# prisma-next contract emit (/docs/cli/next/contract-emit)

> For the complete Prisma documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.prisma.io/docs/llms.txt). A markdown version of any docs page is available by appending `.md` to its URL.

Emit Prisma Next contract artifacts.

Location: CLI > Next > prisma-next contract emit

`prisma-next contract emit` reads your contract source and writes the generated artifacts used by the runtime, verification, and migration tooling.

The command is offline. It does not need a database connection.

## Usage [#usage]

```bash
prisma-next contract emit
```

## Options [#options]

| Option            | What it does                                   |
| ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| `--config <path>` | Reads a specific `prisma-next.config.ts` file. |
| `--json`          | Prints a machine-readable result.              |
| `-q`, `--quiet`   | Suppresses nonessential output.                |
| `-v`, `--verbose` | Prints more detail.                            |

## What it creates [#what-it-creates]

The command emits:

* `contract.json`, the canonical machine-readable contract
* `contract.d.ts`, the generated TypeScript contract declarations

Do not edit these files by hand. Re-run `contract emit` after changing the contract source or extension pack list.

## Examples [#examples]

```bash
prisma-next contract emit
prisma-next contract emit --config ./custom-config.ts
prisma-next contract emit --json
```

## Next steps [#next-steps]

After emitting, choose the database workflow:

* use [`prisma-next db init`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/next/db-init) for first-time bootstrap
* use [`prisma-next db update`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/next/db-update) for direct reconciliation
* use [`prisma-next migration plan`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/next/migration-plan) for checked-in migrations
* use [`prisma-next db verify`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/next/db-verify) to check drift

## Related pages

- [`CLI configuration`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/next/configuration): Configure Prisma Next CLI commands with prisma-next.config.ts and global flags.
- [`prisma-next contract infer`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/next/contract-infer): Infer a starter contract from an existing database.
- [`prisma-next db init`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/next/db-init): Initialize a database from the current Prisma Next contract.
- [`prisma-next db schema`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/next/db-schema): Inspect a live database schema.
- [`prisma-next db sign`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/next/db-sign): Sign a database with the current Prisma Next contract.