---
title: "How does the local-to-cloud loop work?"
description: "The local-to-cloud loop runs the same schema on a laptop catalog and on a hosted database, so you change it locally and then apply it remotely."
url: "https://pixeltable.com/learn/what-is-the-local-cloud-loop"
updated: "2026-09-29"
vertical: "Serving"
doc: "https://docs.pixeltable.com/overview/quick-start"
---

# How does the local-to-cloud loop work?

The local-to-cloud loop runs the same schema on a laptop catalog and on a hosted database, so you change it locally and then apply it remotely.

Updated: 2026-09-29


## On this page

- [How it works](https://pixeltable.com/learn/what-is-the-local-cloud-loop#how-it-works)
- [What it is not](https://pixeltable.com/learn/what-is-the-local-cloud-loop#what-it-is-not)
- [Comparison](https://pixeltable.com/learn/what-is-the-local-cloud-loop#comparison)
- [Where Pixeltable fits](https://pixeltable.com/learn/what-is-the-local-cloud-loop#where-pixeltable-fits)
- [Questions](https://pixeltable.com/learn/what-is-the-local-cloud-loop#questions)

## How it works {#how-it-works}


- Apply the file to a local directory.
- On a hosted database, update the runtime first, then the schema, then the service, all against a pxt:// target.
- Applying the schema before the runtime fails with 404: UDF not found.

## What it is not {#what-it-is-not}

It is not rewriting the application against a different cloud API.

## local-to-cloud loop: this, and the thing it is confused with {#comparison}

|  | This | Not this |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Schema | One file | Two codebases |
| First target | Local catalog | A cloud project |
| Later target | Hosted database | A translation layer |

## Where Pixeltable fits {#where-pixeltable-fits}

Pixeltable’s hosted order is pxt db update, then pxt schema update, then pxt service update against pxt://. Locally, pxt schema update applies the same file to a directory.

## Questions {#questions}

### How does local-to-cloud loop work? {#faq-1}

Apply the file to a local directory. On a hosted database, update the runtime first, then the schema, then the service, all against a pxt:// target. Applying the schema before the runtime fails with 404: UDF not found.

### What is local-to-cloud loop often confused with? {#faq-2}

It is not rewriting the application against a different cloud API.

## In the blog

- [Solo Developer's Guide: Deploy Production AI Applications with Zero DevOps Overhead](https://pixeltable.com/blog/solo-developer-ai-infrastructure-guide)
- [Why 80% of AI Projects Fail at Production: The Infrastructure Reality Check](https://pixeltable.com/blog/why-ai-projects-fail-production-infrastructure-reality)
- [Building the Future: Your Guide to Multimodal AI Data Infrastructure](https://pixeltable.com/blog/multimodal-ai-data-infrastructure-guide)
- [Run Pixeltable in Docker Without Losing Your Catalog](https://pixeltable.com/blog/pixeltable-docker-volumes-pixeltable-home)
- [Operate Your AI Catalog from the Terminal: Introducing the Pixeltable CLI](https://pixeltable.com/blog/pixeltable-cli-operate-catalog-from-terminal)

## Related

- [Documentation](https://docs.pixeltable.com/overview/quick-start)
- [Why the Local-Cloud Loop Matters](https://pixeltable.com/blog/why-local-cloud-loop-matters)
- [Operate Your AI Catalog from the Terminal: Introducing the Pixeltable CLI](https://pixeltable.com/blog/pixeltable-cli-operate-catalog-from-terminal)
- [Pixeltable vs Cohesivity](https://pixeltable.com/compare/pixeltable-vs-cohesivity)