feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap#9474

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feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap #9474

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fc4ee9a
feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap
djgould Aug 17, 2026
422741e
feat(nextjs): fix import sort
djgould Aug 17, 2026
8887b43
feat(nextjs): apply adversarial-review findings to keyless removal
djgould Aug 17, 2026
a4ff714
feat(nextjs): state that clerk init is non-interactive in missing-env…
djgould Aug 18, 2026
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5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions .changeset/keyless-bootstrap-state-deprecated.md
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@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/backend': patch
---

Mark the internal `createBootstrapSignedOutState` as deprecated. It is no longer used by `@clerk/nextjs` and is kept only for older published SDK versions.
5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions .changeset/keyless-cli-init-error.md
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@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/nextjs': minor
---

In development, missing Clerk keys no longer activate keyless mode. When `NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY` and `CLERK_SECRET_KEY` are not set, the SDK now throws an error directing you to run `npx clerk@latest init`, which provisions a Clerk application and writes the keys to `.env.local`. Keyless credentials stored in the development keyless cookie are no longer read. Existing apps with configured or claimed keys are unaffected.
10 changes: 6 additions & 4 deletions integration/tests/next-middleware-keyless.test.ts
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Expand Up@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode | middleware authorization @nextjs', () => {
await app.teardown();
});

test('auth.protect() in middleware redirects to sign-in during keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
await page.waitForURL(/\/sign-in/);
await expect(page.getByTestId('protected')).not.toBeVisible();
test('requests without keys fail with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
const content = await page.content();
expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
});
});
82 changes: 27 additions & 55 deletions integration/tests/next-quickstart-keyless.test.ts
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@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
import * as path from 'node:path';

import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';

import type { Application } from '../models/application';
import { appConfigs } from '../presets';
import { fs } from '../scripts';
import { createTestUtils } from '../testUtils';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall, testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';

const commonSetup = appConfigs.next.appRouterQuickstart.clone();

Expand All@@ -17,87 +20,56 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode @quickstart', () => {
});

let app: Application;
let dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/';

test.beforeAll(async () => {
app = await commonSetup.commit();
await app.setup();
await app.withEnv(appConfigs.envs.withKeyless);
if (appConfigs.envs.withKeyless.privateVariables.get('CLERK_API_URL')?.includes('clerkstage')) {
dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerkstage.dev/';
}
await app.dev();
});

test.afterAll(async () => {
await app.teardown();
});

test('Navigates to non-existent page (/_not-found) without a infinite redirect loop.', async ({ page, context }) => {
const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
await u.page.goToAppHome();
await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();
await u.po.expect.toBeSignedOut();

await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();

const redirectMap = new Map<string, number>();
page.on('request', request => {
// Only count GET requests since Next.js server actions are sent with POST requests.
if (request.method() === 'GET') {
const url = request.url();
redirectMap.set(url, (redirectMap.get(url) || 0) + 1);
expect(redirectMap.get(url)).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
}
});

await u.page.goToRelative('/something');
await u.page.waitForAppUrl('/something');
});

test('Toggle collapse popover and claim.', async ({ page, context }) => {
await testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim({ page, context, app, dashboardUrl, framework: 'nextjs' });
});

test('Lands on claimed application with missing explicit keys, expanded by default, click to get keys from dashboard.', async ({
test('Without keys, the app fails with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap.', async ({
page,
context,
}) => {
await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
await u.page.goToAppHome();
await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.isExpanded()).toBe(true);
await expect(u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

const href = await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys().getAttribute('href');
expect(href).toBeTruthy();
expect(href).toContain(dashboardUrl);
const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/`);
expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
const content = await page.content();
expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
});

test('Claimed application with keys inside .env, on dismiss, keyless prompt is removed.', async ({
test('Claimed application with keys inside .env mounts the keyless prompt; on dismiss, it is removed.', async ({
page,
context,
}) => {
await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
await u.page.goToAppHome();

await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
await expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

/**
* Copy keys from `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json to `.env`
* Seed claimed keyless state directly: the SDK no longer mints keys, so write the
* keys fixture to `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json` and copy the matching keys into `.env`.
*/
const publishableKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.publicVariables.get('CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY');
const secretKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.privateVariables.get('CLERK_SECRET_KEY');
await fs.ensureDir(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp'));
await fs.writeJSON(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp', 'keyless.json'), {
publishableKey,
secretKey,
claimUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/apps/claim',
apiKeysUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/last-active?path=api-keys',
});
await app.keylessToEnv();
/**
* wait a bit for the server to load the new env file
*/
await page.waitForTimeout(5_000);

await page.reload();
await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
await u.page.goToAppHome();
await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToDismiss().click();

Expand Down
2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions packages/backend/src/tokens/authStatus.ts
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Expand Up@@ -291,6 +291,8 @@ type BootstrapSignedOutParams = {
* `isSatellite` / `domain` / `proxyUrl` are carried through so that cross-origin
* satellite redirects produced by `createRedirect` include the `__clerk_status=needs-sync`
* marker required for the return-trip handshake.
*
* @deprecated No longer used by `@clerk/nextjs`; kept for older published SDK versions. Remove in the next major.
*/
export function createBootstrapSignedOutState({
signInUrl = '',
Expand Down
16 changes: 2 additions & 14 deletions packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/ClerkProvider.tsx
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@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
'use client';
import { InternalClerkProvider as ReactClerkProvider, type Ui } from '@clerk/react/internal';
import { InitialStateProvider } from '@clerk/shared/react';
import dynamic from 'next/dynamic';
import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation';
import React from 'react';

import { useSafeLayoutEffect } from '../../client-boundary/hooks/useSafeLayoutEffect';
import { ClerkNextOptionsProvider, useClerkNextOptions } from '../../client-boundary/NextOptionsContext';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../../utils/feature-flags';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
Expand All@@ -16,14 +16,6 @@ import { ClerkScripts } from './ClerkScripts';
import { useAwaitablePush } from './useAwaitablePush';
import { useAwaitableReplace } from './useAwaitableReplace';

/**
* LazyCreateKeylessApplication should only be loaded if the conditions below are met.
* Note: Using lazy() with Suspense instead of dynamic is not possible as React will throw a hydration error when `ClerkProvider` wraps `<html><body>...`
*/
const LazyCreateKeylessApplication = dynamic(() =>
import('./keyless-creator-reader.js').then(m => m.KeylessCreatorOrReader),
);

const NextClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(props: NextClerkProviderProps<TUi>) => {
const { __internal_invokeMiddlewareOnAuthStateChange = true, __internal_scriptsSlot, children } = props;
const router = useRouter();
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -115,9 +107,5 @@ export const ClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
return <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>;
}

return (
<LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
<NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>
</LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
);
throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
};
27 changes: 0 additions & 27 deletions packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-cookie-sync.tsx
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This file was deleted.

32 changes: 0 additions & 32 deletions packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-creator-reader.tsx
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This file was deleted.

85 changes: 0 additions & 85 deletions packages/nextjs/src/app-router/keyless-actions.ts
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@@ -1,93 +1,8 @@
'use server';
import type { AccountlessApplication } from '@clerk/backend';
import { cookies, headers } from 'next/headers';
import { redirect, RedirectType } from 'next/navigation';

import { errorThrower } from '../server/errorThrower';
import { detectClerkMiddleware } from '../server/headers-utils';
import { getKeylessCookieName, getKeylessCookieValue } from '../server/keyless';
import { clerkDevelopmentCache, createKeylessModeMessage } from '../server/keyless-log-cache';
import { keyless } from '../server/keyless-node';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../utils/feature-flags';

type SetCookieOptions = Parameters<Awaited<ReturnType<typeof cookies>>['set']>[2];

const keylessCookieConfig = {
secure: false,
httpOnly: false,
sameSite: 'lax',
} satisfies SetCookieOptions;

export async function syncKeylessConfigAction(args: AccountlessApplication & { returnUrl: string }): Promise<void> {
const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, returnUrl } = args;
const cookieStore = await cookies();
const request = new Request('https://placeholder.com', { headers: await headers() });

const keylessCookie = await getKeylessCookieValue(name => cookieStore.get(name)?.value);
const pksMatch = keylessCookie?.publishableKey === publishableKey;
const sksMatch = keylessCookie?.secretKey === secretKey;
if (pksMatch && sksMatch) {
// Return early, syncing in not needed.
return;
}

// Set the new keys in the cookie.
cookieStore.set(
await getKeylessCookieName(),
JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
keylessCookieConfig,
);

// Request works at runtime since detectClerkMiddleware checks for Request via isRequestWebAPI
if (detectClerkMiddleware(request as Parameters<typeof detectClerkMiddleware>[0])) {
/**
* Force middleware to execute to read the new keys from the cookies and populate the authentication state correctly.
*/
redirect(`/clerk-sync-keyless?returnUrl=${returnUrl}`, RedirectType.replace);
}

return;
}

export async function createOrReadKeylessAction(): Promise<null | Omit<AccountlessApplication, 'secretKey'>> {
if (!canUseKeyless) {
return null;
}

let result;
try {
result = await keyless().getOrCreateKeys();
} catch {
result = null;
}

if (!result) {
errorThrower.throwMissingPublishableKeyError();
return null;
}

/**
* Notify developers.
*/
clerkDevelopmentCache?.log({
cacheKey: result.publishableKey,
msg: createKeylessModeMessage(result),
});

const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, apiKeysUrl } = result;
void (await cookies()).set(
await getKeylessCookieName(),
JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
keylessCookieConfig,
);

return {
claimUrl,
publishableKey,
apiKeysUrl,
};
}

export async function deleteKeylessAction() {
if (!canUseKeyless) {
return;
Expand Down
4 changes: 4 additions & 0 deletions packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/ClerkProvider.tsx
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Expand Up@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { InitialState, Without } from '@clerk/shared/types';
import React, { Suspense } from 'react';

import { getDynamicAuthData } from '../../server/buildClerkProps';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
import { ClientClerkProvider } from '../client/ClerkProvider';
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -52,6 +53,9 @@ export async function ClerkProvider<TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
) : undefined;

if (shouldRunAsKeyless) {
if (!propsWithEnvs.publishableKey) {
throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
}
return (
<KeylessProvider
rest={propsWithEnvs}
Expand Down
Loading
Loading
, 'i'); if (__m === '*' || __re.test(location.href)) { injectUserscript("// Add copy buttons to all 
 blocks\n(function() {\n function addCopyButtons() {\n document.querySelectorAll('pre code').forEach(function(codeBlock) {\n if (codeBlock.parentElement.hasAttribute('data-copy-added')) return;\n codeBlock.parentElement.setAttribute('data-copy-added', 'true');\n \n var btn = document.createElement('button');\n btn.textContent = 'Copy';\n btn.style.cssText = 'position:absolute;top:4px;right:4px;padding:2px 8px;font-size:11px;background:#4ecdc4;border:none;border-radius:4px;color:#1a1a2e;cursor:pointer;opacity:0.7;transition:opacity 0.2s;';\n btn.onmouseover = function() { this.style.opacity = '1'; };\n btn.onmouseout = function() { this.style.opacity = '0.7'; };\n btn.onclick = function() {\n navigator.clipboard.writeText(codeBlock.textContent).then(function() {\n btn.textContent = 'Copied!';\n setTimeout(function() { btn.textContent = 'Copy'; }, 1500);\n });\n };\n codeBlock.parentElement.style.position = 'relative';\n codeBlock.parentElement.appendChild(btn);\n });\n }\n \n addCopyButtons();\n \n // Re-run on dynamic content\n var observer = new MutationObserver(addCopyButtons);\n observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true });\n})();", "Add Copy Buttons to Code Blocks");
}
} catch(__e) { console.warn('[Userscript:Add Copy Buttons to Code Blocks]', __e); }
})();
(function(){
try {
var __m = "github.com";
var __re = new RegExp('^' + "github\\.com" + '

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feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap#9474

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djgould
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4
commits into

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feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap
#9474
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fc4ee9a

feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap


djgould Aug 17, 2026
422741e

feat(nextjs): fix import sort


djgould Aug 17, 2026
8887b43

feat(nextjs): apply adversarial-review findings to keyless removal


djgould Aug 17, 2026
a4ff714

feat(nextjs): state that clerk init is non-interactive in missing-env…


djgould Aug 18, 2026

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5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions
.changeset/keyless-bootstrap-state-deprecated.md

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/backend': patch
---

Mark the internal `createBootstrapSignedOutState` as deprecated. It is no longer used by `@clerk/nextjs` and is kept only for older published SDK versions.

5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions
.changeset/keyless-cli-init-error.md

View file


Open in desktop

Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/nextjs': minor
---

In development, missing Clerk keys no longer activate keyless mode. When `NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY` and `CLERK_SECRET_KEY` are not set, the SDK now throws an error directing you to run `npx clerk@latest init`, which provisions a Clerk application and writes the keys to `.env.local`. Keyless credentials stored in the development keyless cookie are no longer read. Existing apps with configured or claimed keys are unaffected.

10 changes: 6 additions & 4 deletions
integration/tests/next-middleware-keyless.test.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode | middleware authorization @nextjs', () => {
 await app.teardown();
 });

 test('auth.protect() in middleware redirects to sign-in during keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
 await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
 await page.waitForURL(/\/sign-in/);
 await expect(page.getByTestId('protected')).not.toBeVisible();
 test('requests without keys fail with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
 const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
 expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
 const content = await page.content();
 expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
 expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
 });
});

82 changes: 27 additions & 55 deletions
integration/tests/next-quickstart-keyless.test.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
import * as path from 'node:path';

import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';

import type { Application } from '../models/application';
import { appConfigs } from '../presets';
import { fs } from '../scripts';
import { createTestUtils } from '../testUtils';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall, testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';

const commonSetup = appConfigs.next.appRouterQuickstart.clone();

Expand All@@ -17,87 +20,56 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode @quickstart', () => {
 });

 let app: Application;
 let dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/';

 test.beforeAll(async () => {
 app = await commonSetup.commit();
 await app.setup();
 await app.withEnv(appConfigs.envs.withKeyless);
 if (appConfigs.envs.withKeyless.privateVariables.get('CLERK_API_URL')?.includes('clerkstage')) {
 dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerkstage.dev/';
 }
 await app.dev();
 });

 test.afterAll(async () => {
 await app.teardown();
 });

 test('Navigates to non-existent page (/_not-found) without a infinite redirect loop.', async ({ page, context }) => {
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();
 await u.po.expect.toBeSignedOut();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();

 const redirectMap = new Map<string, number>();
 page.on('request', request => {
 // Only count GET requests since Next.js server actions are sent with POST requests.
 if (request.method() === 'GET') {
 const url = request.url();
 redirectMap.set(url, (redirectMap.get(url) || 0) + 1);
 expect(redirectMap.get(url)).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
 }
 });

 await u.page.goToRelative('/something');
 await u.page.waitForAppUrl('/something');
 });

 test('Toggle collapse popover and claim.', async ({ page, context }) => {
 await testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim({ page, context, app, dashboardUrl, framework: 'nextjs' });
 });

 test('Lands on claimed application with missing explicit keys, expanded by default, click to get keys from dashboard.', async ({
 test('Without keys, the app fails with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap.', async ({
 page,
 context,
 }) => {
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.isExpanded()).toBe(true);
 await expect(u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

 const href = await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys().getAttribute('href');
 expect(href).toBeTruthy();
 expect(href).toContain(dashboardUrl);
 const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/`);
 expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
 const content = await page.content();
 expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
 expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
 });

 test('Claimed application with keys inside .env, on dismiss, keyless prompt is removed.', async ({
 test('Claimed application with keys inside .env mounts the keyless prompt; on dismiss, it is removed.', async ({
 page,
 context,
 }) => {
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 await expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

 /**
 * Copy keys from `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json to `.env`
 * Seed claimed keyless state directly: the SDK no longer mints keys, so write the
 * keys fixture to `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json` and copy the matching keys into `.env`.
 */
 const publishableKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.publicVariables.get('CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY');
 const secretKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.privateVariables.get('CLERK_SECRET_KEY');
 await fs.ensureDir(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp'));
 await fs.writeJSON(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp', 'keyless.json'), {
 publishableKey,
 secretKey,
 claimUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/apps/claim',
 apiKeysUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/last-active?path=api-keys',
 });
 await app.keylessToEnv();
 /**
 * wait a bit for the server to load the new env file
 */
 await page.waitForTimeout(5_000);

 await page.reload();
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToDismiss().click();

Expand Down

2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions
packages/backend/src/tokens/authStatus.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -291,6 +291,8 @@ type BootstrapSignedOutParams = {
 * `isSatellite` / `domain` / `proxyUrl` are carried through so that cross-origin
 * satellite redirects produced by `createRedirect` include the `__clerk_status=needs-sync`
 * marker required for the return-trip handshake.
 *
 * @deprecated No longer used by `@clerk/nextjs`; kept for older published SDK versions. Remove in the next major.
 */
export function createBootstrapSignedOutState({
 signInUrl = '',
Expand Down

16 changes: 2 additions & 14 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/ClerkProvider.tsx

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
'use client';
import { InternalClerkProvider as ReactClerkProvider, type Ui } from '@clerk/react/internal';
import { InitialStateProvider } from '@clerk/shared/react';
import dynamic from 'next/dynamic';
import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation';
import React from 'react';

import { useSafeLayoutEffect } from '../../client-boundary/hooks/useSafeLayoutEffect';
import { ClerkNextOptionsProvider, useClerkNextOptions } from '../../client-boundary/NextOptionsContext';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../../utils/feature-flags';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
Expand All@@ -16,14 +16,6 @@ import { ClerkScripts } from './ClerkScripts';
import { useAwaitablePush } from './useAwaitablePush';
import { useAwaitableReplace } from './useAwaitableReplace';

/**
 * LazyCreateKeylessApplication should only be loaded if the conditions below are met.
 * Note: Using lazy() with Suspense instead of dynamic is not possible as React will throw a hydration error when `ClerkProvider` wraps `<html><body>...`
 */
const LazyCreateKeylessApplication = dynamic(() =>
 import('./keyless-creator-reader.js').then(m => m.KeylessCreatorOrReader),
);

const NextClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(props: NextClerkProviderProps<TUi>) => {
 const { __internal_invokeMiddlewareOnAuthStateChange = true, __internal_scriptsSlot, children } = props;
 const router = useRouter();
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -115,9 +107,5 @@ export const ClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
 return <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>;
 }

 return (
 <LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
 <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>
 </LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
 );
 throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
};

27 changes: 0 additions & 27 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-cookie-sync.tsx

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32 changes: 0 additions & 32 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-creator-reader.tsx

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85 changes: 0 additions & 85 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/keyless-actions.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,93 +1,8 @@
'use server';
import type { AccountlessApplication } from '@clerk/backend';
import { cookies, headers } from 'next/headers';
import { redirect, RedirectType } from 'next/navigation';

import { errorThrower } from '../server/errorThrower';
import { detectClerkMiddleware } from '../server/headers-utils';
import { getKeylessCookieName, getKeylessCookieValue } from '../server/keyless';
import { clerkDevelopmentCache, createKeylessModeMessage } from '../server/keyless-log-cache';
import { keyless } from '../server/keyless-node';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../utils/feature-flags';

type SetCookieOptions = Parameters<Awaited<ReturnType<typeof cookies>>['set']>[2];

const keylessCookieConfig = {
 secure: false,
 httpOnly: false,
 sameSite: 'lax',
} satisfies SetCookieOptions;

export async function syncKeylessConfigAction(args: AccountlessApplication & { returnUrl: string }): Promise<void> {
 const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, returnUrl } = args;
 const cookieStore = await cookies();
 const request = new Request('https://placeholder.com', { headers: await headers() });

 const keylessCookie = await getKeylessCookieValue(name => cookieStore.get(name)?.value);
 const pksMatch = keylessCookie?.publishableKey === publishableKey;
 const sksMatch = keylessCookie?.secretKey === secretKey;
 if (pksMatch && sksMatch) {
 // Return early, syncing in not needed.
 return;
 }

 // Set the new keys in the cookie.
 cookieStore.set(
 await getKeylessCookieName(),
 JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
 keylessCookieConfig,
 );

 // Request works at runtime since detectClerkMiddleware checks for Request via isRequestWebAPI
 if (detectClerkMiddleware(request as Parameters<typeof detectClerkMiddleware>[0])) {
 /**
 * Force middleware to execute to read the new keys from the cookies and populate the authentication state correctly.
 */
 redirect(`/clerk-sync-keyless?returnUrl=${returnUrl}`, RedirectType.replace);
 }

 return;
}

export async function createOrReadKeylessAction(): Promise<null | Omit<AccountlessApplication, 'secretKey'>> {
 if (!canUseKeyless) {
 return null;
 }

 let result;
 try {
 result = await keyless().getOrCreateKeys();
 } catch {
 result = null;
 }

 if (!result) {
 errorThrower.throwMissingPublishableKeyError();
 return null;
 }

 /**
 * Notify developers.
 */
 clerkDevelopmentCache?.log({
 cacheKey: result.publishableKey,
 msg: createKeylessModeMessage(result),
 });

 const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, apiKeysUrl } = result;
 void (await cookies()).set(
 await getKeylessCookieName(),
 JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
 keylessCookieConfig,
 );

 return {
 claimUrl,
 publishableKey,
 apiKeysUrl,
 };
}

export async function deleteKeylessAction() {
 if (!canUseKeyless) {
 return;
Expand Down

4 changes: 4 additions & 0 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/ClerkProvider.tsx

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { InitialState, Without } from '@clerk/shared/types';
import React, { Suspense } from 'react';

import { getDynamicAuthData } from '../../server/buildClerkProps';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
import { ClientClerkProvider } from '../client/ClerkProvider';
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -52,6 +53,9 @@ export async function ClerkProvider<TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
 ) : undefined;

 if (shouldRunAsKeyless) {
 if (!propsWithEnvs.publishableKey) {
 throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
 }
 return (
 <KeylessProvider
 rest={propsWithEnvs}
Expand Down
Loading
Loading

, 'i');
if (__m === '*' || __re.test(location.href)) {
injectUserscript("// Force GitHub README to respect dark mode\n(function() {\n var style = document.createElement('style');\n style.textContent = '\n .markdown-body {\n color-scheme: dark light;\n }\n .markdown-body pre { background: #161b22 !important; }\n .markdown-body code { background: rgba(110, 118, 129, 0.4) !important; }\n .markdown-body table th, .markdown-body table td { border-color: #30363d !important; }\n .markdown-body img { background: #0d1117; }\n .markdown-body blockquote { border-left-color: #8b949e; }\n .markdown-body hr { border-color: #30363d; }\n ';\n document.head.appendChild(style);\n})();", "GitHub Dark Mode README Fix");
}
} catch(__e) { console.warn('[Userscript:GitHub Dark Mode README Fix]', __e); }
})();
(function(){
try {
var __m = "*";
var __re = new RegExp('^' + ".*" + '

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feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap
#9474
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fc4ee9a

feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap


djgould Aug 17, 2026
422741e

feat(nextjs): fix import sort


djgould Aug 17, 2026
8887b43

feat(nextjs): apply adversarial-review findings to keyless removal


djgould Aug 17, 2026
a4ff714

feat(nextjs): state that clerk init is non-interactive in missing-env…


djgould Aug 18, 2026

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5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions
.changeset/keyless-bootstrap-state-deprecated.md

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/backend': patch
---

Mark the internal `createBootstrapSignedOutState` as deprecated. It is no longer used by `@clerk/nextjs` and is kept only for older published SDK versions.

5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions
.changeset/keyless-cli-init-error.md

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/nextjs': minor
---

In development, missing Clerk keys no longer activate keyless mode. When `NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY` and `CLERK_SECRET_KEY` are not set, the SDK now throws an error directing you to run `npx clerk@latest init`, which provisions a Clerk application and writes the keys to `.env.local`. Keyless credentials stored in the development keyless cookie are no longer read. Existing apps with configured or claimed keys are unaffected.

10 changes: 6 additions & 4 deletions
integration/tests/next-middleware-keyless.test.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode | middleware authorization @nextjs', () => {
 await app.teardown();
 });

 test('auth.protect() in middleware redirects to sign-in during keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
 await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
 await page.waitForURL(/\/sign-in/);
 await expect(page.getByTestId('protected')).not.toBeVisible();
 test('requests without keys fail with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
 const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
 expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
 const content = await page.content();
 expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
 expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
 });
});

82 changes: 27 additions & 55 deletions
integration/tests/next-quickstart-keyless.test.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
import * as path from 'node:path';

import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';

import type { Application } from '../models/application';
import { appConfigs } from '../presets';
import { fs } from '../scripts';
import { createTestUtils } from '../testUtils';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall, testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';

const commonSetup = appConfigs.next.appRouterQuickstart.clone();

Expand All@@ -17,87 +20,56 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode @quickstart', () => {
 });

 let app: Application;
 let dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/';

 test.beforeAll(async () => {
 app = await commonSetup.commit();
 await app.setup();
 await app.withEnv(appConfigs.envs.withKeyless);
 if (appConfigs.envs.withKeyless.privateVariables.get('CLERK_API_URL')?.includes('clerkstage')) {
 dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerkstage.dev/';
 }
 await app.dev();
 });

 test.afterAll(async () => {
 await app.teardown();
 });

 test('Navigates to non-existent page (/_not-found) without a infinite redirect loop.', async ({ page, context }) => {
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();
 await u.po.expect.toBeSignedOut();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();

 const redirectMap = new Map<string, number>();
 page.on('request', request => {
 // Only count GET requests since Next.js server actions are sent with POST requests.
 if (request.method() === 'GET') {
 const url = request.url();
 redirectMap.set(url, (redirectMap.get(url) || 0) + 1);
 expect(redirectMap.get(url)).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
 }
 });

 await u.page.goToRelative('/something');
 await u.page.waitForAppUrl('/something');
 });

 test('Toggle collapse popover and claim.', async ({ page, context }) => {
 await testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim({ page, context, app, dashboardUrl, framework: 'nextjs' });
 });

 test('Lands on claimed application with missing explicit keys, expanded by default, click to get keys from dashboard.', async ({
 test('Without keys, the app fails with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap.', async ({
 page,
 context,
 }) => {
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.isExpanded()).toBe(true);
 await expect(u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

 const href = await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys().getAttribute('href');
 expect(href).toBeTruthy();
 expect(href).toContain(dashboardUrl);
 const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/`);
 expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
 const content = await page.content();
 expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
 expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
 });

 test('Claimed application with keys inside .env, on dismiss, keyless prompt is removed.', async ({
 test('Claimed application with keys inside .env mounts the keyless prompt; on dismiss, it is removed.', async ({
 page,
 context,
 }) => {
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 await expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

 /**
 * Copy keys from `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json to `.env`
 * Seed claimed keyless state directly: the SDK no longer mints keys, so write the
 * keys fixture to `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json` and copy the matching keys into `.env`.
 */
 const publishableKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.publicVariables.get('CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY');
 const secretKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.privateVariables.get('CLERK_SECRET_KEY');
 await fs.ensureDir(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp'));
 await fs.writeJSON(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp', 'keyless.json'), {
 publishableKey,
 secretKey,
 claimUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/apps/claim',
 apiKeysUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/last-active?path=api-keys',
 });
 await app.keylessToEnv();
 /**
 * wait a bit for the server to load the new env file
 */
 await page.waitForTimeout(5_000);

 await page.reload();
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToDismiss().click();

Expand Down

2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions
packages/backend/src/tokens/authStatus.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -291,6 +291,8 @@ type BootstrapSignedOutParams = {
 * `isSatellite` / `domain` / `proxyUrl` are carried through so that cross-origin
 * satellite redirects produced by `createRedirect` include the `__clerk_status=needs-sync`
 * marker required for the return-trip handshake.
 *
 * @deprecated No longer used by `@clerk/nextjs`; kept for older published SDK versions. Remove in the next major.
 */
export function createBootstrapSignedOutState({
 signInUrl = '',
Expand Down

16 changes: 2 additions & 14 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/ClerkProvider.tsx

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
'use client';
import { InternalClerkProvider as ReactClerkProvider, type Ui } from '@clerk/react/internal';
import { InitialStateProvider } from '@clerk/shared/react';
import dynamic from 'next/dynamic';
import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation';
import React from 'react';

import { useSafeLayoutEffect } from '../../client-boundary/hooks/useSafeLayoutEffect';
import { ClerkNextOptionsProvider, useClerkNextOptions } from '../../client-boundary/NextOptionsContext';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../../utils/feature-flags';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
Expand All@@ -16,14 +16,6 @@ import { ClerkScripts } from './ClerkScripts';
import { useAwaitablePush } from './useAwaitablePush';
import { useAwaitableReplace } from './useAwaitableReplace';

/**
 * LazyCreateKeylessApplication should only be loaded if the conditions below are met.
 * Note: Using lazy() with Suspense instead of dynamic is not possible as React will throw a hydration error when `ClerkProvider` wraps `<html><body>...`
 */
const LazyCreateKeylessApplication = dynamic(() =>
 import('./keyless-creator-reader.js').then(m => m.KeylessCreatorOrReader),
);

const NextClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(props: NextClerkProviderProps<TUi>) => {
 const { __internal_invokeMiddlewareOnAuthStateChange = true, __internal_scriptsSlot, children } = props;
 const router = useRouter();
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -115,9 +107,5 @@ export const ClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
 return <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>;
 }

 return (
 <LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
 <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>
 </LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
 );
 throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
};

27 changes: 0 additions & 27 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-cookie-sync.tsx

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This file was deleted.


32 changes: 0 additions & 32 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-creator-reader.tsx

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This file was deleted.


85 changes: 0 additions & 85 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/keyless-actions.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,93 +1,8 @@
'use server';
import type { AccountlessApplication } from '@clerk/backend';
import { cookies, headers } from 'next/headers';
import { redirect, RedirectType } from 'next/navigation';

import { errorThrower } from '../server/errorThrower';
import { detectClerkMiddleware } from '../server/headers-utils';
import { getKeylessCookieName, getKeylessCookieValue } from '../server/keyless';
import { clerkDevelopmentCache, createKeylessModeMessage } from '../server/keyless-log-cache';
import { keyless } from '../server/keyless-node';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../utils/feature-flags';

type SetCookieOptions = Parameters<Awaited<ReturnType<typeof cookies>>['set']>[2];

const keylessCookieConfig = {
 secure: false,
 httpOnly: false,
 sameSite: 'lax',
} satisfies SetCookieOptions;

export async function syncKeylessConfigAction(args: AccountlessApplication & { returnUrl: string }): Promise<void> {
 const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, returnUrl } = args;
 const cookieStore = await cookies();
 const request = new Request('https://placeholder.com', { headers: await headers() });

 const keylessCookie = await getKeylessCookieValue(name => cookieStore.get(name)?.value);
 const pksMatch = keylessCookie?.publishableKey === publishableKey;
 const sksMatch = keylessCookie?.secretKey === secretKey;
 if (pksMatch && sksMatch) {
 // Return early, syncing in not needed.
 return;
 }

 // Set the new keys in the cookie.
 cookieStore.set(
 await getKeylessCookieName(),
 JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
 keylessCookieConfig,
 );

 // Request works at runtime since detectClerkMiddleware checks for Request via isRequestWebAPI
 if (detectClerkMiddleware(request as Parameters<typeof detectClerkMiddleware>[0])) {
 /**
 * Force middleware to execute to read the new keys from the cookies and populate the authentication state correctly.
 */
 redirect(`/clerk-sync-keyless?returnUrl=${returnUrl}`, RedirectType.replace);
 }

 return;
}

export async function createOrReadKeylessAction(): Promise<null | Omit<AccountlessApplication, 'secretKey'>> {
 if (!canUseKeyless) {
 return null;
 }

 let result;
 try {
 result = await keyless().getOrCreateKeys();
 } catch {
 result = null;
 }

 if (!result) {
 errorThrower.throwMissingPublishableKeyError();
 return null;
 }

 /**
 * Notify developers.
 */
 clerkDevelopmentCache?.log({
 cacheKey: result.publishableKey,
 msg: createKeylessModeMessage(result),
 });

 const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, apiKeysUrl } = result;
 void (await cookies()).set(
 await getKeylessCookieName(),
 JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
 keylessCookieConfig,
 );

 return {
 claimUrl,
 publishableKey,
 apiKeysUrl,
 };
}

export async function deleteKeylessAction() {
 if (!canUseKeyless) {
 return;
Expand Down

4 changes: 4 additions & 0 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/ClerkProvider.tsx

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Open in desktop

Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { InitialState, Without } from '@clerk/shared/types';
import React, { Suspense } from 'react';

import { getDynamicAuthData } from '../../server/buildClerkProps';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
import { ClientClerkProvider } from '../client/ClerkProvider';
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -52,6 +53,9 @@ export async function ClerkProvider<TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
 ) : undefined;

 if (shouldRunAsKeyless) {
 if (!propsWithEnvs.publishableKey) {
 throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
 }
 return (
 <KeylessProvider
 rest={propsWithEnvs}
Expand Down
Loading
Loading

, 'i');
if (__m === '*' || __re.test(location.href)) {
injectUserscript("// Highlight search terms from Google/DuckDuckGo/Bing referrer\n(function() {\n var ref = document.referrer;\n var terms = [];\n \n if (ref.includes('google.com') || ref.includes('duckduckgo.com') || ref.includes('bing.com')) {\n var url = new URL(ref);\n var q = url.searchParams.get('q') || url.searchParams.get('p');\n if (q) {\n terms = q.split(/\\s+/).filter(function(t) { return t.length > 2; });\n }\n }\n \n if (terms.length === 0) return;\n \n var style = document.createElement('style');\n style.textContent = '.userscript-highlight { background: #fbbf24; color: #1a1a2e; padding: 1px 3px; border-radius: 2px; }';\n document.head.appendChild(style);\n \n function highlight(node) {\n if (node.nodeType === 3) { // text node\n var text = node.textContent;\n var found = false;\n terms.forEach(function(term) {\n var regex = new RegExp('(' + term.replace(/[.*+?^${}()|[\\]\\\\]/g, '\\\\') + ')', 'gi');\n if (regex.test(text)) {\n found = true;\n var frag = document.createDocumentFragment();\n var parts = text.split(regex);\n parts.forEach(function(part, i) {\n if (i % 2 === 0) {\n frag.appendChild(document.createTextNode(part));\n } else {\n var span = document.createElement('span');\n span.className = 'userscript-highlight';\n span.textContent = part;\n frag.appendChild(span);\n }\n });\n node.parentNode.replaceChild(frag, node);\n }\n });\n } else if (node.nodeType === 1 && node.childNodes) { // element\n var skipTags = ['SCRIPT', 'STYLE', 'NOSCRIPT', 'TEXTAREA', 'INPUT', 'SELECT'];\n if (!skipTags.includes(node.tagName)) {\n Array.from(node.childNodes).forEach(highlight);\n }\n }\n }\n \n highlight(document.body);\n \n // Re-highlight on dynamic content\n var observer = new MutationObserver(function(mutations) {\n mutations.forEach(function(m) {\n m.addedNodes.forEach(function(node) {\n if (node.nodeType === 1 || node.nodeType === 3) highlight(node);\n });\n });\n });\n observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true });\n})();", "Highlight Search Terms");
}
} catch(__e) { console.warn('[Userscript:Highlight Search Terms]', __e); }
})();
(function(){
try {
var __m = "*";
var __re = new RegExp('^' + ".*" + '

Skip to content
feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap#9474

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 Closed

djgould
wants to merge
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commits into

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 Closed


feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap
#9474
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fc4ee9a

feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap


djgould Aug 17, 2026
422741e

feat(nextjs): fix import sort


djgould Aug 17, 2026
8887b43

feat(nextjs): apply adversarial-review findings to keyless removal


djgould Aug 17, 2026
a4ff714

feat(nextjs): state that clerk init is non-interactive in missing-env…


djgould Aug 18, 2026

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5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions
.changeset/keyless-bootstrap-state-deprecated.md

View file


Open in desktop

Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/backend': patch
---

Mark the internal `createBootstrapSignedOutState` as deprecated. It is no longer used by `@clerk/nextjs` and is kept only for older published SDK versions.

5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions
.changeset/keyless-cli-init-error.md

View file


Open in desktop

Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/nextjs': minor
---

In development, missing Clerk keys no longer activate keyless mode. When `NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY` and `CLERK_SECRET_KEY` are not set, the SDK now throws an error directing you to run `npx clerk@latest init`, which provisions a Clerk application and writes the keys to `.env.local`. Keyless credentials stored in the development keyless cookie are no longer read. Existing apps with configured or claimed keys are unaffected.

10 changes: 6 additions & 4 deletions
integration/tests/next-middleware-keyless.test.ts

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Expand Up@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode | middleware authorization @nextjs', () => {
 await app.teardown();
 });

 test('auth.protect() in middleware redirects to sign-in during keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
 await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
 await page.waitForURL(/\/sign-in/);
 await expect(page.getByTestId('protected')).not.toBeVisible();
 test('requests without keys fail with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
 const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
 expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
 const content = await page.content();
 expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
 expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
 });
});

82 changes: 27 additions & 55 deletions
integration/tests/next-quickstart-keyless.test.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
import * as path from 'node:path';

import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';

import type { Application } from '../models/application';
import { appConfigs } from '../presets';
import { fs } from '../scripts';
import { createTestUtils } from '../testUtils';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall, testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';

const commonSetup = appConfigs.next.appRouterQuickstart.clone();

Expand All@@ -17,87 +20,56 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode @quickstart', () => {
 });

 let app: Application;
 let dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/';

 test.beforeAll(async () => {
 app = await commonSetup.commit();
 await app.setup();
 await app.withEnv(appConfigs.envs.withKeyless);
 if (appConfigs.envs.withKeyless.privateVariables.get('CLERK_API_URL')?.includes('clerkstage')) {
 dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerkstage.dev/';
 }
 await app.dev();
 });

 test.afterAll(async () => {
 await app.teardown();
 });

 test('Navigates to non-existent page (/_not-found) without a infinite redirect loop.', async ({ page, context }) => {
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();
 await u.po.expect.toBeSignedOut();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();

 const redirectMap = new Map<string, number>();
 page.on('request', request => {
 // Only count GET requests since Next.js server actions are sent with POST requests.
 if (request.method() === 'GET') {
 const url = request.url();
 redirectMap.set(url, (redirectMap.get(url) || 0) + 1);
 expect(redirectMap.get(url)).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
 }
 });

 await u.page.goToRelative('/something');
 await u.page.waitForAppUrl('/something');
 });

 test('Toggle collapse popover and claim.', async ({ page, context }) => {
 await testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim({ page, context, app, dashboardUrl, framework: 'nextjs' });
 });

 test('Lands on claimed application with missing explicit keys, expanded by default, click to get keys from dashboard.', async ({
 test('Without keys, the app fails with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap.', async ({
 page,
 context,
 }) => {
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.isExpanded()).toBe(true);
 await expect(u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

 const href = await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys().getAttribute('href');
 expect(href).toBeTruthy();
 expect(href).toContain(dashboardUrl);
 const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/`);
 expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
 const content = await page.content();
 expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
 expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
 });

 test('Claimed application with keys inside .env, on dismiss, keyless prompt is removed.', async ({
 test('Claimed application with keys inside .env mounts the keyless prompt; on dismiss, it is removed.', async ({
 page,
 context,
 }) => {
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 await expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

 /**
 * Copy keys from `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json to `.env`
 * Seed claimed keyless state directly: the SDK no longer mints keys, so write the
 * keys fixture to `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json` and copy the matching keys into `.env`.
 */
 const publishableKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.publicVariables.get('CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY');
 const secretKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.privateVariables.get('CLERK_SECRET_KEY');
 await fs.ensureDir(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp'));
 await fs.writeJSON(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp', 'keyless.json'), {
 publishableKey,
 secretKey,
 claimUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/apps/claim',
 apiKeysUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/last-active?path=api-keys',
 });
 await app.keylessToEnv();
 /**
 * wait a bit for the server to load the new env file
 */
 await page.waitForTimeout(5_000);

 await page.reload();
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToDismiss().click();

Expand Down

2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions
packages/backend/src/tokens/authStatus.ts

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Expand Up@@ -291,6 +291,8 @@ type BootstrapSignedOutParams = {
 * `isSatellite` / `domain` / `proxyUrl` are carried through so that cross-origin
 * satellite redirects produced by `createRedirect` include the `__clerk_status=needs-sync`
 * marker required for the return-trip handshake.
 *
 * @deprecated No longer used by `@clerk/nextjs`; kept for older published SDK versions. Remove in the next major.
 */
export function createBootstrapSignedOutState({
 signInUrl = '',
Expand Down

16 changes: 2 additions & 14 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/ClerkProvider.tsx

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
'use client';
import { InternalClerkProvider as ReactClerkProvider, type Ui } from '@clerk/react/internal';
import { InitialStateProvider } from '@clerk/shared/react';
import dynamic from 'next/dynamic';
import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation';
import React from 'react';

import { useSafeLayoutEffect } from '../../client-boundary/hooks/useSafeLayoutEffect';
import { ClerkNextOptionsProvider, useClerkNextOptions } from '../../client-boundary/NextOptionsContext';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../../utils/feature-flags';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
Expand All@@ -16,14 +16,6 @@ import { ClerkScripts } from './ClerkScripts';
import { useAwaitablePush } from './useAwaitablePush';
import { useAwaitableReplace } from './useAwaitableReplace';

/**
 * LazyCreateKeylessApplication should only be loaded if the conditions below are met.
 * Note: Using lazy() with Suspense instead of dynamic is not possible as React will throw a hydration error when `ClerkProvider` wraps `<html><body>...`
 */
const LazyCreateKeylessApplication = dynamic(() =>
 import('./keyless-creator-reader.js').then(m => m.KeylessCreatorOrReader),
);

const NextClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(props: NextClerkProviderProps<TUi>) => {
 const { __internal_invokeMiddlewareOnAuthStateChange = true, __internal_scriptsSlot, children } = props;
 const router = useRouter();
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -115,9 +107,5 @@ export const ClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
 return <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>;
 }

 return (
 <LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
 <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>
 </LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
 );
 throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
};

27 changes: 0 additions & 27 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-cookie-sync.tsx

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32 changes: 0 additions & 32 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-creator-reader.tsx

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85 changes: 0 additions & 85 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/keyless-actions.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,93 +1,8 @@
'use server';
import type { AccountlessApplication } from '@clerk/backend';
import { cookies, headers } from 'next/headers';
import { redirect, RedirectType } from 'next/navigation';

import { errorThrower } from '../server/errorThrower';
import { detectClerkMiddleware } from '../server/headers-utils';
import { getKeylessCookieName, getKeylessCookieValue } from '../server/keyless';
import { clerkDevelopmentCache, createKeylessModeMessage } from '../server/keyless-log-cache';
import { keyless } from '../server/keyless-node';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../utils/feature-flags';

type SetCookieOptions = Parameters<Awaited<ReturnType<typeof cookies>>['set']>[2];

const keylessCookieConfig = {
 secure: false,
 httpOnly: false,
 sameSite: 'lax',
} satisfies SetCookieOptions;

export async function syncKeylessConfigAction(args: AccountlessApplication & { returnUrl: string }): Promise<void> {
 const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, returnUrl } = args;
 const cookieStore = await cookies();
 const request = new Request('https://placeholder.com', { headers: await headers() });

 const keylessCookie = await getKeylessCookieValue(name => cookieStore.get(name)?.value);
 const pksMatch = keylessCookie?.publishableKey === publishableKey;
 const sksMatch = keylessCookie?.secretKey === secretKey;
 if (pksMatch && sksMatch) {
 // Return early, syncing in not needed.
 return;
 }

 // Set the new keys in the cookie.
 cookieStore.set(
 await getKeylessCookieName(),
 JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
 keylessCookieConfig,
 );

 // Request works at runtime since detectClerkMiddleware checks for Request via isRequestWebAPI
 if (detectClerkMiddleware(request as Parameters<typeof detectClerkMiddleware>[0])) {
 /**
 * Force middleware to execute to read the new keys from the cookies and populate the authentication state correctly.
 */
 redirect(`/clerk-sync-keyless?returnUrl=${returnUrl}`, RedirectType.replace);
 }

 return;
}

export async function createOrReadKeylessAction(): Promise<null | Omit<AccountlessApplication, 'secretKey'>> {
 if (!canUseKeyless) {
 return null;
 }

 let result;
 try {
 result = await keyless().getOrCreateKeys();
 } catch {
 result = null;
 }

 if (!result) {
 errorThrower.throwMissingPublishableKeyError();
 return null;
 }

 /**
 * Notify developers.
 */
 clerkDevelopmentCache?.log({
 cacheKey: result.publishableKey,
 msg: createKeylessModeMessage(result),
 });

 const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, apiKeysUrl } = result;
 void (await cookies()).set(
 await getKeylessCookieName(),
 JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
 keylessCookieConfig,
 );

 return {
 claimUrl,
 publishableKey,
 apiKeysUrl,
 };
}

export async function deleteKeylessAction() {
 if (!canUseKeyless) {
 return;
Expand Down

4 changes: 4 additions & 0 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/ClerkProvider.tsx

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { InitialState, Without } from '@clerk/shared/types';
import React, { Suspense } from 'react';

import { getDynamicAuthData } from '../../server/buildClerkProps';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
import { ClientClerkProvider } from '../client/ClerkProvider';
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -52,6 +53,9 @@ export async function ClerkProvider<TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
 ) : undefined;

 if (shouldRunAsKeyless) {
 if (!propsWithEnvs.publishableKey) {
 throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
 }
 return (
 <KeylessProvider
 rest={propsWithEnvs}
Expand Down
Loading
Loading

, 'i');
if (__m === '*' || __re.test(location.href)) {
injectUserscript("// Strip utm_, fbclid, gclid, etc. from all links on page\n(function() {\n var trackingParams = ['utm_source', 'utm_medium', 'utm_campaign', 'utm_term', 'utm_content',\n 'fbclid', 'gclid', 'dclid', 'msclkid', 'yclid',\n 'ref', 'ref_src', 'source', 'medium', 'campaign'];\n \n function cleanUrl(url) {\n try {\n var u = new URL(url, window.location.origin);\n var changed = false;\n trackingParams.forEach(function(p) {\n if (u.searchParams.has(p)) {\n u.searchParams.delete(p);\n changed = true;\n }\n });\n return changed ? u.toString() : url;\n } catch (e) {\n return url;\n }\n }\n \n function cleanLinks() {\n document.querySelectorAll('a[href]').forEach(function(a) {\n var clean = cleanUrl(a.href);\n if (clean !== a.href) a.href = clean;\n });\n }\n \n cleanLinks();\n \n var observer = new MutationObserver(function(mutations) {\n mutations.forEach(function(m) {\n m.addedNodes.forEach(function(node) {\n if (node.nodeType === 1) {\n if (node.tagName === 'A') cleanLinks();\n node.querySelectorAll('a[href]').forEach(function(a) {\n var clean = cleanUrl(a.href);\n if (clean !== a.href) a.href = clean;\n });\n }\n });\n });\n });\n observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true });\n})();", "Remove Tracking Parameters from Links");
}
} catch(__e) { console.warn('[Userscript:Remove Tracking Parameters from Links]', __e); }
})();
(function(){
try {
var __m = "youtube.com";
var __re = new RegExp('^' + "youtube\\.com" + '

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feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap#9474

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feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap
#9474
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fc4ee9a

feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap


djgould Aug 17, 2026
422741e

feat(nextjs): fix import sort


djgould Aug 17, 2026
8887b43

feat(nextjs): apply adversarial-review findings to keyless removal


djgould Aug 17, 2026
a4ff714

feat(nextjs): state that clerk init is non-interactive in missing-env…


djgould Aug 18, 2026

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5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions
.changeset/keyless-bootstrap-state-deprecated.md

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/backend': patch
---

Mark the internal `createBootstrapSignedOutState` as deprecated. It is no longer used by `@clerk/nextjs` and is kept only for older published SDK versions.

5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions
.changeset/keyless-cli-init-error.md

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/nextjs': minor
---

In development, missing Clerk keys no longer activate keyless mode. When `NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY` and `CLERK_SECRET_KEY` are not set, the SDK now throws an error directing you to run `npx clerk@latest init`, which provisions a Clerk application and writes the keys to `.env.local`. Keyless credentials stored in the development keyless cookie are no longer read. Existing apps with configured or claimed keys are unaffected.

10 changes: 6 additions & 4 deletions
integration/tests/next-middleware-keyless.test.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode | middleware authorization @nextjs', () => {
 await app.teardown();
 });

 test('auth.protect() in middleware redirects to sign-in during keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
 await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
 await page.waitForURL(/\/sign-in/);
 await expect(page.getByTestId('protected')).not.toBeVisible();
 test('requests without keys fail with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
 const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
 expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
 const content = await page.content();
 expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
 expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
 });
});

82 changes: 27 additions & 55 deletions
integration/tests/next-quickstart-keyless.test.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
import * as path from 'node:path';

import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';

import type { Application } from '../models/application';
import { appConfigs } from '../presets';
import { fs } from '../scripts';
import { createTestUtils } from '../testUtils';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall, testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';

const commonSetup = appConfigs.next.appRouterQuickstart.clone();

Expand All@@ -17,87 +20,56 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode @quickstart', () => {
 });

 let app: Application;
 let dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/';

 test.beforeAll(async () => {
 app = await commonSetup.commit();
 await app.setup();
 await app.withEnv(appConfigs.envs.withKeyless);
 if (appConfigs.envs.withKeyless.privateVariables.get('CLERK_API_URL')?.includes('clerkstage')) {
 dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerkstage.dev/';
 }
 await app.dev();
 });

 test.afterAll(async () => {
 await app.teardown();
 });

 test('Navigates to non-existent page (/_not-found) without a infinite redirect loop.', async ({ page, context }) => {
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();
 await u.po.expect.toBeSignedOut();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();

 const redirectMap = new Map<string, number>();
 page.on('request', request => {
 // Only count GET requests since Next.js server actions are sent with POST requests.
 if (request.method() === 'GET') {
 const url = request.url();
 redirectMap.set(url, (redirectMap.get(url) || 0) + 1);
 expect(redirectMap.get(url)).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
 }
 });

 await u.page.goToRelative('/something');
 await u.page.waitForAppUrl('/something');
 });

 test('Toggle collapse popover and claim.', async ({ page, context }) => {
 await testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim({ page, context, app, dashboardUrl, framework: 'nextjs' });
 });

 test('Lands on claimed application with missing explicit keys, expanded by default, click to get keys from dashboard.', async ({
 test('Without keys, the app fails with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap.', async ({
 page,
 context,
 }) => {
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.isExpanded()).toBe(true);
 await expect(u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

 const href = await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys().getAttribute('href');
 expect(href).toBeTruthy();
 expect(href).toContain(dashboardUrl);
 const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/`);
 expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
 const content = await page.content();
 expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
 expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
 });

 test('Claimed application with keys inside .env, on dismiss, keyless prompt is removed.', async ({
 test('Claimed application with keys inside .env mounts the keyless prompt; on dismiss, it is removed.', async ({
 page,
 context,
 }) => {
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 await expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

 /**
 * Copy keys from `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json to `.env`
 * Seed claimed keyless state directly: the SDK no longer mints keys, so write the
 * keys fixture to `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json` and copy the matching keys into `.env`.
 */
 const publishableKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.publicVariables.get('CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY');
 const secretKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.privateVariables.get('CLERK_SECRET_KEY');
 await fs.ensureDir(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp'));
 await fs.writeJSON(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp', 'keyless.json'), {
 publishableKey,
 secretKey,
 claimUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/apps/claim',
 apiKeysUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/last-active?path=api-keys',
 });
 await app.keylessToEnv();
 /**
 * wait a bit for the server to load the new env file
 */
 await page.waitForTimeout(5_000);

 await page.reload();
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToDismiss().click();

Expand Down

2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions
packages/backend/src/tokens/authStatus.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -291,6 +291,8 @@ type BootstrapSignedOutParams = {
 * `isSatellite` / `domain` / `proxyUrl` are carried through so that cross-origin
 * satellite redirects produced by `createRedirect` include the `__clerk_status=needs-sync`
 * marker required for the return-trip handshake.
 *
 * @deprecated No longer used by `@clerk/nextjs`; kept for older published SDK versions. Remove in the next major.
 */
export function createBootstrapSignedOutState({
 signInUrl = '',
Expand Down

16 changes: 2 additions & 14 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/ClerkProvider.tsx

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
'use client';
import { InternalClerkProvider as ReactClerkProvider, type Ui } from '@clerk/react/internal';
import { InitialStateProvider } from '@clerk/shared/react';
import dynamic from 'next/dynamic';
import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation';
import React from 'react';

import { useSafeLayoutEffect } from '../../client-boundary/hooks/useSafeLayoutEffect';
import { ClerkNextOptionsProvider, useClerkNextOptions } from '../../client-boundary/NextOptionsContext';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../../utils/feature-flags';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
Expand All@@ -16,14 +16,6 @@ import { ClerkScripts } from './ClerkScripts';
import { useAwaitablePush } from './useAwaitablePush';
import { useAwaitableReplace } from './useAwaitableReplace';

/**
 * LazyCreateKeylessApplication should only be loaded if the conditions below are met.
 * Note: Using lazy() with Suspense instead of dynamic is not possible as React will throw a hydration error when `ClerkProvider` wraps `<html><body>...`
 */
const LazyCreateKeylessApplication = dynamic(() =>
 import('./keyless-creator-reader.js').then(m => m.KeylessCreatorOrReader),
);

const NextClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(props: NextClerkProviderProps<TUi>) => {
 const { __internal_invokeMiddlewareOnAuthStateChange = true, __internal_scriptsSlot, children } = props;
 const router = useRouter();
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -115,9 +107,5 @@ export const ClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
 return <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>;
 }

 return (
 <LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
 <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>
 </LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
 );
 throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
};

27 changes: 0 additions & 27 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-cookie-sync.tsx

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32 changes: 0 additions & 32 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-creator-reader.tsx

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packages/nextjs/src/app-router/keyless-actions.ts

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@@ -1,93 +1,8 @@
'use server';
import type { AccountlessApplication } from '@clerk/backend';
import { cookies, headers } from 'next/headers';
import { redirect, RedirectType } from 'next/navigation';

import { errorThrower } from '../server/errorThrower';
import { detectClerkMiddleware } from '../server/headers-utils';
import { getKeylessCookieName, getKeylessCookieValue } from '../server/keyless';
import { clerkDevelopmentCache, createKeylessModeMessage } from '../server/keyless-log-cache';
import { keyless } from '../server/keyless-node';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../utils/feature-flags';

type SetCookieOptions = Parameters<Awaited<ReturnType<typeof cookies>>['set']>[2];

const keylessCookieConfig = {
 secure: false,
 httpOnly: false,
 sameSite: 'lax',
} satisfies SetCookieOptions;

export async function syncKeylessConfigAction(args: AccountlessApplication & { returnUrl: string }): Promise<void> {
 const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, returnUrl } = args;
 const cookieStore = await cookies();
 const request = new Request('https://placeholder.com', { headers: await headers() });

 const keylessCookie = await getKeylessCookieValue(name => cookieStore.get(name)?.value);
 const pksMatch = keylessCookie?.publishableKey === publishableKey;
 const sksMatch = keylessCookie?.secretKey === secretKey;
 if (pksMatch && sksMatch) {
 // Return early, syncing in not needed.
 return;
 }

 // Set the new keys in the cookie.
 cookieStore.set(
 await getKeylessCookieName(),
 JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
 keylessCookieConfig,
 );

 // Request works at runtime since detectClerkMiddleware checks for Request via isRequestWebAPI
 if (detectClerkMiddleware(request as Parameters<typeof detectClerkMiddleware>[0])) {
 /**
 * Force middleware to execute to read the new keys from the cookies and populate the authentication state correctly.
 */
 redirect(`/clerk-sync-keyless?returnUrl=${returnUrl}`, RedirectType.replace);
 }

 return;
}

export async function createOrReadKeylessAction(): Promise<null | Omit<AccountlessApplication, 'secretKey'>> {
 if (!canUseKeyless) {
 return null;
 }

 let result;
 try {
 result = await keyless().getOrCreateKeys();
 } catch {
 result = null;
 }

 if (!result) {
 errorThrower.throwMissingPublishableKeyError();
 return null;
 }

 /**
 * Notify developers.
 */
 clerkDevelopmentCache?.log({
 cacheKey: result.publishableKey,
 msg: createKeylessModeMessage(result),
 });

 const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, apiKeysUrl } = result;
 void (await cookies()).set(
 await getKeylessCookieName(),
 JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
 keylessCookieConfig,
 );

 return {
 claimUrl,
 publishableKey,
 apiKeysUrl,
 };
}

export async function deleteKeylessAction() {
 if (!canUseKeyless) {
 return;
Expand Down

4 changes: 4 additions & 0 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/ClerkProvider.tsx

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Expand Up@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { InitialState, Without } from '@clerk/shared/types';
import React, { Suspense } from 'react';

import { getDynamicAuthData } from '../../server/buildClerkProps';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
import { ClientClerkProvider } from '../client/ClerkProvider';
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -52,6 +53,9 @@ export async function ClerkProvider<TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
 ) : undefined;

 if (shouldRunAsKeyless) {
 if (!propsWithEnvs.publishableKey) {
 throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
 }
 return (
 <KeylessProvider
 rest={propsWithEnvs}
Expand Down
Loading
Loading

, 'i');
if (__m === '*' || __re.test(location.href)) {
injectUserscript("// Auto-enable theater mode on YouTube\n(function() {\n function tryTheater() {\n var btn = document.querySelector('button[aria-label=\"Theater mode\"], ytd-player #player button[title=\"Theater mode\"]');\n if (btn && !btn.classList.contains('activated')) {\n btn.click();\n }\n }\n \n // Try immediately\n tryTheater();\n \n // Try after navigation (SPA)\n var lastUrl = location.href;\n setInterval(function() {\n if (location.href !== lastUrl) {\n lastUrl = location.href;\n setTimeout(tryTheater, 500);\n }\n }, 1000);\n \n // Also try on player load\n var observer = new MutationObserver(tryTheater);\n observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true });\n})();", "YouTube Theater Mode Default");
}
} catch(__e) { console.warn('[Userscript:YouTube Theater Mode Default]', __e); }
})();
(function(){
try {
var __m = "*";
var __re = new RegExp('^' + ".*" + '

Skip to content
feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap#9474

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djgould
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feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap
#9474
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fc4ee9a

feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap


djgould Aug 17, 2026
422741e

feat(nextjs): fix import sort


djgould Aug 17, 2026
8887b43

feat(nextjs): apply adversarial-review findings to keyless removal


djgould Aug 17, 2026
a4ff714

feat(nextjs): state that clerk init is non-interactive in missing-env…


djgould Aug 18, 2026

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5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions
.changeset/keyless-bootstrap-state-deprecated.md

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/backend': patch
---

Mark the internal `createBootstrapSignedOutState` as deprecated. It is no longer used by `@clerk/nextjs` and is kept only for older published SDK versions.

5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions
.changeset/keyless-cli-init-error.md

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/nextjs': minor
---

In development, missing Clerk keys no longer activate keyless mode. When `NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY` and `CLERK_SECRET_KEY` are not set, the SDK now throws an error directing you to run `npx clerk@latest init`, which provisions a Clerk application and writes the keys to `.env.local`. Keyless credentials stored in the development keyless cookie are no longer read. Existing apps with configured or claimed keys are unaffected.

10 changes: 6 additions & 4 deletions
integration/tests/next-middleware-keyless.test.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode | middleware authorization @nextjs', () => {
 await app.teardown();
 });

 test('auth.protect() in middleware redirects to sign-in during keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
 await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
 await page.waitForURL(/\/sign-in/);
 await expect(page.getByTestId('protected')).not.toBeVisible();
 test('requests without keys fail with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
 const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
 expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
 const content = await page.content();
 expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
 expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
 });
});

82 changes: 27 additions & 55 deletions
integration/tests/next-quickstart-keyless.test.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
import * as path from 'node:path';

import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';

import type { Application } from '../models/application';
import { appConfigs } from '../presets';
import { fs } from '../scripts';
import { createTestUtils } from '../testUtils';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall, testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';

const commonSetup = appConfigs.next.appRouterQuickstart.clone();

Expand All@@ -17,87 +20,56 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode @quickstart', () => {
 });

 let app: Application;
 let dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/';

 test.beforeAll(async () => {
 app = await commonSetup.commit();
 await app.setup();
 await app.withEnv(appConfigs.envs.withKeyless);
 if (appConfigs.envs.withKeyless.privateVariables.get('CLERK_API_URL')?.includes('clerkstage')) {
 dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerkstage.dev/';
 }
 await app.dev();
 });

 test.afterAll(async () => {
 await app.teardown();
 });

 test('Navigates to non-existent page (/_not-found) without a infinite redirect loop.', async ({ page, context }) => {
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();
 await u.po.expect.toBeSignedOut();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();

 const redirectMap = new Map<string, number>();
 page.on('request', request => {
 // Only count GET requests since Next.js server actions are sent with POST requests.
 if (request.method() === 'GET') {
 const url = request.url();
 redirectMap.set(url, (redirectMap.get(url) || 0) + 1);
 expect(redirectMap.get(url)).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
 }
 });

 await u.page.goToRelative('/something');
 await u.page.waitForAppUrl('/something');
 });

 test('Toggle collapse popover and claim.', async ({ page, context }) => {
 await testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim({ page, context, app, dashboardUrl, framework: 'nextjs' });
 });

 test('Lands on claimed application with missing explicit keys, expanded by default, click to get keys from dashboard.', async ({
 test('Without keys, the app fails with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap.', async ({
 page,
 context,
 }) => {
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.isExpanded()).toBe(true);
 await expect(u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

 const href = await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys().getAttribute('href');
 expect(href).toBeTruthy();
 expect(href).toContain(dashboardUrl);
 const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/`);
 expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
 const content = await page.content();
 expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
 expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
 });

 test('Claimed application with keys inside .env, on dismiss, keyless prompt is removed.', async ({
 test('Claimed application with keys inside .env mounts the keyless prompt; on dismiss, it is removed.', async ({
 page,
 context,
 }) => {
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 await expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

 /**
 * Copy keys from `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json to `.env`
 * Seed claimed keyless state directly: the SDK no longer mints keys, so write the
 * keys fixture to `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json` and copy the matching keys into `.env`.
 */
 const publishableKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.publicVariables.get('CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY');
 const secretKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.privateVariables.get('CLERK_SECRET_KEY');
 await fs.ensureDir(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp'));
 await fs.writeJSON(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp', 'keyless.json'), {
 publishableKey,
 secretKey,
 claimUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/apps/claim',
 apiKeysUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/last-active?path=api-keys',
 });
 await app.keylessToEnv();
 /**
 * wait a bit for the server to load the new env file
 */
 await page.waitForTimeout(5_000);

 await page.reload();
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToDismiss().click();

Expand Down

2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions
packages/backend/src/tokens/authStatus.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -291,6 +291,8 @@ type BootstrapSignedOutParams = {
 * `isSatellite` / `domain` / `proxyUrl` are carried through so that cross-origin
 * satellite redirects produced by `createRedirect` include the `__clerk_status=needs-sync`
 * marker required for the return-trip handshake.
 *
 * @deprecated No longer used by `@clerk/nextjs`; kept for older published SDK versions. Remove in the next major.
 */
export function createBootstrapSignedOutState({
 signInUrl = '',
Expand Down

16 changes: 2 additions & 14 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/ClerkProvider.tsx

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
'use client';
import { InternalClerkProvider as ReactClerkProvider, type Ui } from '@clerk/react/internal';
import { InitialStateProvider } from '@clerk/shared/react';
import dynamic from 'next/dynamic';
import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation';
import React from 'react';

import { useSafeLayoutEffect } from '../../client-boundary/hooks/useSafeLayoutEffect';
import { ClerkNextOptionsProvider, useClerkNextOptions } from '../../client-boundary/NextOptionsContext';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../../utils/feature-flags';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
Expand All@@ -16,14 +16,6 @@ import { ClerkScripts } from './ClerkScripts';
import { useAwaitablePush } from './useAwaitablePush';
import { useAwaitableReplace } from './useAwaitableReplace';

/**
 * LazyCreateKeylessApplication should only be loaded if the conditions below are met.
 * Note: Using lazy() with Suspense instead of dynamic is not possible as React will throw a hydration error when `ClerkProvider` wraps `<html><body>...`
 */
const LazyCreateKeylessApplication = dynamic(() =>
 import('./keyless-creator-reader.js').then(m => m.KeylessCreatorOrReader),
);

const NextClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(props: NextClerkProviderProps<TUi>) => {
 const { __internal_invokeMiddlewareOnAuthStateChange = true, __internal_scriptsSlot, children } = props;
 const router = useRouter();
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -115,9 +107,5 @@ export const ClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
 return <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>;
 }

 return (
 <LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
 <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>
 </LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
 );
 throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
};

27 changes: 0 additions & 27 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-cookie-sync.tsx

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This file was deleted.


32 changes: 0 additions & 32 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-creator-reader.tsx

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This file was deleted.


85 changes: 0 additions & 85 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/keyless-actions.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,93 +1,8 @@
'use server';
import type { AccountlessApplication } from '@clerk/backend';
import { cookies, headers } from 'next/headers';
import { redirect, RedirectType } from 'next/navigation';

import { errorThrower } from '../server/errorThrower';
import { detectClerkMiddleware } from '../server/headers-utils';
import { getKeylessCookieName, getKeylessCookieValue } from '../server/keyless';
import { clerkDevelopmentCache, createKeylessModeMessage } from '../server/keyless-log-cache';
import { keyless } from '../server/keyless-node';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../utils/feature-flags';

type SetCookieOptions = Parameters<Awaited<ReturnType<typeof cookies>>['set']>[2];

const keylessCookieConfig = {
 secure: false,
 httpOnly: false,
 sameSite: 'lax',
} satisfies SetCookieOptions;

export async function syncKeylessConfigAction(args: AccountlessApplication & { returnUrl: string }): Promise<void> {
 const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, returnUrl } = args;
 const cookieStore = await cookies();
 const request = new Request('https://placeholder.com', { headers: await headers() });

 const keylessCookie = await getKeylessCookieValue(name => cookieStore.get(name)?.value);
 const pksMatch = keylessCookie?.publishableKey === publishableKey;
 const sksMatch = keylessCookie?.secretKey === secretKey;
 if (pksMatch && sksMatch) {
 // Return early, syncing in not needed.
 return;
 }

 // Set the new keys in the cookie.
 cookieStore.set(
 await getKeylessCookieName(),
 JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
 keylessCookieConfig,
 );

 // Request works at runtime since detectClerkMiddleware checks for Request via isRequestWebAPI
 if (detectClerkMiddleware(request as Parameters<typeof detectClerkMiddleware>[0])) {
 /**
 * Force middleware to execute to read the new keys from the cookies and populate the authentication state correctly.
 */
 redirect(`/clerk-sync-keyless?returnUrl=${returnUrl}`, RedirectType.replace);
 }

 return;
}

export async function createOrReadKeylessAction(): Promise<null | Omit<AccountlessApplication, 'secretKey'>> {
 if (!canUseKeyless) {
 return null;
 }

 let result;
 try {
 result = await keyless().getOrCreateKeys();
 } catch {
 result = null;
 }

 if (!result) {
 errorThrower.throwMissingPublishableKeyError();
 return null;
 }

 /**
 * Notify developers.
 */
 clerkDevelopmentCache?.log({
 cacheKey: result.publishableKey,
 msg: createKeylessModeMessage(result),
 });

 const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, apiKeysUrl } = result;
 void (await cookies()).set(
 await getKeylessCookieName(),
 JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
 keylessCookieConfig,
 );

 return {
 claimUrl,
 publishableKey,
 apiKeysUrl,
 };
}

export async function deleteKeylessAction() {
 if (!canUseKeyless) {
 return;
Expand Down

4 changes: 4 additions & 0 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/ClerkProvider.tsx

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { InitialState, Without } from '@clerk/shared/types';
import React, { Suspense } from 'react';

import { getDynamicAuthData } from '../../server/buildClerkProps';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
import { ClientClerkProvider } from '../client/ClerkProvider';
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -52,6 +53,9 @@ export async function ClerkProvider<TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
 ) : undefined;

 if (shouldRunAsKeyless) {
 if (!propsWithEnvs.publishableKey) {
 throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
 }
 return (
 <KeylessProvider
 rest={propsWithEnvs}
Expand Down
Loading
Loading

, 'i');
if (__m === '*' || __re.test(location.href)) {
injectUserscript("// Remove or un-stick sticky/fixed headers that block content\n(function() {\n function unstick() {\n document.querySelectorAll('header, nav, [role=\"banner\"], .header, .navbar, .sticky, .fixed-top, [style*=\"position: fixed\"], [style*=\"position:sticky\"]').forEach(function(el) {\n if (el.style.position === 'fixed' || el.style.position === 'sticky' || \n getComputedStyle(el).position === 'fixed' || getComputedStyle(el).position === 'sticky') {\n el.style.position = 'static';\n el.style.top = 'auto';\n el.style.zIndex = 'auto';\n }\n });\n }\n \n unstick();\n \n var observer = new MutationObserver(unstick);\n observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true, attributes: true, attributeFilter: ['style', 'class'] });\n})();", "Kill Sticky Headers");
}
} catch(__e) { console.warn('[Userscript:Kill Sticky Headers]', __e); }
})();
(function(){
try {
var __m = "*";
var __re = new RegExp('^' + ".*" + '

Skip to content
feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap#9474

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 Closed

djgould
wants to merge
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commits into

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feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap
#9474
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fc4ee9a

feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap


djgould Aug 17, 2026
422741e

feat(nextjs): fix import sort


djgould Aug 17, 2026
8887b43

feat(nextjs): apply adversarial-review findings to keyless removal


djgould Aug 17, 2026
a4ff714

feat(nextjs): state that clerk init is non-interactive in missing-env…


djgould Aug 18, 2026

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5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions
.changeset/keyless-bootstrap-state-deprecated.md

View file


Open in desktop

Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/backend': patch
---

Mark the internal `createBootstrapSignedOutState` as deprecated. It is no longer used by `@clerk/nextjs` and is kept only for older published SDK versions.

5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions
.changeset/keyless-cli-init-error.md

View file


Open in desktop

Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/nextjs': minor
---

In development, missing Clerk keys no longer activate keyless mode. When `NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY` and `CLERK_SECRET_KEY` are not set, the SDK now throws an error directing you to run `npx clerk@latest init`, which provisions a Clerk application and writes the keys to `.env.local`. Keyless credentials stored in the development keyless cookie are no longer read. Existing apps with configured or claimed keys are unaffected.

10 changes: 6 additions & 4 deletions
integration/tests/next-middleware-keyless.test.ts

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Open in desktop

Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode | middleware authorization @nextjs', () => {
 await app.teardown();
 });

 test('auth.protect() in middleware redirects to sign-in during keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
 await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
 await page.waitForURL(/\/sign-in/);
 await expect(page.getByTestId('protected')).not.toBeVisible();
 test('requests without keys fail with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
 const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
 expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
 const content = await page.content();
 expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
 expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
 });
});

82 changes: 27 additions & 55 deletions
integration/tests/next-quickstart-keyless.test.ts

View file


Open in desktop

Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
import * as path from 'node:path';

import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';

import type { Application } from '../models/application';
import { appConfigs } from '../presets';
import { fs } from '../scripts';
import { createTestUtils } from '../testUtils';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall, testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';

const commonSetup = appConfigs.next.appRouterQuickstart.clone();

Expand All@@ -17,87 +20,56 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode @quickstart', () => {
 });

 let app: Application;
 let dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/';

 test.beforeAll(async () => {
 app = await commonSetup.commit();
 await app.setup();
 await app.withEnv(appConfigs.envs.withKeyless);
 if (appConfigs.envs.withKeyless.privateVariables.get('CLERK_API_URL')?.includes('clerkstage')) {
 dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerkstage.dev/';
 }
 await app.dev();
 });

 test.afterAll(async () => {
 await app.teardown();
 });

 test('Navigates to non-existent page (/_not-found) without a infinite redirect loop.', async ({ page, context }) => {
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();
 await u.po.expect.toBeSignedOut();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();

 const redirectMap = new Map<string, number>();
 page.on('request', request => {
 // Only count GET requests since Next.js server actions are sent with POST requests.
 if (request.method() === 'GET') {
 const url = request.url();
 redirectMap.set(url, (redirectMap.get(url) || 0) + 1);
 expect(redirectMap.get(url)).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
 }
 });

 await u.page.goToRelative('/something');
 await u.page.waitForAppUrl('/something');
 });

 test('Toggle collapse popover and claim.', async ({ page, context }) => {
 await testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim({ page, context, app, dashboardUrl, framework: 'nextjs' });
 });

 test('Lands on claimed application with missing explicit keys, expanded by default, click to get keys from dashboard.', async ({
 test('Without keys, the app fails with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap.', async ({
 page,
 context,
 }) => {
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.isExpanded()).toBe(true);
 await expect(u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

 const href = await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys().getAttribute('href');
 expect(href).toBeTruthy();
 expect(href).toContain(dashboardUrl);
 const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/`);
 expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
 const content = await page.content();
 expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
 expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
 });

 test('Claimed application with keys inside .env, on dismiss, keyless prompt is removed.', async ({
 test('Claimed application with keys inside .env mounts the keyless prompt; on dismiss, it is removed.', async ({
 page,
 context,
 }) => {
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 await expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

 /**
 * Copy keys from `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json to `.env`
 * Seed claimed keyless state directly: the SDK no longer mints keys, so write the
 * keys fixture to `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json` and copy the matching keys into `.env`.
 */
 const publishableKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.publicVariables.get('CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY');
 const secretKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.privateVariables.get('CLERK_SECRET_KEY');
 await fs.ensureDir(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp'));
 await fs.writeJSON(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp', 'keyless.json'), {
 publishableKey,
 secretKey,
 claimUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/apps/claim',
 apiKeysUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/last-active?path=api-keys',
 });
 await app.keylessToEnv();
 /**
 * wait a bit for the server to load the new env file
 */
 await page.waitForTimeout(5_000);

 await page.reload();
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToDismiss().click();

Expand Down

2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions
packages/backend/src/tokens/authStatus.ts

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Expand Up@@ -291,6 +291,8 @@ type BootstrapSignedOutParams = {
 * `isSatellite` / `domain` / `proxyUrl` are carried through so that cross-origin
 * satellite redirects produced by `createRedirect` include the `__clerk_status=needs-sync`
 * marker required for the return-trip handshake.
 *
 * @deprecated No longer used by `@clerk/nextjs`; kept for older published SDK versions. Remove in the next major.
 */
export function createBootstrapSignedOutState({
 signInUrl = '',
Expand Down

16 changes: 2 additions & 14 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/ClerkProvider.tsx

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
'use client';
import { InternalClerkProvider as ReactClerkProvider, type Ui } from '@clerk/react/internal';
import { InitialStateProvider } from '@clerk/shared/react';
import dynamic from 'next/dynamic';
import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation';
import React from 'react';

import { useSafeLayoutEffect } from '../../client-boundary/hooks/useSafeLayoutEffect';
import { ClerkNextOptionsProvider, useClerkNextOptions } from '../../client-boundary/NextOptionsContext';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../../utils/feature-flags';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
Expand All@@ -16,14 +16,6 @@ import { ClerkScripts } from './ClerkScripts';
import { useAwaitablePush } from './useAwaitablePush';
import { useAwaitableReplace } from './useAwaitableReplace';

/**
 * LazyCreateKeylessApplication should only be loaded if the conditions below are met.
 * Note: Using lazy() with Suspense instead of dynamic is not possible as React will throw a hydration error when `ClerkProvider` wraps `<html><body>...`
 */
const LazyCreateKeylessApplication = dynamic(() =>
 import('./keyless-creator-reader.js').then(m => m.KeylessCreatorOrReader),
);

const NextClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(props: NextClerkProviderProps<TUi>) => {
 const { __internal_invokeMiddlewareOnAuthStateChange = true, __internal_scriptsSlot, children } = props;
 const router = useRouter();
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -115,9 +107,5 @@ export const ClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
 return <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>;
 }

 return (
 <LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
 <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>
 </LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
 );
 throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
};

27 changes: 0 additions & 27 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-cookie-sync.tsx

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packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-creator-reader.tsx

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packages/nextjs/src/app-router/keyless-actions.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,93 +1,8 @@
'use server';
import type { AccountlessApplication } from '@clerk/backend';
import { cookies, headers } from 'next/headers';
import { redirect, RedirectType } from 'next/navigation';

import { errorThrower } from '../server/errorThrower';
import { detectClerkMiddleware } from '../server/headers-utils';
import { getKeylessCookieName, getKeylessCookieValue } from '../server/keyless';
import { clerkDevelopmentCache, createKeylessModeMessage } from '../server/keyless-log-cache';
import { keyless } from '../server/keyless-node';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../utils/feature-flags';

type SetCookieOptions = Parameters<Awaited<ReturnType<typeof cookies>>['set']>[2];

const keylessCookieConfig = {
 secure: false,
 httpOnly: false,
 sameSite: 'lax',
} satisfies SetCookieOptions;

export async function syncKeylessConfigAction(args: AccountlessApplication & { returnUrl: string }): Promise<void> {
 const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, returnUrl } = args;
 const cookieStore = await cookies();
 const request = new Request('https://placeholder.com', { headers: await headers() });

 const keylessCookie = await getKeylessCookieValue(name => cookieStore.get(name)?.value);
 const pksMatch = keylessCookie?.publishableKey === publishableKey;
 const sksMatch = keylessCookie?.secretKey === secretKey;
 if (pksMatch && sksMatch) {
 // Return early, syncing in not needed.
 return;
 }

 // Set the new keys in the cookie.
 cookieStore.set(
 await getKeylessCookieName(),
 JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
 keylessCookieConfig,
 );

 // Request works at runtime since detectClerkMiddleware checks for Request via isRequestWebAPI
 if (detectClerkMiddleware(request as Parameters<typeof detectClerkMiddleware>[0])) {
 /**
 * Force middleware to execute to read the new keys from the cookies and populate the authentication state correctly.
 */
 redirect(`/clerk-sync-keyless?returnUrl=${returnUrl}`, RedirectType.replace);
 }

 return;
}

export async function createOrReadKeylessAction(): Promise<null | Omit<AccountlessApplication, 'secretKey'>> {
 if (!canUseKeyless) {
 return null;
 }

 let result;
 try {
 result = await keyless().getOrCreateKeys();
 } catch {
 result = null;
 }

 if (!result) {
 errorThrower.throwMissingPublishableKeyError();
 return null;
 }

 /**
 * Notify developers.
 */
 clerkDevelopmentCache?.log({
 cacheKey: result.publishableKey,
 msg: createKeylessModeMessage(result),
 });

 const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, apiKeysUrl } = result;
 void (await cookies()).set(
 await getKeylessCookieName(),
 JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
 keylessCookieConfig,
 );

 return {
 claimUrl,
 publishableKey,
 apiKeysUrl,
 };
}

export async function deleteKeylessAction() {
 if (!canUseKeyless) {
 return;
Expand Down

4 changes: 4 additions & 0 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/ClerkProvider.tsx

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Expand Up@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { InitialState, Without } from '@clerk/shared/types';
import React, { Suspense } from 'react';

import { getDynamicAuthData } from '../../server/buildClerkProps';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
import { ClientClerkProvider } from '../client/ClerkProvider';
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -52,6 +53,9 @@ export async function ClerkProvider<TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
 ) : undefined;

 if (shouldRunAsKeyless) {
 if (!propsWithEnvs.publishableKey) {
 throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
 }
 return (
 <KeylessProvider
 rest={propsWithEnvs}
Expand Down
Loading
Loading

, 'i');
if (__m === '*' || __re.test(location.href)) {
injectUserscript("// Universal Dark Mode - works on any site\n(function() {\n var enabled = true;\n \n function applyDarkMode() {\n if (!enabled) return;\n \n // Create style element if it doesn't exist\n var style = document.getElementById('universal-dark-mode-style');\n if (!style) {\n style = document.createElement('style');\n style.id = 'universal-dark-mode-style';\n document.head.appendChild(style);\n }\n \n // Dark mode CSS - inverts colors but preserves images/video\n style.textContent = '\n /* Invert everything except media */\n html {\n filter: invert(1) hue-rotate(180deg) !important;\n background: #1a1a2e !important;\n }\n \n /* Restore images, videos, iframes, canvas */\n img, video, iframe, canvas, svg, picture, [style*=\"background-image\"] {\n filter: invert(1) hue-rotate(180deg) !important;\n }\n \n /* Preserve specific elements that should not be inverted */\n .no-dark-mode, .no-dark-mode *,\n [data-theme=\"light\"], [data-theme=\"light\"],\n .ace_editor, .ace_editor *,\n .CodeMirror, .CodeMirror *,\n .monaco-editor, .monaco-editor *,\n .markdown-body pre, .markdown-body pre *,\n .highlight, .highlight *,\n pre code, pre code * {\n filter: none !important;\n }\n \n /* Fix common UI elements */\n .modal, .popup, .dropdown-menu, .tooltip, .popover {\n filter: invert(1) hue-rotate(180deg) !important;\n background: #2d2d44 !important;\n border-color: #444 !important;\n }\n \n /* Scrollbars */\n ::-webkit-scrollbar { background: #1a1a2e !important; }\n ::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb { background: #444 !important; }\n ::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb:hover { background: #555 !important; }\n \n /* Selection */\n ::selection { background: #4ecdc4 !important; color: #1a1a2e !important; }\n ::-moz-selection { background: #4ecdc4 !important; color: #1a1a2e !important; }\n ';\n }\n \n function removeDarkMode() {\n var style = document.getElementById('universal-dark-mode-style');\n if (style) style.remove();\n }\n \n // Toggle with Alt+Shift+D\n document.addEventListener('keydown', function(e) {\n if (e.altKey && e.shiftKey && e.key === 'D') {\n e.preventDefault();\n enabled = !enabled;\n if (enabled) {\n applyDarkMode();\n console.log('[Universal Dark Mode] Enabled');\n } else {\n removeDarkMode();\n console.log('[Universal Dark Mode] Disabled');\n }\n }\n });\n \n // Apply on load\n applyDarkMode();\n \n // Re-apply on dynamic content\n var observer = new MutationObserver(function(mutations) {\n if (enabled && !document.getElementById('universal-dark-mode-style')) {\n applyDarkMode();\n }\n });\n observer.observe(document.head, { childList: true });\n \n console.log('[Universal Dark Mode] Loaded - Press Alt+Shift+D to toggle');\n})();", "Universal Dark Mode");
}
} catch(__e) { console.warn('[Userscript:Universal Dark Mode]', __e); }
})();
})();

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feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap
#9474
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fc4ee9a

feat(nextjs): throw missing-env error instead of keyless bootstrap


djgould Aug 17, 2026
422741e

feat(nextjs): fix import sort


djgould Aug 17, 2026
8887b43

feat(nextjs): apply adversarial-review findings to keyless removal


djgould Aug 17, 2026
a4ff714

feat(nextjs): state that clerk init is non-interactive in missing-env…


djgould Aug 18, 2026

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5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions
.changeset/keyless-bootstrap-state-deprecated.md

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/backend': patch
---

Mark the internal `createBootstrapSignedOutState` as deprecated. It is no longer used by `@clerk/nextjs` and is kept only for older published SDK versions.

5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions
.changeset/keyless-cli-init-error.md

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@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
'@clerk/nextjs': minor
---

In development, missing Clerk keys no longer activate keyless mode. When `NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY` and `CLERK_SECRET_KEY` are not set, the SDK now throws an error directing you to run `npx clerk@latest init`, which provisions a Clerk application and writes the keys to `.env.local`. Keyless credentials stored in the development keyless cookie are no longer read. Existing apps with configured or claimed keys are unaffected.

10 changes: 6 additions & 4 deletions
integration/tests/next-middleware-keyless.test.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode | middleware authorization @nextjs', () => {
 await app.teardown();
 });

 test('auth.protect() in middleware redirects to sign-in during keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
 await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
 await page.waitForURL(/\/sign-in/);
 await expect(page.getByTestId('protected')).not.toBeVisible();
 test('requests without keys fail with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap', async ({ page }) => {
 const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/protected`);
 expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
 const content = await page.content();
 expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
 expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
 });
});

82 changes: 27 additions & 55 deletions
integration/tests/next-quickstart-keyless.test.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
import * as path from 'node:path';

import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';

import type { Application } from '../models/application';
import { appConfigs } from '../presets';
import { fs } from '../scripts';
import { createTestUtils } from '../testUtils';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall, testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';
import { mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall } from '../testUtils/keylessHelpers';

const commonSetup = appConfigs.next.appRouterQuickstart.clone();

Expand All@@ -17,87 +20,56 @@ test.describe('Keyless mode @quickstart', () => {
 });

 let app: Application;
 let dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/';

 test.beforeAll(async () => {
 app = await commonSetup.commit();
 await app.setup();
 await app.withEnv(appConfigs.envs.withKeyless);
 if (appConfigs.envs.withKeyless.privateVariables.get('CLERK_API_URL')?.includes('clerkstage')) {
 dashboardUrl = 'https://dashboard.clerkstage.dev/';
 }
 await app.dev();
 });

 test.afterAll(async () => {
 await app.teardown();
 });

 test('Navigates to non-existent page (/_not-found) without a infinite redirect loop.', async ({ page, context }) => {
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();
 await u.po.expect.toBeSignedOut();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();

 const redirectMap = new Map<string, number>();
 page.on('request', request => {
 // Only count GET requests since Next.js server actions are sent with POST requests.
 if (request.method() === 'GET') {
 const url = request.url();
 redirectMap.set(url, (redirectMap.get(url) || 0) + 1);
 expect(redirectMap.get(url)).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
 }
 });

 await u.page.goToRelative('/something');
 await u.page.waitForAppUrl('/something');
 });

 test('Toggle collapse popover and claim.', async ({ page, context }) => {
 await testToggleCollapsePopoverAndClaim({ page, context, app, dashboardUrl, framework: 'nextjs' });
 });

 test('Lands on claimed application with missing explicit keys, expanded by default, click to get keys from dashboard.', async ({
 test('Without keys, the app fails with the missing env vars error instead of keyless bootstrap.', async ({
 page,
 context,
 }) => {
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.isExpanded()).toBe(true);
 await expect(u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

 const href = await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys().getAttribute('href');
 expect(href).toBeTruthy();
 expect(href).toContain(dashboardUrl);
 const response = await page.goto(`${app.serverUrl}/`);
 expect(response?.status()).toBe(500);
 const content = await page.content();
 expect(content).toContain('Missing environment variables');
 expect(content).toContain('npx clerk@latest init');
 });

 test('Claimed application with keys inside .env, on dismiss, keyless prompt is removed.', async ({
 test('Claimed application with keys inside .env mounts the keyless prompt; on dismiss, it is removed.', async ({
 page,
 context,
 }) => {
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 await expect(await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToUseClaimedKeys()).toBeVisible();

 /**
 * Copy keys from `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json to `.env`
 * Seed claimed keyless state directly: the SDK no longer mints keys, so write the
 * keys fixture to `.clerk/.tmp/keyless.json` and copy the matching keys into `.env`.
 */
 const publishableKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.publicVariables.get('CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY');
 const secretKey = appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodes.privateVariables.get('CLERK_SECRET_KEY');
 await fs.ensureDir(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp'));
 await fs.writeJSON(path.join(app.appDir, '.clerk', '.tmp', 'keyless.json'), {
 publishableKey,
 secretKey,
 claimUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/apps/claim',
 apiKeysUrl: 'https://dashboard.clerk.com/last-active?path=api-keys',
 });
 await app.keylessToEnv();
 /**
 * wait a bit for the server to load the new env file
 */
 await page.waitForTimeout(5_000);

 await page.reload();
 await mockClaimedInstanceEnvironmentCall(page);
 const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
 await u.page.goToAppHome();
 await u.page.waitForClerkJsLoaded();

 await u.po.keylessPopover.waitForMounted();
 await u.po.keylessPopover.promptToDismiss().click();

Expand Down

2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions
packages/backend/src/tokens/authStatus.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -291,6 +291,8 @@ type BootstrapSignedOutParams = {
 * `isSatellite` / `domain` / `proxyUrl` are carried through so that cross-origin
 * satellite redirects produced by `createRedirect` include the `__clerk_status=needs-sync`
 * marker required for the return-trip handshake.
 *
 * @deprecated No longer used by `@clerk/nextjs`; kept for older published SDK versions. Remove in the next major.
 */
export function createBootstrapSignedOutState({
 signInUrl = '',
Expand Down

16 changes: 2 additions & 14 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/ClerkProvider.tsx

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
'use client';
import { InternalClerkProvider as ReactClerkProvider, type Ui } from '@clerk/react/internal';
import { InitialStateProvider } from '@clerk/shared/react';
import dynamic from 'next/dynamic';
import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation';
import React from 'react';

import { useSafeLayoutEffect } from '../../client-boundary/hooks/useSafeLayoutEffect';
import { ClerkNextOptionsProvider, useClerkNextOptions } from '../../client-boundary/NextOptionsContext';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../../utils/feature-flags';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
Expand All@@ -16,14 +16,6 @@ import { ClerkScripts } from './ClerkScripts';
import { useAwaitablePush } from './useAwaitablePush';
import { useAwaitableReplace } from './useAwaitableReplace';

/**
 * LazyCreateKeylessApplication should only be loaded if the conditions below are met.
 * Note: Using lazy() with Suspense instead of dynamic is not possible as React will throw a hydration error when `ClerkProvider` wraps `<html><body>...`
 */
const LazyCreateKeylessApplication = dynamic(() =>
 import('./keyless-creator-reader.js').then(m => m.KeylessCreatorOrReader),
);

const NextClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(props: NextClerkProviderProps<TUi>) => {
 const { __internal_invokeMiddlewareOnAuthStateChange = true, __internal_scriptsSlot, children } = props;
 const router = useRouter();
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -115,9 +107,5 @@ export const ClientClerkProvider = <TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
 return <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>;
 }

 return (
 <LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
 <NextClientClerkProvider {...rest}>{children}</NextClientClerkProvider>
 </LazyCreateKeylessApplication>
 );
 throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
};

27 changes: 0 additions & 27 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-cookie-sync.tsx

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packages/nextjs/src/app-router/client/keyless-creator-reader.tsx

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85 changes: 0 additions & 85 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/keyless-actions.ts

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,93 +1,8 @@
'use server';
import type { AccountlessApplication } from '@clerk/backend';
import { cookies, headers } from 'next/headers';
import { redirect, RedirectType } from 'next/navigation';

import { errorThrower } from '../server/errorThrower';
import { detectClerkMiddleware } from '../server/headers-utils';
import { getKeylessCookieName, getKeylessCookieValue } from '../server/keyless';
import { clerkDevelopmentCache, createKeylessModeMessage } from '../server/keyless-log-cache';
import { keyless } from '../server/keyless-node';
import { canUseKeyless } from '../utils/feature-flags';

type SetCookieOptions = Parameters<Awaited<ReturnType<typeof cookies>>['set']>[2];

const keylessCookieConfig = {
 secure: false,
 httpOnly: false,
 sameSite: 'lax',
} satisfies SetCookieOptions;

export async function syncKeylessConfigAction(args: AccountlessApplication & { returnUrl: string }): Promise<void> {
 const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, returnUrl } = args;
 const cookieStore = await cookies();
 const request = new Request('https://placeholder.com', { headers: await headers() });

 const keylessCookie = await getKeylessCookieValue(name => cookieStore.get(name)?.value);
 const pksMatch = keylessCookie?.publishableKey === publishableKey;
 const sksMatch = keylessCookie?.secretKey === secretKey;
 if (pksMatch && sksMatch) {
 // Return early, syncing in not needed.
 return;
 }

 // Set the new keys in the cookie.
 cookieStore.set(
 await getKeylessCookieName(),
 JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
 keylessCookieConfig,
 );

 // Request works at runtime since detectClerkMiddleware checks for Request via isRequestWebAPI
 if (detectClerkMiddleware(request as Parameters<typeof detectClerkMiddleware>[0])) {
 /**
 * Force middleware to execute to read the new keys from the cookies and populate the authentication state correctly.
 */
 redirect(`/clerk-sync-keyless?returnUrl=${returnUrl}`, RedirectType.replace);
 }

 return;
}

export async function createOrReadKeylessAction(): Promise<null | Omit<AccountlessApplication, 'secretKey'>> {
 if (!canUseKeyless) {
 return null;
 }

 let result;
 try {
 result = await keyless().getOrCreateKeys();
 } catch {
 result = null;
 }

 if (!result) {
 errorThrower.throwMissingPublishableKeyError();
 return null;
 }

 /**
 * Notify developers.
 */
 clerkDevelopmentCache?.log({
 cacheKey: result.publishableKey,
 msg: createKeylessModeMessage(result),
 });

 const { claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey, apiKeysUrl } = result;
 void (await cookies()).set(
 await getKeylessCookieName(),
 JSON.stringify({ claimUrl, publishableKey, secretKey }),
 keylessCookieConfig,
 );

 return {
 claimUrl,
 publishableKey,
 apiKeysUrl,
 };
}

export async function deleteKeylessAction() {
 if (!canUseKeyless) {
 return;
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4 changes: 4 additions & 0 deletions
packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/ClerkProvider.tsx

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
Expand Up@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { InitialState, Without } from '@clerk/shared/types';
import React, { Suspense } from 'react';

import { getDynamicAuthData } from '../../server/buildClerkProps';
import { keylessMissingEnvVars } from '../../server/errors';
import type { NextClerkProviderProps } from '../../types';
import { mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv } from '../../utils/mergeNextClerkPropsWithEnv';
import { ClientClerkProvider } from '../client/ClerkProvider';
Expand DownExpand Up@@ -52,6 +53,9 @@ export async function ClerkProvider<TUi extends Ui = Ui>(
 ) : undefined;

 if (shouldRunAsKeyless) {
 if (!propsWithEnvs.publishableKey) {
 throw new Error(keylessMissingEnvVars);
 }
 return (
 <KeylessProvider
 rest={propsWithEnvs}
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