> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.langchain.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Deploy a Managed Deep Agent

> Test and deploy a Managed Deep Agent with the mda CLI.

Deploying a Managed Deep Agent compiles a code-first project into a managed LangGraph app, syncs deploy-owned context to [Context Hub](/langsmith/use-the-context-hub), uploads the compiled source, and triggers a LangSmith hosted deployment build.

<Note>
  Managed Deep Agents is in **public [beta](/langsmith/release-stages)** and available on [LangSmith Cloud](/langsmith/cloud) in the US region only.
</Note>

This page covers secrets routing and deploy options. To test the agent before deploying, see [Develop locally with LangSmith Studio](/langsmith/python/managed-deep-agents-local-development). For command flags, the deploy step list, and troubleshooting, see the [CLI reference](/langsmith/python/managed-deep-agents-cli).

## Prerequisites

Before you deploy, make sure you have:

* A workspace with Managed Deep Agents public beta access.

* A [LangSmith API key](/langsmith/create-account-api-key) for that workspace, either in `.env` or your shell environment.

* The `mda` CLI installed from `managed-deepagents`.

* Project dependencies installed with `uv sync` for generated Python projects.

* Model provider credentials, such as `OPENAI_API_KEY`, in `.env`, your shell environment, or LangSmith workspace secrets.

The CLI targets US LangSmith Cloud by default.

## Deploy to LangSmith

Deploy the local project:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-latte","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
mda deploy .
```

<Tip>
  `mda deploy` routes local project inputs to different managed surfaces:

  ```text theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-latte","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
  instructions.md + skills/**  -> Context Hub deploy-owned context
  .env                         -> deploy auth + non-reserved hosted secrets, not archived
  project source files         -> .mda/build source archive -> hosted deployment
  schedules/**                 -> LangSmith cron jobs after the deployment is live
  ```
</Tip>

Set the deployment name explicitly when the directory name is not the name you want:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-latte","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
mda deploy . --name research-assistant
```

Use `--deployment-type prod` when creating a production deployment:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-latte","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
mda deploy . --deployment-type prod
```

Use `--no-wait` to trigger the build without polling for completion:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-latte","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
mda deploy . --no-wait
```

When `--no-wait` is set, schedule reconciliation is skipped for that deploy invocation because the CLI exits before the deployment reaches `DEPLOYED`.

On success, the CLI prints the LangSmith deployment dashboard URL. For the full deploy step list, see the [CLI reference](/langsmith/python/managed-deep-agents-cli#deploy-projects).

## Secrets and environment files

`mda deploy` reads project `.env` values before shell environment variables. Use `.env` for the LangSmith API key that authenticates the deploy and for runtime secrets the hosted deployment needs:

```text .env theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-latte","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
LANGSMITH_API_KEY=<LANGSMITH_API_KEY>
OPENAI_API_KEY=<OPENAI_API_KEY>
GITHUB_MCP_TOKEN=<GITHUB_MCP_TOKEN>
DATABASE_URL=<DATABASE_URL>
```

`LANGSMITH_API_KEY`, `LANGGRAPH_HOST_API_KEY`, `LANGCHAIN_API_KEY`, and other platform variables are reserved. They can authenticate the deploy, but they are not uploaded as user-managed deployment secrets.

Non-reserved `.env` entries, such as model provider keys, MCP tokens, and custom tool credentials, are forwarded as hosted deployment secrets when `mda deploy` creates or updates the deployment. If the configured model requires a provider key, deploy fails before upload unless that key is available from `.env`, the shell environment, or LangSmith workspace secrets. When the provider key is only in the shell environment, `mda deploy` forwards it as a secret for that deploy.

Reserved platform variables, empty values, `.env`, and `.env.*` files are not copied into the compiled build archive.

For authentication key order and reserved variables, see the [CLI reference](/langsmith/python/managed-deep-agents-cli#authentication).

## Troubleshoot a deploy

For deploy troubleshooting, see the [CLI reference](/langsmith/python/managed-deep-agents-cli#troubleshooting).

If a deployment reaches `BUILD_FAILED` or `DEPLOY_FAILED`, open the printed deployment URL in LangSmith and inspect the revision logs.

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Identity" icon="fingerprint" href="/langsmith/python/managed-deep-agents-identity">
    Authenticate callers and provide private threads.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Schedules" icon="calendar" href="/langsmith/python/managed-deep-agents-schedules">
    Run agents on managed cron schedules.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Custom tools" icon="tool" href="/langsmith/python/managed-deep-agents-tools">
    Add authored LangChain tools to the agent definition.
  </Card>

  <Card title="CLI reference" icon="terminal" href="/langsmith/python/managed-deep-agents-cli">
    Look up every `mda` command and flag.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

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