deploy-to-connect

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# Deploying to Posit Connect

This guide covers Python, R, and static content on a Connect server.
A registered Connect Model Context Protocol (MCP) server can also provide publishing tools.

Choose the deployment route that matches the content and available tools:

- Python — [posit-cli](https://github.com/posit-dev/posit-cli), which provides the `posit` CLI and is published on PyPI. Its `posit connect` commands wrap [rsconnect-python](https://github.com/posit-dev/rsconnect-python).
- R — the R [`rsconnect`](https://rstudio.github.io/rsconnect/) package, pointed at a Connect server.
- A registered Connect MCP server — use its publishing tools when they support the content.

If the user asks a question ("how do I…", "what is the command…") rather than asking for a deploy, answer from this guide and stop.

At the end, report which server you deployed to, which content type you picked, any tool you installed, and any assumption you made.

---

## Stage 1 — Detect the content

Infer the language and framework from the files in the project directory. Common signals:

| Signal in project dir | Likely content |
| --- | --- |
| `app.py` | Python web app — Shiny for Python, Streamlit, Dash, Gradio, Panel, or Bokeh |
| `app.R`, or `ui.R` + `server.R` | Shiny for R |
| `plumber.R` / `entrypoint.R` containing `plumb()` | Plumber API (R) |
| `*.qmd` | Quarto document |
| `*.Rmd` | R Markdown |
| `*.ipynb` | Jupyter notebook / Voila |
| `index.html`, or a directory containing HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or image files | Static HTML site |
| `manifest.json` | Prebuilt bundle — deploy it directly, no framework guess needed |
| A bare `.py` or `.R` — no framework import, no `ui.R`/`server.R`/`plumber.R`/`entrypoint.R` alongside | Script — a batch/ETL job that Quarto renders and Connect can schedule |

### Confirm the guess

The imports in `app.py` name the framework:

```console
grep -Eo 'import (shiny|streamlit|dash|gradio|panel|bokeh)|from (shiny|streamlit|dash|gradio|panel|bokeh)' app.py
```

A bare ASGI or WSGI object means `fastapi` or `flask`.

Dependency files confirm the language: `requirements.txt` and `pyproject.toml` for Python, `DESCRIPTION` and `renv.lock` for R.

Quarto renders a script only if it opens with a front-matter comment: `# %% [markdown]` around a `---` block in Python, `#' ---` in R. Most scripts lack one — add it before the deploy (Stage 5).

If the content is ambiguous (both Python and R files, or an `app.py` with no recognizable import), use your discretion, and report the assumption you made.

---

## Stage 2 — Inventory your tools

Probe the environment and build a capability set:

```console
command -v posit                                     # posit-cli on PATH
command -v rsconnect                                 # rsconnect-python on PATH
command -v uv                                        # uv (installs and runs Python tools)
uv tool list 2>/dev/null | grep posit-cli            # posit-cli installed via uv
command -v Rscript                                   # R present
Rscript -e 'cat(requireNamespace("rsconnect", quietly=TRUE))' 2>/dev/null   # R rsconnect package
command -v quarto                                     # quarto CLI
command -v git                                        # git
```

With `uv` present, Python content needs no install step. `uv tool run --from posit-cli posit ...` fetches and runs the CLI on demand.
If an authenticated Connect MCP server is registered, include its publishing tools in the capability set.

---

## Stage 3 — Pick a route

Cross the detected content (Stage 1) with your capabilities (Stage 2).

### Registered Connect MCP server

If a registered Connect MCP server offers publishing tools for this content, follow the guidance provided by that server.
Otherwise, use a publishing client below.

### Python content

Use posit-cli. With `posit` on `PATH`:

```console
posit connect deploy <framework> ./my-app
```

Off `PATH` but with `uv` present:

```console
uv tool run --from posit-cli posit connect deploy <framework> ./my-app
```

Both forms take identical arguments. The rest of this guide writes the bare `posit connect ...` form. Prefix it with `uv tool run --from posit-cli` when you use the second route.

`posit connect` mounts the full `rsconnect` command set, so `posit connect <command>` and `rsconnect <command>` take the same arguments and share the same saved servers. If `rsconnect` is on `PATH` and you cannot get `posit`, run `rsconnect <command>` in place of `posit connect <command>`.

`<framework>` is one of `api`, `bokeh`, `bundle`, `dash`, `fastapi`, `flask`, `git`, `gradio`, `html`, `manifest`, `nodejs`, `notebook`, `panel`, `pyproject`, `quarto`, `shiny`, `streamlit`, `tensorflow`, `voila`. For anything outside that list, `posit connect deploy other-content` prints guidance.

The frameworks and flags depend on the installed version, so confirm against `posit connect deploy --help` rather than this list. If `uv tool run` resolves a stale cached version, add `--refresh`: `uv tool run --refresh --from posit-cli posit ...`.

### R content

Use the R `rsconnect` package, through `Rscript -e '...'` or an R session:

- Shiny for R, Plumber API, or any app directory → `deployApp()`
- A single R Markdown or Quarto document → `deployDoc()`
- A full R Markdown or Quarto site → `deploySite()`

If `Rscript` is absent, deploy the R content through posit-cli with a `manifest.json`:

- A `manifest.json` already exists — deploy it directly:
  ```console

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