Updating Deployed Workflows

When you update a deployed workflow, you redeploy it with the same workflow name. The new deployment replaces the previous version in the Workflow Registry contract. Currently, CRE does not maintain version history—each deployment overwrites the previous one.

Prerequisites

Before updating a deployed workflow, ensure you have:

• A deployed workflow: The workflow must already exist in the Workflow Registry.
• Workflow ownership: You must be the owner of the workflow (the account that originally deployed it). Only the workflow owner can update it.
• Local workflow folder: You must run this command from your project directory. The CLI reads the workflow name and configuration from your workflow.yaml file to identify which workflow to update.
• Logged in: Authenticated with the platform by running cre login. To check if you are logged in, run cre whoami.
• A funded wallet: The account must be funded with ETH on Ethereum Mainnet to pay the gas fees for the onchain transaction to the Workflow Registry contract.

Updating a workflow

To update a workflow, simply redeploy it using the same workflow name:

cre workflow deploy my-workflow --target production-settings

What happens during an update

1. Compilation: Your updated workflow code is compiled to WASM
2. Upload: The new binary and configuration files are uploaded to the CRE Storage Service
3. Registration: A new registration transaction is sent to the Workflow Registry contract
4. Replacement: The previous version is replaced with the new deployment

Auto-start behavior

By default, cre workflow deploy uses --auto-start=true, which means the updated workflow is automatically activated after deployment. If your workflow was previously paused and you want it to remain paused after the update, use --auto-start=false:

cre workflow deploy my-workflow --auto-start=false --target production-settings

Best practices for updates

1. Test locally first: Always test your changes using cre workflow simulate before deploying to production
2. Pause before updating (optional): If you want to ensure no triggers fire during the update, pause the workflow first using cre workflow pause
3. Monitor after deployment: Check that the updated workflow executes correctly after deployment
4. Keep track of changes: Maintain your own version control (e.g., Git tags) to track workflow versions

Using multi-sig wallets

The deploy command supports multi-sig wallets through the --unsigned flag. When using this flag, the CLI generates raw transaction data that you can submit through your multi-sig wallet interface instead of sending the transaction directly.

For complete setup instructions, configuration requirements, and step-by-step guidance, see Using Multi-sig Wallets.

Learn more

• Deploying Workflows — Learn about the initial deployment process
• Activating & Pausing Workflows — Control workflow execution state
• Deleting Workflows — Remove workflows from the registry