Getting started with Trigger.dev

Set up Trigger.dev in an existing project. The end state is: the SDK installed, a trigger.config.ts pointing at a project ref, a /trigger directory with at least one exported task, and trigger dev running so the task shows up in the dashboard.

The fastest path is the CLI's own wizard, which performs every mechanical step below and also offers to install the MCP server and these agent skills:

npx trigger.dev@latest init

Prefer init when you can. Do the manual steps further down when init does not fit (monorepos, an existing config to extend, or a non-interactive environment).

Two steps need the human

Most of setup is automatable, but two steps require a person and cannot be done headlessly. When you reach them, stop and ask the user to do them, then continue:

1. Authenticating the CLI. npx trigger.dev@latest login opens a browser for the user to sign in. If they have no account, point them to https://cloud.trigger.dev (or a self-hosted instance) first. You cannot complete this for them.
2. The secret key and project ref. TRIGGER_SECRET_KEY and the project ref (proj_...) come from the dashboard. Ask the user to copy the DEV secret key from the project's API Keys page, and to pick or create the project so you have its ref. trigger init can select the project interactively once the user is logged in.

Treat these as handoffs: state exactly what you need, wait for the user, then resume.

Manual setup

1. Authenticate (human step)

npx trigger.dev@latest login
# self-hosted:
npx trigger.dev@latest login --api-url https://your-trigger-instance.com

2. Install the packages

@trigger.dev/sdk is a runtime dependency; @trigger.dev/build is a dev dependency. Pin both to the same version as the trigger.dev CLI you run; the CLI warns on a mismatch during dev/deploy.

npm add @trigger.dev/sdk@latest
npm add --save-dev @trigger.dev/build@latest

3. Write trigger.config.ts

Create it in the project root (or trigger.config.mjs for JavaScript). The project ref and dirs are the only required fields.

import { defineConfig } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";

export default defineConfig({
  project: "<project ref>", // e.g. "proj_abc123", from the dashboard
  dirs: ["./src/trigger"], // where your tasks live
  maxDuration: 3600,
  retries: {
    enabledInDev: false,
    default: { maxAttempts: 3, factor: 2, minTimeoutInMs: 1000, maxTimeoutInMs: 10000, randomize: true },
  },
});

Use the Bun runtime by adding runtime: "bun". Build extensions (prismaExtension, puppeteer, additionalFiles, etc.) come from @trigger.dev/build and go in build.extensions.

4. Add a first task

Create the directory that matches dirs and export a task from it. Every task must be a named export with a project-unique id.

// src/trigger/example.ts
import { task } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";

export const helloWorld = task({
  id: "hello-world",
  run: async (payload: { name: string }) => {
    return { message: `Hello ${payload.name}!` };
  },
});

5. Wire tsconfig and gitignore

Add trigger.config.ts to the include array in tsconfig.json, and add .trigger to .gitignore (the CLI writes local dev state there).

// tsconfig.json
{ "include": ["trigger.config.ts" /* ...existing */] }

# .gitignore
.trigger

6. Set the secret key (human step)

For triggering from your own code, set TRIGGER_SECRET_KEY to the DEV key from the dashboard's API Keys page. Self-hosted users also set TRIGGER_API_URL.

# .env (or .env.local for Next.js)
TRIGGER_SECRET_KEY=tr_dev_xxxxxxxx

7. Run the dev server

npx trigger.dev@latest dev

Leave it running. Tasks register with the dashboard, where the user can fire a test run from the task's test page. On first run the CLI offers to install the MCP server and agent skills; recommend both.

Triggering from your app

Once a task exists, trigger it from backend code with a type-only import so the task code is never bundled into your app. Trigger by id, not by calling the task object.

import { tasks } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
import type { helloWorld } from "@/trigger/example"; // type-only

const handle = await tasks.trigger<typeof helloWorld>("hello-world", { name: "Ada" });

TRIGGER_SECRET_KEY must be set wherever this runs. Framework specifics live in the Next.js / Remix / Node.js guides.

Monorepos

Two layouts, both supported: put tasks in a shared package (@repo/tasks with its own trigger.config.ts, consumed via workspace:*), or install Trigger.dev directly in the app that needs it. Run trigger dev from the directory that holds trigger.config.ts. See the manual setup docs for full Turborepo examples before scaffolding either.

Common mistakes

1. Trying to do the human-only steps headlessly. You cannot complete trigger login or read the dashboard secret key for the user.

   • Wrong: spawning trigger login and waiting on it to finish in an agent session.
   • Correct: ask the user to log in and to paste the DEV key, then continue.

2. Mismatched CLI and SDK versions. A trigger.dev CLI on a different major than @trigger.dev/sdk breaks dev/deploy.

   • Wrong: npx trigger.dev@latest dev against an old pinned SDK.
   • Correct: keep trigger.dev, @trigger.dev/sdk, and @trigger.dev/build on the same version.

3. Importing from @trigger.dev/sdk/v3 or using client.defineJob(). Both are old.

   • Correct: always import from @trigger.dev/sdk; define work with task().

4. Tasks not exported, or outside dirs. A task that is not a named export inside a configured directory will not be picked up.

   • Correct: export const ... = task({ ... }) in a file under a dirs path.

5. Importing the task instance into backend code. This bundles the task.

   • Wrong: import { helloWorld } from "@/trigger/example" in a route handler.
   • Correct: import type { helloWorld } plus tasks.trigger<typeof helloWorld>("hello-world", payload).

6. Forgetting TRIGGER_SECRET_KEY. Triggering from your app fails without it; the dev server itself works once the CLI is logged in.

References

Sibling skills:

• trigger-authoring-tasks for writing the tasks themselves once setup is done: retries, waits, queues, scheduled tasks, triggering, and the full trigger.config.ts.
• trigger-realtime-and-frontend for showing live run status in a frontend.
• trigger-authoring-chat-agent and trigger-chat-agent-advanced for building AI chat agents.

Docs:

• Quick start
• Manual setup
• Configuration file

Version

Generated for @trigger.dev/sdk 4.5.1. Re-run the trigger.dev skills installer after upgrading.