Building with AI: overview

npx trigger.dev@latest install-mcp

npx trigger.dev@latest skills

# Trigger.dev rules

## Imports

Always import from `@trigger.dev/sdk` — never from `@trigger.dev/sdk/v3` or use the deprecated `client.defineJob` pattern.

## Task pattern

Every task must be exported. Use `task()` from `@trigger.dev/sdk`:

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

export const myTask = task({
  id: "my-task",
  retry: {
    maxAttempts: 3,
    factor: 1.8,
    minTimeoutInMs: 500,
    maxTimeoutInMs: 30_000,
  },
  run: async (payload: { url: string }) => {
    // No timeouts — runs can take as long as needed
    return { success: true };
  },
});
```

## Triggering tasks

From your backend (Next.js route, Express handler, etc.):

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

// Fire and forget
const handle = await tasks.trigger<typeof myTask>("my-task", { url: "https://example.com" });

// Batch trigger (up to 1,000 items)
const batchHandle = await tasks.batchTrigger<typeof myTask>("my-task", [
  { payload: { url: "https://example.com/1" } },
  { payload: { url: "https://example.com/2" } },
]);
```

### From inside other tasks

```ts
export const parentTask = task({
  id: "parent-task",
  run: async (payload) => {
    // Fire and forget
    await childTask.trigger({ data: "value" });

    // Wait for result — returns a Result object, NOT the output directly
    const result = await childTask.triggerAndWait({ data: "value" });
    if (result.ok) {
      console.log(result.output); // The actual return value
    } else {
      console.error(result.error);
    }

    // Or use .unwrap() to get output directly (throws on failure)
    const output = await childTask.triggerAndWait({ data: "value" }).unwrap();
  },
});
```

> Never wrap `triggerAndWait` or `batchTriggerAndWait` in `Promise.all` — this is not supported.

## Error handling

```ts
import { task, retry, AbortTaskRunError } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";

export const resilientTask = task({
  id: "resilient-task",
  retry: { maxAttempts: 5 },
  run: async (payload) => {
    // Permanent error — skip retrying
    if (!payload.isValid) {
      throw new AbortTaskRunError("Invalid payload, will not retry");
    }

    // Retry a specific block (not the whole task)
    const data = await retry.onThrow(
      async () => await fetchExternalApi(payload),
      { maxAttempts: 3 }
    );

    return data;
  },
});
```

## Schema validation

Use `schemaTask` with Zod for payload validation:

```ts
import { schemaTask } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
import { z } from "zod";

export const processVideo = schemaTask({
  id: "process-video",
  schema: z.object({ videoUrl: z.string().url() }),
  run: async (payload) => {
    // payload is typed and validated
  },
});
```

## Waits

Use `wait.for` for delays, `wait.until` for dates, and `wait.forToken` for external callbacks:

```ts
import { wait } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
await wait.for({ seconds: 30 });
await wait.until({ date: new Date("2025-01-01") });
```

## Configuration

`trigger.config.ts` lives at the project root:

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

export default defineConfig({
  project: "<your-project-ref>",
  dirs: ["./trigger"],
});
```

## Common mistakes

1. **Forgetting to export tasks** — every task must be a named export
2. **Importing from `@trigger.dev/sdk/v3`** — this is the old v3 path; always use `@trigger.dev/sdk`
3. **Using `client.defineJob()`** — this is the deprecated v2 API
4. **Calling `task.trigger()` directly** — use `tasks.trigger<typeof myTask>("task-id", payload)` from your backend
5. **Using `triggerAndWait` result as output** — it returns a `Result` object; check `result.ok` then access `result.output`, or use `.unwrap()`
6. **Wrapping waits/triggerAndWait in `Promise.all`** — not supported in Trigger.dev tasks
7. **Adding timeouts to tasks** — tasks have no built-in timeout; use `maxDuration` in config if needed