Pantheon Workflow Cheat Sheet

Quick reference for day-to-day Pantheon development

Terminus — Multidev

# Create a Multidev from Live (max 11 chars in name)
terminus multidev:create your-site.live my-branch

# List all Multidev environments
terminus multidev:list your-site

# Delete a Multidev when done
terminus multidev:delete your-site.my-branch

# Clone DB + files from Live into a Multidev
terminus env:clone-content your-site.live my-branch

Terminus — Connection & Mode

# Get Git URL (always use .dev for the repo URL)
terminus connection:info your-site.dev --field=git_url

# Set environment to Git mode (required before pushing)
terminus connection:set your-site.my-branch git

# Set environment to SFTP mode
terminus connection:set your-site.my-branch sftp

Terminus — Drush

# Run any Drush command against an environment
terminus drush your-site.my-branch -- cr
terminus drush your-site.my-branch -- uli
terminus drush your-site.my-branch -- updb
terminus drush your-site.my-branch -- cex

# The -- separator is required

Terminus — Secrets

# List all secrets and their scopes
terminus secret:site:list your-site

# Set a secret
terminus secret:site:set your-site secret-name "value"

Terminus — Backups

# Create a backup of an environment
terminus backup:create your-site.live --element=db

# Get download URL for a backup
terminus backup:get your-site.live --element=db

# Download directly
terminus backup:get your-site.live --element=db --to=./backup.sql.gz

Git — Remotes

# View all remotes
git remote -v

# Add Pantheon as a remote
git remote add pantheon $(terminus connection:info your-site.dev --field=git_url)

# Add GitHub mirror as a remote
git remote add github [email protected]:your-org/your-repo.git

# Configure origin to push to both simultaneously
git remote set-url --add --push origin [email protected]:your-org/your-repo.git

Git — Branch Workflow

# Create and switch to a fix branch
git checkout -b my-branch

# Switch to master (Pantheon's default branch)
git checkout master

# Merge fix branch into master
git merge my-branch

# Delete local branch after merging
git branch -d my-branch

Git — Pushing

# Push fix branch to Pantheon Multidev
git push pantheon my-branch

# Push master to Pantheon Dev
git push origin master

# Push to GitHub mirror (master → main)
git push github master:main

# Push to both (if configured with --add --push)
git push origin master

DDEV

# Pull DB + files from configured Pantheon environment
ddev pull pantheon

# Start DDEV
ddev start

# Clear Drupal cache
ddev drush cr

# Import a database backup
ddev import-db --src=backup.sql.gz

# Get a one-time login link (local)
ddev drush uli

Sync Files from Pantheon to Local

# rsync files from any environment to local
terminus rsync your-site.live:files/ web/sites/default/files/

Promotion Flow

Multidev (test fix)
    ↓  git push pantheon my-branch
    ↓  verify at multidev URL

Master (merge + push)
    ↓  git merge my-branch
    ↓  git push origin master
    ↓  git push github master:main

Pantheon Dashboard
    ↓  Dev → Test → Live

Notes

• Pantheon uses master (not main) as its default branch
• Multidev names are capped at 11 characters
• Always use terminus connection:info your-site.dev for the Git URL — not the Multidev environment name
• ddev pull pantheon pulls from your configured environment, not automatically from your current branch
• Email rerouting: use !== 'live' pattern, never hardcode environment names