Next CLI

Next CLI#

The Next CLI is NexHost’s hosted Git command-line interface. Repository access for a NexHost workspace is managed through the Next CLI and the dashboard’s Repositories surface; after authentication the CLI delegates source-control operations to the standard Git workflow — add, commit, push, pull — rather than introducing a second mental model for "how Git works."

It is intentionally scoped: the CLI manages repository authentication and delegates source-control operations to the standard Git workflow. It does not trigger deployments, stream service logs, or set deployment environment variables — those remain dashboard operations, reviewed and triggered on the service itself.

What the CLI is — and is not#

Understanding this boundary keeps the repository change ("I pushed new code") and the release decision ("I told NexHost to deploy it") distinct — a push does not by itself change a live release.

Install#

Download the current package from CLI Downloads. On Debian or Ubuntu, install the downloaded package with:

sudo apt install ./next-cli_0.1.0_all.deb

That .deb lands the platform binaries on the PATH. Other download formats for different operating systems are listed on the same downloads page when available.

The platform command names are next, nexhost, and nex — all aliases for the same binary. next is the first-class source-control command. Before you alias or adopt it, run which -a next (or where next on Windows tooling) and confirm you do not overwrite an existing next binary from a local framework installation without checking your local environment. A Next.js project invoked via next on a developer machine conflicts is unwelcome; the error or wrong code path can be hard to trace if you inadvertently shadow it.

Sign in and work with a repository#

The typical flow is login, inspect repositories, clone one, edit, commit, and push — identical to any Git host after the first command:

next login --team YOUR_WORKSPACE
next repo list
next clone YOUR_WORKSPACE/YOUR_REPOSITORY
cd YOUR_REPOSITORY
next status
next add .
next commit -m "Initial commit"
next push

Each step in detail:

1. `next login --team YOUR_WORKSPACE` — authenticates your local session to the workspace you intend to operate in. Prefer this form when you are at your own workstation.
2. `next repo list` — lists repositories the authenticated principal can see in that workspace. This confirms scope before you clone.
3. `next clone YOUR_WORKSPACE/YOUR_REPOSITORY` (and next init for a new local directory you want to turn into a hosted repository) — materializes the workspace-hosted remote into a local Git directory with a credential-safe remote URL.
4. `next status`, `add`, `commit`, `push`, `pull`, `sync` — operate on the checked-out branch. Authentication is preserved by the CLI across these commands; the remote URL itself does not expose the credential.

You can also use these authentication variants when the situation calls for them:

• next login --device --team YOUR_WORKSPACE — device flow for browsers or constrained terminals. The CLI prints a code and flow URI; authorize in the browser that *is* authenticated to the workspace.
• next login --pat — personal access token flow. Enter a token via the secure prompt — do not paste a token into shell history or draft messages where it may linger in logs. Rotate tokens that were ever echoed or typed in plain view.

Available commands#

After you push source, connect that repository to a NexHost service in the dashboard to create a deployment. During New Project, choose the source that corresponds to your hosted repository, pick the branch, confirm the root directory, and review build and start settings. The Git push produced the artifact source; only the dashboard action turns it into a recorded release.

Common workflows#

Create, push, and wire:

next login --team YOUR_WORKSPACE
next repo create my-service --private
next clone YOUR_WORKSPACE/my-service
cd my-service
# edit, test locally
next add .
next commit -m "Ship the service"
next push
# Dashboard → New Project → choose NexHost Git → pick my-service + branch → set build/start → Deploy

Doctor and repair:

next doctor         # credential helper & Git wiring
next whoami         # confirm session identity
next logout
next login --team YOUR_WORKSPACE

Troubleshooting#

Related documentation#

• NexHost Git — the hosted repository side: dashboard creation, push semantics, and connecting to a service.
• API Access and Availability — what is not a public programmatic surface and the support path for integrations.
• Your First Deployment — numbered dashboard path from source to verified URL.