withastro/astro · error · AstroError

LiveContentConfigError

LiveContentConfigError

Error message

Collections with type `live` must be defined in a `src/live.config.ts` file. Check your collection definitions in your live content config file.

What it means

Thrown by the runtime-shimmed defineCollection() (re-exported into src/content/config.ts) when called with { type: 'live' }. Live collections are not permitted in the standard content config; they must be declared in a dedicated src/live.config.ts. This shim exists to catch users who copy a live-collection example into the wrong file.

Source

Thrown at packages/astro/src/content/runtime.ts:748

			});
	};
}

type PropagatedAssetsModule = {
	__astroPropagation: true;
	getMod: () => Promise<any>;
	collectedStyles: string[];
	collectedLinks: string[];
	collectedScripts: string[];
};

function isPropagatedAssetsModule(module: any): module is PropagatedAssetsModule {
	return typeof module === 'object' && module != null && '__astroPropagation' in module;
}

export function defineCollection(config: any) {
	if (config.type === 'live') {
		throw new AstroError({
			...AstroErrorData.LiveContentConfigError,
			message: AstroErrorData.LiveContentConfigError.message(
				'Collections with type `live` must be defined in a `src/live.config.ts` file.',
			),
		});
	}
	return defineCollectionOrig(config);
}

export function defineLiveCollection() {
	throw new AstroError({
		...AstroErrorData.LiveContentConfigError,
		message: AstroErrorData.LiveContentConfigError.message(
			'Live collections must be defined in a `src/live.config.ts` file.',
		),
	});
}

View on GitHub (pinned to d081033d5f)

Solutions

1. Create src/live.config.ts and define live collections there using the live-specific API.
2. Remove the { type: 'live' } collection from src/content/config.ts.
3. Consult the live collections guide to confirm the correct file and loader API.

Example fix

// before - src/content/config.ts
import { defineCollection } from 'astro:content';
export const collections = {
  news: defineCollection({ type: 'live', loader: newsLoader() })
};
// after - src/live.config.ts
import { defineLiveCollection } from 'astro:content';
export const collections = {
  news: defineLiveCollection({ loader: newsLoader() })
};

// Enforce file-location convention in your config lint
import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
const cfg = readFileSync('src/content/config.ts','utf-8');
if (/type:\s*['"]live['"]/.test(cfg)) throw new Error('live collections belong in src/live.config.ts');

type LiveDef = { type: 'live'; loader: unknown }; const isLiveDef = (c: any): c is LiveDef => c?.type === 'live';

When it happens

Trigger: In src/content/config.ts (or any module other than src/live.config.ts), calling defineCollection({ type: 'live', loader: ... }) triggers the guard immediately at config-eval time.

Common situations: Following a live-collections tutorial but pasting the definition into content/config.ts; upgrading Astro and trying the new live feature in the wrong file; misreading the docs about where live collections live.

Related errors

• LiveContentConfigError
• LiveContentConfigError
• A content collection is defined with legacy features (e.g. m
• Live content collections must be defined in "src/live.config
• FileGlobNotSupported

AI-assisted analysis of withastro/astro@d081033d5f (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/46c39a4ca5e1692c. Report an issue: GitHub.