---
title: Build without Git Connection
description: Learn how to trigger Capawesome Cloud Native Builds from local source files without a Git repository connection.
---

# Build without Git Connection

Capawesome Cloud [Native Builds](../index.md) typically clone your Git repository to run a build.
With the `--path` option, you can upload local source files directly instead of cloning from a Git repository.

This is useful when:

- You don't have access to a Mac and want to build iOS apps from your local machine.
- You want to create debug or test builds without pushing to your remote repository first.
- Your Git server is behind a firewall and you don't want to set up tunnels or mirroring (see [Access Git Behind a Firewall](./firewall-access.md)).
- You're using a third-party CI/CD system that already checks out the code and you want to trigger builds from there.

## How It Works

When you use the `--path` option, the CLI packages the contents of the specified directory into a compressed archive (respecting your `.gitignore` rules to exclude unnecessary files), uploads it to Capawesome Cloud, and triggers the build using those files instead of cloning from Git.

## Limitations

Builds triggered with `--path` have the following limitations:

- **No Git information**: The Cloud UI will not display Git-related metadata (commit SHA, branch, author) for the build.
- **No Automations**: Builds from local files cannot be used with the [Automations](../automations/index.md) feature, which relies on Git events.
- **No UI-triggered builds**: You cannot trigger or re-run these builds from the Cloud Console. They can only be started via the CLI.
- **Cannot combine with `--git-ref`**: The `--path` and `--git-ref` options are mutually exclusive.

## Usage

To trigger a build from your local source files, run the following command from your project directory:

```bash
npx @capawesome/cli apps:builds:create \
    --app-id <app-id> \
    --path . \
    --platform <platform> \
    --type <type>
```

Replace the following placeholders:

- `<app-id>`: The ID of your app in Capawesome Cloud.
- `<platform>`: The target platform (`android`, `ios`, or `web`).
- `<type>`: The build type (e.g. `debug`, `release` for Android; `simulator`, `development`, `ad-hoc`, `app-store` for iOS). Not required for web builds.

You can combine `--path` with other options like `--certificate`, `--environment`, or `--stack` just as you would for a regular Git-based build.
Refer to the [CLI documentation](../cli/commands.md#appsbuildscreate) for the full list of available options.