> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.envio.dev/llms.txt). Build an Envio HyperIndex indexer end-to-end with an AI coding assistant. Most developers now reach for an AI coding assistant before they open a file. This guide walks through an AI-centric flow for creating, developing, and deploying a HyperIndex indexer. It is semi-generic, so any capable AI coding assistant (Cursor, Windsurf, Copilot Agent, Continue, etc.) will work. That said, **we've seen the best results with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)** and recommend starting there. :::tip Prefer the interactive flow? If you'd rather drive the CLI yourself, see the [Quickstart](/docs/HyperIndex/quickstart). ::: --- ## Prerequisites - **[Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/download/current)** _(v22 or newer)_ - **[pnpm](https://pnpm.io/installation)** _(recommended but not required)_ - **[Docker Desktop](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/)** _(only needed to run the indexer locally)_ - An AI coding assistant (we recommend **[Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)**) --- ## Step 1. Initialize The Indexer Open Claude/Cursor/Codex and prompt: ```bash pnpx envio init ``` ### Built for AI Agents When we notice a command is run by an agent instead of interactively, we output an AI-friendly prompt with the available options and step-by-step instructions on what to do next. We also provide tools and recommendations an agent can use to get the result, like `envio tools search-docs`, with more coming soon. After the project is initialized, we provide a curated set of skills that guide an agent through the codebase. Together with our [testing framework](/docs/HyperIndex/testing), they let it iterate quickly on indexer changes while keeping quality high. :::tip Upgrading Envio or have stale skills? Run `envio skills update` to pull the latest skills into your project. ::: ### About Envio API Token The **Envio API token** is your **HyperSync API token**. A few things to know: - The token **can't currently be created programmatically**. You generate one by logging in to [envio.dev/app/api-tokens](https://envio.dev/app/api-tokens) and copying it into `ENVIO_API_TOKEN` in your indexer's `.env`. - It's **only required for local development and self-hosted deployments**. Indexers running on **Envio Cloud** get special access and don't need a custom token. - It's **required when using Envio as the data provider (HyperSync)**. If you only use an external RPC as the data source, no token is needed — you can pass an empty string to skip the prompt. - To run `pnpm dev` locally, generate a token from the link above and set `ENVIO_API_TOKEN` in `.env` before starting the indexer. See [API Tokens](/docs/HyperSync/api-tokens) and [Environment Variables](/docs/HyperIndex/environment-variables) for full details. --- ## Step 2. The Development Loop The skills cover config, schema, handlers, loaders, dynamic contracts, testing, and migration checklists, so an agent can read them directly instead of inventing patterns. A productive loop looks like: 1. Describe the behavior you want in plain English. 2. Let the assistant edit `config.yaml`, `schema.graphql`, and `src/handlers`. 3. Have it follow a test-driven loop: write a failing test with [`createTestIndexer()`](/docs/HyperIndex/testing), implement the handler, then run `pnpm test` to capture and lock in snapshots. See the [Testing guide](/docs/HyperIndex/testing) for the full TDD workflow. 4. Iterate on failures together. The three files your agent will spend most of its time in: - **[`config.yaml`](/docs/HyperIndex/configuration-file)**: networks, contracts, events - **[`schema.graphql`](/docs/HyperIndex/schema)**: entities and relationships - **[`src/handlers`](/docs/HyperIndex/event-handlers)**: per-event logic --- ## Step 3. Migrating an Existing Indexer If you're porting from The Graph, Ponder, or another indexing framework, start with the AI migration workflow. It scales much better than hand-editing handlers. - **[Migrate Using AI](/docs/HyperIndex/migrate-with-ai)**: the recommended assistant-driven flow. It's written around subgraphs, but the same **monorepo-plus-phased-prompt** pattern works for **Ponder** and other frameworks. Point the assistant at the source project plus a freshly scaffolded HyperIndex indexer and let the skills guide it. - [Migrate from The Graph (manual)](/docs/HyperIndex/migration-guide) - [Migrate from Ponder](/docs/HyperIndex/migrate-from-ponder) - [Migrate from Alchemy](/docs/HyperIndex/migrate-from-alchemy) --- ## Step 4. Deploy Programmatically with `envio-cloud` Once your indexer runs locally, the [`envio-cloud` CLI](/docs/HyperIndex/envio-cloud-cli) lets an assistant (or a CI job) deploy and manage the hosted indexer without opening the dashboard. ```bash npm install -g envio-cloud envio-cloud login --token $ENVIO_GITHUB_TOKEN envio-cloud indexer add --name my-indexer --repo my-repo envio-cloud deployment status my-indexer --watch-till-synced envio-cloud deployment logs my-indexer --follow ``` Every command supports `-o json`, which makes it easy for assistants and scripts to parse results. Full reference: [Envio Cloud CLI](/docs/HyperIndex/envio-cloud-cli). --- ## Related Resources - [MCP Server](/docs/HyperIndex/mcp-server) - [LLM-friendly docs bundle](/docs/HyperIndex-LLM/hyperindex-complete) - [Envio CLI reference](/docs/HyperIndex/cli-commands) - [Envio Cloud CLI](/docs/HyperIndex/envio-cloud-cli) - [Migrate Using AI](/docs/HyperIndex/migrate-with-ai) - [HyperIndex v3 migration](/docs/HyperIndex/migrate-to-v3)