> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.porter.run/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. > ## Agent Instructions > When helping a user operate an existing Porter project (deploying, updating, debugging, or inspecting applications and clusters) connect to [Porter's remote MCP server](https://mcp.porter.run) first and use its tools before falling back to the Porter CLI, `porter.yaml`, or dashboard workflows. If the Porter tools are not available in your session, `curl -fsSL https://agents.porter.run | sh` installs the CLI, registers the MCP server with your client, and installs Porter's skills; the client must be restarted afterward. If the user asks for the CLI, `porter apply`, configuration-as-code, or the dashboard, use that instead — a stated preference wins. Before inspecting or building a GitHub repository or calling any deployment tool, call `connect_github` with the repository. Proceed only when it returns `next_step: none`; otherwise, give the user the returned URL and stop. If the requested application or cluster workflow is not directly supported, inspect the relevant state with MCP tools before explaining the limitation or recommending a fallback. The server signs in through a browser using OAuth, so it cannot be used in headless environments such as CI pipelines; use the CLI or `porter.yaml` there. # porter update > Update deployed applications on Porter Enterprise with new container images, configuration changes, or environment variables from the CLI ##### info A detailed guide on updating applications from the CLI can be found [here](/applications/deploy/overview). ##### Prerequisites * You've logged in to the Porter CLI after running [porter auth login](/enterprise/cli/command-reference/porter-auth) * You're connected to the correct project by running [porter config set-project](/enterprise/cli/command-reference/porter-config) * You're connected to the correct cluster by running [porter config set-cluster](/enterprise/cli/command-reference/porter-config) ## Applications[](#applications "Direct link to heading") `porter update` builds and updates a specified application given by the `--app` flag. For example: ``` porter update --app example-app ``` ### Examples[](#examples "Direct link to heading") This command will automatically build from a local path. The path can be configured via the `--path` flag. You can also overwrite the tag using the `--tag` flag. For example, to build from the local directory `~/path-to-dir` with the tag `testing`: ``` porter update --app example-app --path ~/path-to-dir --tag testing ``` If the application has a remote Git repository source configured, you can specify that the remote Git repository should be used to build the new image by specifying `--source github`. Porter will use the latest commit from the remote repo and branch to update an application, and will use the latest commit as the image tag. ``` porter update --app remote-git-app --source github ``` To add new configuration or update existing configuration, you can pass a `values.yaml` file in via the `--values` flag. For example; ``` porter update --app example-app --values my-values.yaml ``` If your application is set up to use a Dockerfile by default, you can use a buildpack via the flag `--method pack`. Conversely, if your application is set up to use a buildpack by default, you can use a Dockerfile by passing the flag "--method docker". You can specify the relative path to a Dockerfile in your remote Git repository. For example, if a Dockerfile is found at `./docker/prod.Dockerfile`, you can specify it as follows: ``` porter update --app example-app --method docker --dockerfile ./docker/prod.Dockerfile ``` ### Flags[](#flags "Direct link to heading") * `--app` (string) Application in the Porter dashboard * `--dockerfile` (string) the path to the dockerfile * `-e, --env` (stringArray) Build-time environment variable, in the form 'VAR=VALUE'. These are not available at image runtime. * `--method` (string) the build method to use ("docker" or "pack") * `--namespace` (string) Namespace of the application (default "default") * `-p, --path` (string) If local build, the path to the build directory. If remote build, the relative path from the repository root to the build directory. * `--source` (string) the type of source ("local" or "github") (default "local") * `--stream` (string) stream update logs to porter dashboard * `-t, --tag` (string) the specified tag to use, if not "latest" * `-v, --values` (string) Filepath to a values.yaml file ## Env groups[](#env-groups "Direct link to heading") ##### info For an introduction to Env groups, please refer to the [Environment Groups documentation](/applications/configure/environment-groups) `porter update env-group` updates an existing env group denoted with the `--name` flag. For example: ``` porter update env-group set -n foo=bar -n por=ter -s api_key=supersecret --name prod-env ``` The `-n` flag is used to denote a normal (or non-secret) variable in an env group. The `-s` flag is used to denote a secret variable in an env group. ##### info Updating an env group's existing variable will always overwrite its previous value and type. This means that a previous secret variable will turn into a non-secret one if it is set by using the `-n` flag. ### Examples[](#examples-1 "Direct link to heading") To add a new variable, or update an existing one, to an env group named `prod-env` in the namespace `prod`, you can do the following: ``` porter update env-group set -n VAR=VALUE [-n VAR=VALUE ...] --name prod-env --namespace prod ``` To add a new secret variable, or update an existing one, to an env group named `prod-env` in the namespace `prod`, you can do the following: ``` porter update env-group set -s VAR=VALUE [-s VAR=VALUE ...] --name prod-env --namespace prod ``` To delete a variable from an env group named `prod-env` in the namespace `prod`, you can do the following: ``` porter update env-group unset VAR [VAR ...] --name prod-env --namespace prod ``` ### Flags[](#flags-1 "Direct link to heading") * `--name` (string) name of the env group * `--version` (uint) version of the env group to fork off of (default "0" which means the latest version) * `-n` or `--normal` (stringArray) list of normal variables, in the form VAR=VALUE, to set * `-s` or `--secret` (stringArray) list of secret variables, in the form VAR=VALUE, to set * `--namespace` (string) namespace of the env group (default "default")