Trigger.dev Setup

Get Trigger.dev running in your project in minutes.

When to Use

• Adding Trigger.dev to an existing project
• Creating your first task
• Setting up trigger.config.ts
• Connecting to Trigger.dev cloud

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ or Bun
• A Trigger.dev account (https://cloud.trigger.dev)

Quick Start

1. Install the SDK

npm install @trigger.dev/sdk

2. Initialize Your Project

npx trigger init

This creates:

• trigger.config.ts - project configuration
• trigger/ directory - where your tasks live
• trigger/example.ts - a sample task

3. Configure trigger.config.ts

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

export default defineConfig({
  project: "proj_xxxxx", // From dashboard
  dirs: ["./trigger"],
});

4. Create Your First Task

// trigger/my-task.ts
import { task } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";

export const myFirstTask = task({
  id: "my-first-task",
  run: async (payload: { name: string }) => {
    console.log(`Hello, ${payload.name}!`);
    return { message: `Processed ${payload.name}` };
  },
});

5. Start Development Server

npx trigger dev

6. Trigger Your Task

From your app code:

import { tasks } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
import type { myFirstTask } from "./trigger/my-task";

await tasks.trigger<typeof myFirstTask>("my-first-task", {
  name: "World",
});

Or from the Trigger.dev dashboard "Test" tab.

Project Structure

your-project/
├── trigger.config.ts    # Required - project config
├── trigger/             # Required - task files
│   ├── my-task.ts
│   └── another-task.ts
├── package.json
└── ...

Environment Variables

Create .env or set in your environment:

TRIGGER_SECRET_KEY=tr_dev_xxxxx  # From dashboard > API Keys

Common Issues

"No tasks found"

• Ensure tasks are exported from files in dirs folders
• Check trigger.config.ts points to correct directories

"Project not found"

• Verify project in config matches dashboard
• Check TRIGGER_SECRET_KEY is set

"Task not registered"

• Restart npx trigger dev after adding new tasks
• Tasks must use task() or schemaTask() from @trigger.dev/sdk

Next Steps

• Add retry logic → see trigger-tasks skill
• Configure build extensions → see trigger-config skill
• Build AI workflows → see trigger-agents skill
• Add real-time UI → see trigger-realtime skill