---
title: NestLocalBuilder
description: Builder that compiles workflow files into bundles for NestJS apps.
type: reference
summary: Use NestLocalBuilder to build workflow bundles programmatically in a NestJS project.
prerequisites:
  - /docs/getting-started/nestjs
---

# NestLocalBuilder



Builder that scans a NestJS project for workflow files and compiles them into the step, workflow, and webhook bundles plus a manifest. [`WorkflowModule.forRoot()`](/docs/api-reference/workflow-nest/workflow-module) creates and runs one automatically on startup — instantiate it yourself only when you need to build bundles outside the module lifecycle (e.g. a custom build script for production with `skipBuild`).

## Usage

```typescript title="scripts/build-workflows.ts" lineNumbers
import { NestLocalBuilder } from "workflow/nest"; // [!code highlight]

const builder = new NestLocalBuilder({
  dirs: ["src"],
});

await builder.build(); // [!code highlight]

console.log(`Workflow bundles written to ${builder.outDir}`);
```

## API Signature

### Constructor

`new NestLocalBuilder(options?)` creates a builder for the given options.

### Parameters

| Parameter | Type                 | Description                              |
| --------- | -------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| `options` | `NestBuilderOptions` | Optional. Configures the workflow build. |

#### NestBuilderOptions

| Option       | Type                  | Default                                         | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| ------------ | --------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `workingDir` | `string`              | `process.cwd()`                                 | Working directory for the NestJS application.                                                                                                                                                                         |
| `dirs`       | `string[]`            | `['src']`                                       | Directories to scan for workflow files.                                                                                                                                                                               |
| `outDir`     | `string`              | `'.nestjs/workflow'` (relative to `workingDir`) | Output directory for generated workflow bundles.                                                                                                                                                                      |
| `watch`      | `boolean`             | `false`                                         | Enable watch mode for development.                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| `moduleType` | `'es6' \| 'commonjs'` | `'es6'`                                         | SWC module compilation type. When `'commonjs'`, the builder rewrites externalized imports in the steps bundle to use `require()` via `createRequire`, avoiding ESM/CJS named-export interop issues with SWC's output. |
| `distDir`    | `string`              | `'dist'`                                        | Directory where NestJS compiles `.ts` source files to `.js` (relative to `workingDir`). Used when `moduleType` is `'commonjs'` to resolve compiled file paths. Should match the `outDir` in your `tsconfig.json`.     |

### Methods

#### `build()`

Builds the workflow bundles. Writes `steps.mjs`, `workflows.mjs`, `webhook.mjs`, and `manifest.json` to the output directory (plus a `.gitignore` covering the generated files when not deploying to Vercel). Returns `Promise<void>`.

### Properties

#### `outDir`

Read-only getter that returns the output directory for generated workflow bundles — the `outDir` option as passed, or the default `.nestjs/workflow` resolved against `workingDir`.

### Returns

The constructor returns a `NestLocalBuilder` instance.


## Sitemap
[Overview of all docs pages](/sitemap.md)