Once you've created a Wix CLI app, most of your work happens in your local files and the terminal. This section covers what comes after initial setup: building your backend, managing configuration, testing and monitoring your code, and shipping your app to production. If you're new to the CLI itself, About the Wix CLI introduces the tool and the structure of a generated app.
If you're picking up an existing app, it's worth confirming whether it runs on the current Wix CLI or the legacy version, since the development workflow differs between them. If you're not sure, here's how to tell which CLI your project uses.
The CLI gains new commands over time. When it does, you can pull the latest commands into an existing app so you have everything the current version offers.
When your app needs server-side logic, such as calling third-party APIs, working with a database, or exposing your own API, you have two ways to build it:
Maintaining an older app? You can move existing backend code onto HTTP endpoints by migrating from HTTP functions or web methods.
Keep configuration values and secrets, such as API keys, out of your code and access them safely across environments. You can read up on how environment variables work in the CLI, then add and manage your own.
Validate your code as you build by writing unit tests for your project, and run them automatically on every pull request by integrating the CLI into your CI/CD pipeline. Once your app is live, connect it to Sentry to track errors and performance in production.
When your app is ready, build its assets, create shareable previews, and release a version for distribution.