# Deploy from Local Code

When your code isn't on GitHub — or you just want to iterate quickly — upload the current directory directly with `lizard up`. It packages your working tree as a tarball, sends it to the build nodes, and deploys.

## Deploy the current directory

```bash
lizard up
```

- Uploads the current directory as a tarball, respecting `.gitignore` (disable with `--no-gitignore`).
- Forces `sourceType=upload`.
- Streams build logs over SSE and prints the live URL when finished.

If the directory isn't linked to a project yet, `up` runs `init` first. On a TTY that's interactive; in a non-TTY (CI) it will **not** silently create a project — it errors and asks you to run `lizard init --name <project>` (or pass `--name`). This guards against a typo spawning an empty project.

## Common flags

| Flag | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `-s, --service <name>` | Target/create a specific service |
| `--build-command <cmd>` | Override the build command |
| `--start-command <cmd>` | Override the start command |
| `--pre-deploy-command <cmd>` | Run once before each deploy (e.g. migrations) |
| `--port <number>` | Container port (`0` = [worker mode](https://lizard.build/docs/deploy/workers)) |
| `--region <code>` | Region to deploy in |
| `-d, --detach` | Start the deploy and exit without streaming logs |
| `-c, --ci` | CI-friendly output |
| `--no-gitignore` | Upload everything, ignoring `.gitignore` |

```bash
lizard up --service api --start-command "node server.js" --port 8080
```

## Setting build/start commands

Passing `--build-command` or `--start-command` switches the service to the **synthesized Dockerfile** path. On that path, `Procfile` and `package.json` `scripts.start` are **not** read — set the start command explicitly (or include a `CMD` in your own Dockerfile). See [Build Pipeline](https://lizard.build/docs/concepts/build-pipeline). Python is where this bites most often: [Django, Flask and FastAPI](https://lizard.build/blog/python-app-hosting#deploying-django) each need a different `gunicorn` or `uvicorn` line.

## Re-deploying an upload service

`lizard up` re-uploads and rebuilds. To rebuild the **last** upload with current variables without re-uploading:

```bash
lizard redeploy --service api
```

## Headless / CI

For non-interactive flows, link the project explicitly before deploying:

```bash
export LIZARD_TOKEN=lzd_xxx
lizard init --name my-project
lizard up --ci --service api
```

## When to prefer GitHub instead

Upload is great for quick iteration and no-remote situations. For anything long-lived, prefer a [GitHub source](https://lizard.build/docs/deploy/github) so pushes auto-redeploy and you get a clean deploy history.

## See also

- [`lizard up`](https://lizard.build/docs/cli/up) — the full command reference.
- [Build Pipeline](https://lizard.build/docs/concepts/build-pipeline) — how your stack is detected and built.