--yes`). Existing project keys are left unchanged. The current deployment still receives those keys via `--env` / `--build-env`. Build logs are quiet by default; use `--verbose` to stream them.
+
+**Examples**
+
+```bash tab="pnpm" tab-group="pkg"
+# Preview deploy from the project directory
+pnpx @openuidev/cli@latest deploy
+
+# Production deploy
+pnpx @openuidev/cli@latest deploy --prod --yes
+
+# Deploy a specific directory without forwarding local env
+pnpx @openuidev/cli@latest deploy ./my-app --skip-env
+```
+
+```bash tab="bun" tab-group="pkg"
+# Preview deploy from the project directory
+bunx @openuidev/cli@latest deploy
+
+# Production deploy
+bunx @openuidev/cli@latest deploy --prod --yes
+
+# Deploy a specific directory without forwarding local env
+bunx @openuidev/cli@latest deploy ./my-app --skip-env
+```
+
+```bash tab="yarn" tab-group="pkg"
+# Preview deploy from the project directory
+yarn dlx @openuidev/cli@latest deploy
+
+# Production deploy
+yarn dlx @openuidev/cli@latest deploy --prod --yes
+
+# Deploy a specific directory without forwarding local env
+yarn dlx @openuidev/cli@latest deploy ./my-app --skip-env
+```
+
+```bash tab="npm" tab-group="pkg"
+# Preview deploy from the project directory
+npx @openuidev/cli@latest deploy
+
+# Production deploy
+npx @openuidev/cli@latest deploy --prod --yes
+
+# Deploy a specific directory without forwarding local env
+npx @openuidev/cli@latest deploy ./my-app --skip-env
+```
+
 ## `openui generate`
 
 Generates the system prompt **and** the serialized library spec from a file that exports a `createLibrary()` result. A single run emits both artifacts — they derive from the same `Library` instance, so they can never drift apart. Use the spec with `generateSystemPrompt` in backend routes; the prompt file supports static or legacy integrations.
@@ -377,7 +451,10 @@ and `detected_agent_name`, inferred best-effort from known product environment m
 value can be spoofed, inherited, missing, or ambiguous, so neither should be treated as an
 authentication or security signal. Every invocation gets an ephemeral, unpersisted `cli_run_id` so
 its events can be correlated. For `create`, analytics also include `package_manager`, the
-immediate-start selection, and best-effort dev-command start and result events. Failure events use
+immediate-start selection, and best-effort dev-command start and result events. For `deploy`, analytics include the target (currently `vercel`), production vs preview, whether
+local env was passed, CLI resolution source, and process status — not env
+values, project paths, or command output.
+Failure events use
 bounded `failure_stage`, `error_class`, and `error_code` values instead of raw error messages.
 Dependency failures distinguish peer, registry, network, install-script, workspace, and
 package-compatibility errors. Process failures include duration, exit code, and signal; Cloud-auth

docs/content/docs/api-reference/index.mdx

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ The OpenUI SDK is split into packages that build on each other:
 
 - **`@openuidev/devtools`** — Development-only floating widget that surfaces the events captured by `@openuidev/observability`, with error messages and stack traces.
 
-- **`@openuidev/cli`** — Command-line tool for scaffolding new OpenUI chat apps and generating system prompts or JSON schemas from library definitions.
+- **`@openuidev/cli`** — Command-line tool for scaffolding new OpenUI chat apps, generating system prompts or JSON schemas from library definitions, and deploying projects.
 
 ## Choosing a package
 
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ The OpenUI SDK is split into packages that build on each other:
 | Svelte integration                                                 | [`@openuidev/svelte-lang`](https://github.com/thesysdev/openui/tree/main/packages/svelte-lang)       |
 | Script-tag, CDN, or iframe embeds                                  | [`@openuidev/browser-bundle`](https://github.com/thesysdev/openui/tree/main/packages/browser-bundle) |
 | An in-app panel showing captured errors during development         | [`@openuidev/devtools`](/docs/api-reference/devtools)                                                |
-| App scaffolding and prompt/schema generation from the command line | [`@openuidev/cli`](/docs/api-reference/cli)                                                          |
+| App scaffolding, prompt/schema generation, and deploy from the command line | [`@openuidev/cli`](/docs/api-reference/cli)                                                          |
 
 ## Packages
 
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ The OpenUI SDK is split into packages that build on each other:
     Development-only floating widget surfacing captured events with error messages and stack traces.
   </Card>
   <Card title="@openuidev/cli" href="/docs/api-reference/cli">
-    openui create (scaffold a Next.js app) and openui generate (system prompt + library spec from a
-    library definition).
+    openui create (scaffold a Next.js app), openui deploy, and openui generate (system prompt +
+    library spec from a library definition).
   </Card>
 </Cards>

packages/openui-cli/README.md

@@ -1,19 +1,20 @@
 # @openuidev/cli
 
-Command-line tools for starting OpenUI projects and generating model instructions from component libraries.
+Command-line tools for starting OpenUI projects, generating model instructions from component libraries, and deploying apps to Vercel.
 
 [![npm](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/@openuidev/cli)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@openuidev/cli)
 [![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-blue.svg)](https://github.com/thesysdev/openui/blob/main/LICENSE)
 
 **Links:** [CLI docs](https://openui.com/docs/api-reference/cli) | [GitHub repo](https://github.com/thesysdev/openui)
 
-It currently supports two workflows:
+It currently supports:
 
 - scaffolding a new OpenUI app from one of two templates:
   - **OpenUI Cloud (recommended)** — hosted models with managed conversations, streaming, built-in tools, and ready-to-use report and presentation artifacts
   - **Self-hosted** — bring an OpenAI-compatible model key and own the AI route and persistence
 - keeping the default minimal SDK route or adding a LangGraph or Vercel AI SDK backend to either template
 - generating a system prompt or JSON Schema from a `createLibrary()` export
+- deploying a project with `openui deploy`
 
 ## Install
 
@@ -61,6 +62,13 @@ Generate JSON Schema instead:
 npx @openuidev/cli@latest generate ./src/library.ts --json-schema
 ```
 
+Deploy the current project:
+
+```bash
+npx @openuidev/cli@latest deploy
+npx @openuidev/cli@latest deploy --prod
+```
+
 ## Commands
 
 ### `openui create`
@@ -157,6 +165,39 @@ openui create --name my-app --no-skill --no-install
 openui create --no-interactive --name my-app --template openui-cloud --api-key tk_your_key
 ```
 
+### `openui deploy`
+
+Deploys an OpenUI project. The default platform supported is **Vercel**.
+
+```bash
+openui deploy [dir] [options]
+```
+
+Arguments:
+
+- `dir`: Project directory (default: current directory)
+
+Options:
+
+- `-y, --yes`: Skip confirmation prompts (also saves missing env keys to the Vercel project)
+- `--skip-env`: Do not pass or save local `.env` / `.env.local` values
+- `--no-interactive`: Skip prompts (implies `--yes`)
+- `--verbose`: Stream full Vercel build logs (hidden by default; failure still prints a log tail)
+- `--agent-name <name>`: Declare the invoking coding agent as a lowercase kebab-case product slug (default: `unknown`)
+
+Extra flags after `deploy` are forwarded as-is to the target deployment platform, which validates them (for example `--prod` or `--force`). `--skip-env` is OpenUI-specific so it does not collide with Vercel's `--env KEY=value`.
+
+Unlinked projects run `vercel link` first (so env can be saved before the build). Allowlisted keys from `.env` / `.env.local` that are missing on production, preview, or development can be saved to the project (prompted; auto-accepted with `--yes`). Existing project keys are never overwritten. Env is still attached to the current deployment via `--env` / `--build-env`. Build logs are quiet by default.
+
+Examples:
+
+```bash
+openui deploy
+openui deploy ./my-app
+openui deploy ./my-app --prod
+openui deploy --skip-env -- --force
+```
+
 ### `openui generate`
 
 Generates a system prompt and serialized library spec from a file that exports a `createLibrary()` result. Use the spec with `generateSystemPrompt` in backend routes; the prompt file remains available for static or legacy integrations.
@@ -233,6 +274,7 @@ Run the built CLI:
 ```bash
 node dist/index.js --help
 node dist/index.js create --help
+node dist/index.js deploy --help
 node dist/index.js generate --help
 ```
 
@@ -242,7 +284,7 @@ The CLI sends usage analytics; OAuth sign-ins may link usage to your OIDC accoun
 
 When a coding agent invokes the CLI, it should pass `--agent-name` using its stable, lowercase kebab-case product slug—for example, `codex`, `claude-code`, `cline`, `factory-droid`, or `pi`. Do not pass a model/version, user name, session ID, or other unique value. Humans can omit the flag; it defaults to `unknown`.
 
-Telemetry includes both `agent_name` (the CLI declaration) and `detected_agent_name` (best-effort environment detection). Either can be spoofed, inherited, missing, or ambiguous; neither is an authentication signal. Every invocation gets an ephemeral, unpersisted `cli_run_id` so its events can be correlated. Failure events include bounded `failure_stage`, `error_class`, and `error_code` values, never raw error messages. Dependency failures distinguish peer, registry, network, install-script, workspace, and package-compatibility errors. Process failures include duration, exit code, and signal; Cloud-auth failures include a bounded auth substage and HTTP status when known; cancellations use separate events. For `create`, telemetry also includes `package_manager`, the immediate-start selection, and best-effort dev-command start and result events. Dev-command events contain status, duration, exit code, and signal—not project paths, command output, code, or environment values. Disable telemetry with `--no-telemetry` or `DO_NOT_TRACK=1`.
+Telemetry includes both `agent_name` (the CLI declaration) and `detected_agent_name` (best-effort environment detection). Either can be spoofed, inherited, missing, or ambiguous; neither is an authentication signal. Every invocation gets an ephemeral, unpersisted `cli_run_id` so its events can be correlated. Failure events include bounded `failure_stage`, `error_class`, and `error_code` values, never raw error messages. Dependency failures distinguish peer, registry, network, install-script, workspace, and package-compatibility errors. Process failures include duration, exit code, and signal; Cloud-auth failures include a bounded auth substage and HTTP status when known; cancellations use separate events. For `create`, telemetry also includes `package_manager`, the immediate-start selection, and best-effort dev-command start and result events. Dev-command events contain status, duration, exit code, and signal—not project paths, command output, code, or environment values. For `deploy`, telemetry includes the target (currently `vercel`), production vs preview, whether the Vercel CLI was logged in, whether local env was passed, CLI resolution source, and process status—not env values, project paths, or command output. Disable telemetry with `--no-telemetry` or `DO_NOT_TRACK=1`.
 
 ```bash
 openui create --no-telemetry
@@ -253,6 +295,7 @@ openui create --no-telemetry
 - interactive prompts can be cancelled without creating output
 - `create` requires the selected template's files to be present in the built package
 - `generate` exits with a non-zero code if the file is missing or no valid library export is found
+- `deploy` exits with a non-zero code if the directory has no `package.json` or the Vercel CLI fails
 
 ## Documentation
 

packages/openui-cli/package.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "@openuidev/cli",
-  "version": "0.2.11",
-  "description": "CLI for OpenUI — scaffold generative UI chat apps and generate LLM system prompts from component libraries",
+  "version": "0.2.12",
+  "description": "CLI for OpenUI — scaffold generative UI chat apps, generate LLM system prompts from component libraries, and deploy projects",
   "bin": {
     "openui": "dist/index.js"
   },

packages/openui-cli/src/auth/mint.ts

@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ export async function resolveCloudApiKey(opts: {
 
   if (method === "manual") {
     console.warn(
-      "⚠ --auth manual is deprecated. Use browser sign-in or pass --api-key for scripted setup.",
+      "[!] --auth manual is deprecated. Use browser sign-in or pass --api-key for scripted setup.",
     );
     const { password } = await import("@inquirer/prompts");
     const key = await cloudAuthPrompt("manual_key_prompt", "MANUAL_KEY_PROMPT_FAILED", () =>

packages/openui-cli/src/commands/create-app.ts

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import * as path from "node:path";
 import { resolveCloudApiKey, THESYS_KEYS_URL } from "../auth/mint";
 import { aiSetupFromTemplate, createFunnelProps } from "../lib/create-telemetry";
 import type { CreateAppOptions, EnvResult, OverlayName, TemplateName } from "../lib/create-types";
+import { dumpFailureLog, QUIET_COMMAND_CAPTURE_LIMIT } from "../lib/deploy/quiet";
 import {
   resolveInstallPackageManager,
   type PackageManagerName,
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ import { runSkillInstall, shouldInstallSkill } from "../lib/install-skill";
 import { applyOverlay, OVERLAYS_DIR, resolveOverlay, type OverlayManifest } from "../lib/overlays";
 import { runCommand } from "../lib/process-runner";
 import { resolveArgs } from "../lib/resolve-args";
+import { withSpinner } from "../lib/spinner";
 import { resolveAvailableTarget } from "../lib/target-dir";
 import { CliCancelledError, CreateError, telemetry } from "../lib/telemetry";
 import { cliErrorProperties, processErrorProperties } from "../lib/utils";
@@ -416,22 +418,34 @@ export async function runCreateApp(options: CreateAppOptions): Promise<void> {
     });
     console.info(`Skipping dependency install (--no-install). Run \`${installCmd}\` later.\n`);
   } else {
-    console.info(`Installing dependencies with: ${installCmd}\n`);
     telemetry.capture("cli_dependency_install_started", {
       ...createFunnelProps("dependency_install_started"),
       template,
       ai_setup: aiSetup,
     });
-    const installResult = await runCommand(packageManager.runCmd, installArgs, targetDir);
+    const installResult = await withSpinner("Installing dependencies...", () =>
+      runCommand(packageManager.runCmd, installArgs, targetDir, {
+        echo: false,
+        stdin: "ignore",
+        captureLimit: QUIET_COMMAND_CAPTURE_LIMIT,
+        env: {
+          ...process.env,
+          npm_config_loglevel: "error",
+          NPM_CONFIG_LOGLEVEL: "error",
+        },
+      }),
+    );
     if (!installResult.error && installResult.status === 0) {
       dependencyInstalled = true;
+      console.info("✓ Dependencies installed\n");
       telemetry.capture("cli_dependency_install_succeeded", {
         ...createFunnelProps("dependency_install_succeeded"),
         template,
         ai_setup: aiSetup,
         dependency_installed: dependencyInstalled,
       });
     } else {
+      dumpFailureLog(installResult.diagnosticTail, "install log (tail)");
       const properties = processErrorProperties(installResult, "dependency_install", {
         error_class: "dependency",
         error_code: "NONZERO_EXIT",
@@ -490,7 +504,6 @@ export async function runCreateApp(options: CreateAppOptions): Promise<void> {
       skillInstalled,
       envWritten: envResult.envWritten,
       startDev,
-      devStartBlockedByMissingApiKey,
       installCmd,
       dependencyInstalled,
     }),
@@ -501,15 +514,6 @@ export async function runCreateApp(options: CreateAppOptions): Promise<void> {
       skip_reason: "missing_api_key",
       required_env: apiKeyEnv,
     });
-    const keyHint =
-      apiKeyEnv === "THESYS_API_KEY"
-        ? `Get a key at ${THESYS_KEYS_URL}, then add:\n\n  ${apiKeyEnv}=…\n\nto ${name}/.env`
-        : `Add your key to ${name}/.env:\n\n  ${apiKeyEnv}=…`;
-    console.error(
-      `\nSkipped starting the development server — ${apiKeyEnv} is missing.\n\n` +
-        `${keyHint}\n\n` +
-        `Then run:\n\n> cd ${name}\n> ${devCmd} run dev\n`,
-    );
     process.exitCode = 1;
     return;
   }
@@ -687,7 +691,7 @@ async function resolveCloudEnv(
       auth_succeeded: false,
       ...properties,
     });
-    console.error(`\n⚠ Could not obtain an API key: ${msg}`);
+    console.error(`\n[!] Could not obtain an API key: ${msg}`);
     console.error(`  Add THESYS_API_KEY to .env later (keys: ${THESYS_KEYS_URL}).\n`);
   }
   const lines = [`THESYS_API_KEY=${apiKey ?? ""}`, `DEMO_USER_ID=demo-user`];
@@ -707,7 +711,6 @@ function getStartedMessage(o: {
   skillInstalled: boolean;
   envWritten: boolean;
   startDev: boolean;
-  devStartBlockedByMissingApiKey: boolean;
   installCmd: string;
   dependencyInstalled: boolean;
 }): string {
@@ -719,20 +722,18 @@ function getStartedMessage(o: {
     o.template === "openui-cloud"
       ? o.envWritten
         ? "✅ .env created with your OpenUI Cloud API key + base URL."
-        : `⚠ .env created without a key. Add THESYS_API_KEY=… (get one at ${THESYS_KEYS_URL}).`
+        : `[!] .env created without a key. Add THESYS_API_KEY=… (get one at ${THESYS_KEYS_URL}).`
       : o.envWritten
         ? "✅ .env created with your API key."
         : "Add your API key to .env:\nOPENAI_API_KEY=sk-your-key-here";
 
   const nextStep = o.startDev
     ? `Starting the development server in "${o.name}"...\n\n> ${o.devCmd} run dev`
-    : o.devStartBlockedByMissingApiKey
-      ? ""
-      : [
-          `> cd ${o.name}`,
-          ...(o.dependencyInstalled ? [] : [`> ${o.installCmd}`]),
-          `> ${o.devCmd} run dev`,
-        ].join("\n");
+    : [
+        `> cd ${o.name}`,
+        ...(o.dependencyInstalled ? [] : [`> ${o.installCmd}`]),
+        `> ${o.devCmd} run dev`,
+      ].join("\n");
 
   const frameworkNote = o.backendGettingStarted?.replaceAll("{{packageManager}}", o.devCmd) ?? "";