Running Scripts

In local development, you may need to run scripts or commands, such as seeding a database with initial data. For that to work the database needs to be started, and the Encore runtime needs to be configured and initialized.

Using encore exec

The encore exec command allows you to execute custom commands while leveraging Encore's infrastructure setup. This is particularly useful for tasks like database seeding, running scripts, or other one-off commands that require the app's environment to be initialized.

How it works

The encore exec command initializes the required infrastructure for your Encore app and executes the specified command. This ensures that your commands run in the correct context with all dependencies properly configured.

Example: Database Seeding

In this example, npx tsx ./seed.ts runs a TypeScript script (seed.ts) to populate the database with initial data

encore exec -- npx tsx ./seed.ts

Here’s what happens:

1. Encore initializes the app infrastructure.
2. The npx tsx ./seed.ts command is executed in the context of the initialized app.

General Syntax

encore exec -- <your-command>

Substitute <your-command> with the specific command you wish to run.

Use Cases

• Database Seeding: Populate your database with initial data using a script.
• Client Generation: Generate a client for interacting with an external dependency.
• Custom Scripts: Run any script that depends on the app's initialized environment.

Notes

• Ensure that the command you provide is executable in your environment.
• Use -- to separate encore exec options from the command you want to run.