About this video

• Video Title: How to Get Started with Trigger.dev
• Channel: Jannis Moore
• Speakers: Jannis Moore
• Duration: 23:53

Overview

This video explains how traditional workflow automation tools are becoming obsolete, being replaced by agentic systems. The speaker introduces Trigger.dev as a modern, code-based platform designed for these agentic systems, contrasting it with visual, human-centric automation tools. The video demonstrates how to set up Trigger.dev, create a basic workflow, and deploy it, highlighting its ability to handle complexities that AI alone struggles with, such as error handling and scaling.

Key takeaways

• Traditional workflow automation tools are being replaced by agentic systems.
• Trigger.dev is a code-based platform designed for agentic AI, offering robustness in error handling, observability, and scaling that current AI often lacks.
• Setting up Trigger.dev involves using an IDE like Anti-gravity, creating a project, and installing the Trigger.dev CLI.
• Workflows in Trigger.dev, called "tasks," can be developed locally and then deployed to the cloud.
• Trigger.dev allows for natural language interaction with AI to build and modify workflows, removing the need for extensive coding knowledge.
• The platform provides a local development environment and a production environment, with seamless synchronization between them.
• Advanced features like debugging and integrating with external services (e.g., webhooks) are demonstrated.

Trigger.dev differs from traditional automation tools like Zapier or Make.com primarily in its target audience and underlying technology. While Zapier and Make.com are visual, node-based platforms designed for human users to build workflows, Trigger.dev is a code-based platform built specifically for agentic systems (AI agents).

Key differences include:

• Code-based vs. Visual: Trigger.dev is fully code-based, removing visual nodes and connections, whereas Zapier and Make.com rely on a graphical user interface.
• Designed for AI Agents: Trigger.dev is built for technology to talk to technology directly, whereas traditional tools are designed for humans to build automations that technology then uses.
• Handling Complexities: Trigger.dev explicitly addresses complexities that AI often struggles with out-of-the-box, such as proper error handling, queuing, retrying, and observability, which are crucial for robust, long-running tasks.
• Agentic Focus: It's geared towards "agentic first" development, allowing AI to manage connections and workflows more autonomously.
• Natural Language Integration: While code-based, it emphasizes using natural language to interact with AI for building and modifying workflows, reducing the technical barrier for users.

To set up Trigger.dev, you'll need the following:

1. An Integrated Development Environment (IDE): The video recommends using an IDE that supports AI coding, such as:

   • Anti-gravity (recommended for beginners)
   • Cursor.com
   • Cloud.com

   You'll need to have one of these installed and set up.

2. A Trigger.dev Account:

   • Go to the Trigger.dev website and sign up for an account. The platform is free to get started.
   • The speaker mentions that costs are generally low, especially for those focused on cost optimization, and self-hosting is an option later on.

3. A Project Folder:

   • Create an empty folder on your computer for your Trigger.dev project.
   • Open this folder in your chosen IDE.

4. Install Trigger.dev CLI:

   • Once your IDE is set up and you have a project folder open, you'll need to install the Trigger.dev CLI.
   • This is done by running a specific command in your IDE's terminal. The video shows copying a command from the Trigger.dev dashboard and pasting it into the terminal.
   • This installation process will also set up an example workflow (like a "hello world" task) within your project.

5. Authentication:

   • When you run the Trigger.dev commands, you will likely need to authenticate your account. This usually involves a pop-up on the Trigger.dev website to log in.

The process involves creating a project in your IDE, installing the necessary CLI tools, and then using commands to initialize and manage your Trigger.dev workflows. The video emphasizes that you don't need to be a coding expert to get started, as AI assistance is a core part of the workflow creation process.