Serve functions

Use serve() when your functions live in an existing web app, API route, or serverless deployment. Your app exposes one reachable endpoint, usually /api/inngest. Inngest calls that endpoint to run functions and steps. The handler also returns function metadata and registers definitions during an app sync.

Your cloud provider runs the code, so its request duration, memory, and body-size limits still apply. Connect fits a long-running worker with outbound access.

Add the HTTP handler

For TypeScript v4, import the handler for your framework and give it the client and the functions the app exposes:

import { serve } from "inngest/next";
import { inngest, functions } from "./inngest";

export const { GET, POST, PUT } = serve({ client: inngest, functions });

The endpoint uses GET for development metadata, POST for invocation, and PUT to sync function definitions. Export the route and methods required by your framework. In production, set INNGEST_SIGNING_KEY on the deployed app. After a deployment changes the functions, sync the app so Inngest sees the new definitions. Confirm the registered functions in the dashboard, then trigger a run. Configure the host to accept requests up to 4 MB.

Configure the handler

The serve() handler requires client and functions. Set serveOrigin or servePath when a proxy or host prevents the SDK from finding the public URL. Set streaming only when the framework and host support streamed responses and you need the host's longer execution window. Configure signingKey, logger, baseUrl, and fetch on the Inngest client.

AWS Lambda and Google Cloud Run Functions use the documented HTTP handlers. Vercel has a deployment guide and an integration that can set keys and sync the app. Cloudflare Pages has a deployment guide; the HTTP handler reference also covers Cloudflare Workers. Enable Node.js compatibility for AsyncLocalStorage on Workers. If your provider is not listed, start with the HTTP handler and custom adapter guidance. Check its request and execution limits before deploying.

For registration and deployment health, see Apps and syncing. For a comparison of connection methods, see Deploying functions.