> **deploy** — chapter 8 of 20 in [Convex-Dev/convex](https://skillsdocs.com/Convex-Dev/convex).
>
> Book (all chapters, one file): https://skillsdocs.com/Convex-Dev/convex.md
> Machine manifest: https://skillsdocs.com/Convex-Dev/convex/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json
> Install the book: `npx skills add Convex-Dev/convex`
> Upstream: https://github.com/Convex-Dev/convex/blob/develop/.claude/skills/deploy/SKILL.md @ `develop`
> Raw bytes, no header: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Convex-Dev/convex/develop/.claude/skills/deploy/SKILL.md
> Base for relative paths: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Convex-Dev/convex/develop/.claude/skills/deploy/
> Licence: Other — https://github.com/Convex-Dev/convex
>
> Content © its authors, served unmodified. Takedown: https://github.com/kyleledbetter/skillsdocs/issues/new?labels=takedown&title=Takedown+request

<!-- Verbatim upstream SKILL.md follows, YAML frontmatter included. -->

---
name: deploy
description: Deploy an actor (smart contract) to the Convex network. Use when the user wants to create a new on-chain actor with exported functions.
argument-hint: "<description-of-actor>"
---

# Deploy a Convex Actor

Actors are autonomous on-chain programs with their own address, state, and callable functions.

See the `convex-lisp` skill for CVM conventions and error codes. Deploying is a
transaction, so it needs a key the user has supplied — see `transact`.

## Actor Structure

A typical actor deployment:

```clojure
(deploy
  '(do
     ;; Internal state (private to the actor)
     (def counter 0)

     ;; Callable functions: mark each with ^:callable so it can be
     ;; invoked from outside the actor via (call ...)
     (defn ^:callable increment []
       (set! counter (+ counter 1))
       counter)

     (defn ^:callable get-count []
       counter)))
```

## Key Rules

- `deploy` returns the new actor's address (e.g. `#12345`)
- Only functions tagged with `^:callable` metadata can be called from outside (there is no `export` form). The equivalent map form is `^{:callable true}`
- Use `set!` to update an existing `def` from inside a function; plain `def`s declared in the actor body are private state
- Actors have their own `*address*` and `*balance*`
- Use `(set-controller #ADDR)` inside the actor to set who can upgrade it
- `deploy` also accepts a **vector** of code forms, which is how library
  builders are composed into one actor:
  `(deploy [(@convex.fungible/build-token {…}) (@convex.fungible/add-mint {…})])`

## After Deployment

1. Note the returned address for the user
2. Optionally register a CNS name: `(call #9 (cns-update 'my.actor.name *address*))`
3. Test by calling a `^:callable` function: `(call #NEW-ADDR (get-count))`

## Workflow

1. Help the user design the actor based on `$ARGUMENTS`
2. Write the Convex Lisp source
3. Deploy using `transact` with the `(deploy ...)` expression
4. Verify the deployment with a test query