# How to Configure Deployment Targets (Agent Runtime, Cloud Run, GKE) in agents-cli-manifest.yaml

> Configure deployment targets like agent runtime, Cloud Run, or GKE in agents-cli-manifest.yaml. Learn how to set the deployment_target field for your agent deployments.

- Repository: [Google/agents-cli](https://github.com/google/agents-cli)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-07-01

---

**Set the `deployment_target` field under `create_params` in [`agents-cli-manifest.yaml`](https://github.com/google/agents-cli/blob/main/agents-cli-manifest.yaml) to one of the supported values—`agent_runtime`, `cloud_run`, `gke`, or `none`—to control where your agent is deployed.**

The [`agents-cli-manifest.yaml`](https://github.com/google/agents-cli/blob/main/agents-cli-manifest.yaml) file serves as the central configuration for projects scaffolded by the **google/agents-cli** tool. This manifest controls how your agent is built and deployed, with the **deployment target** parameter determining whether your agent runs on Agent Runtime, Cloud Run, GKE, or locally.

## Understanding the Deployment Target Configuration

The deployment target is specified within the `create_params` section of the manifest. According to the source code in [`src/google/agents/cli/scaffold/base_templates/_shared/agents-cli-manifest.yaml`](https://github.com/google/agents-cli/blob/main/src/google/agents/cli/scaffold/base_templates/_shared/agents-cli-manifest.yaml), this field is templated as:

```yaml
create_params:
  deployment_target: "{{cookiecutter.deployment_target}}"

```

### Supported Deployment Targets

The complete list of valid identifiers is defined in [`src/google/agents/cli/scaffold/agents/adk/.template/templateconfig.yaml`](https://github.com/google/agents-cli/blob/main/src/google/agents/cli/scaffold/agents/adk/.template/templateconfig.yaml):

```yaml
deployment_targets: ["agent_runtime", "cloud_run", "gke", "none"]

```

These four options represent distinct runtime environments:

- **agent_runtime**: Deploy to Google's dedicated Agent Runtime infrastructure
- **cloud_run**: Deploy to Cloud Run as a fully managed serverless container
- **gke**: Deploy to Google Kubernetes Engine for cluster-based orchestration
- **none**: Configure for local development without remote deployment

## Configuring the Deployment Target

When you scaffold a new project using `agents-cli create`, the tool generates the manifest with your selected target. To configure or change the target manually, edit the `deployment_target` value in [`agents-cli-manifest.yaml`](https://github.com/google/agents-cli/blob/main/agents-cli-manifest.yaml).

Example configuration:

```yaml
name: "my-agent"
acli_version: "0.4.0"
agent_directory: "my_agent"
region: "us-east1"
base_template: "python"
language: "python"
create_params:
  deployment_target: "cloud_run"  # Options: agent_runtime, cloud_run, gke, none

  session_type: "none"
  cicd_runner: "github"

```

## How the Manifest Drives CI/CD Pipelines

The `deployment_target` value propagates through Jinja2 templates in the generated CI/CD workflows. In the Python scaffolding templates located at `src/google/agents/cli/scaffold/base_templates/python/.github/workflows/`, the build pipeline uses conditional logic based on the cookiecutter variable:

```yaml
{%- if cookiecutter.deployment_target == 'cloud_run' %}

# Cloud Run-specific steps

{%- elif cookiecutter.deployment_target == 'gke' %}

# GKE-specific steps

{%- elif cookiecutter.deployment_target == 'agent_runtime' %}

# Agent Runtime steps

{%- endif %}

```

This templating ensures that Docker image tags, `gcloud` commands, and Kubernetes manifests are automatically adjusted to match your selected target without manual edits to the workflow files.

## Changing Deployment Targets in Existing Projects

To switch targets after scaffolding, modify the value in your manifest and commit the changes. For example, to migrate from Cloud Run to GKE:

```bash

# Update the manifest

sed -i 's/deployment_target: "cloud_run"/deployment_target: "gke"/' agents-cli-manifest.yaml

# Commit the change

git add agents-cli-manifest.yaml
git commit -m "Switch deployment target to GKE"

```

The next CI/CD run will automatically generate GKE-compatible deployment artifacts, including updated Docker tags and `kubectl` apply commands, rather than Cloud Run service deployments.

## Summary

- The [`agents-cli-manifest.yaml`](https://github.com/google/agents-cli/blob/main/agents-cli-manifest.yaml) file controls deployment behavior through the `create_params.deployment_target` field.
- Valid values are defined in the template configuration: `agent_runtime`, `cloud_run`, `gke`, and `none`.
- Configuration changes propagate automatically through Jinja2 templates in generated CI/CD pipelines.
- No manual editing of workflow files is required when switching targets—only the manifest needs updating.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What are the valid values for deployment_target?

The `deployment_target` field accepts four string values defined in [`src/google/agents/cli/scaffold/agents/adk/.template/templateconfig.yaml`](https://github.com/google/agents-cli/blob/main/src/google/agents/cli/scaffold/agents/adk/.template/templateconfig.yaml): `agent_runtime` for Google's Agent Runtime, `cloud_run` for Cloud Run, `gke` for Google Kubernetes Engine, and `none` for local development only.

### Can I switch deployment targets after scaffolding?

Yes. Simply edit the `deployment_target` value in your [`agents-cli-manifest.yaml`](https://github.com/google/agents-cli/blob/main/agents-cli-manifest.yaml) file and commit the change. The templating system re-renders the CI/CD pipelines automatically during the next build, requiring no manual modifications to the workflow files themselves.

### How does the deployment target affect the generated CI/CD files?

The target value drives Jinja2 conditionals in the scaffolding templates. For example, if set to `cloud_run`, the generated workflows include `gcloud run deploy` commands; if set to `gke`, they include `kubectl apply` steps. These conditionals are evaluated at build time based on the manifest value.

### What is the difference between agent_runtime and cloud_run?

**Agent Runtime** is a specialized environment optimized for agent execution with specific runtime capabilities, while **Cloud Run** is a general-purpose serverless container platform. The `agent_runtime` target deploys to Google's dedicated agent infrastructure, whereas `cloud_run` deploys standard container images to the Cloud Run service.