---
title: Smooth rebuild
slug: cms-12/docs/smooth-rebuild
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-08-10T15:56:01.000Z
---

You may need to reset the Optimizely Graph service to rebuild indexes or apply significant configuration changes. Depending on your use case, you can reset Optimizely Graph using either a smooth rebuild or a hard reset.

- [Smooth rebuild](#) – Creates a new deployment while keeping the current deployment live. This option follows a Blue-Green deployment model and avoids downtime.
- [Hard reset](#) – Deletes all indexed data and reindexes content from a clean state. This option is intended for development scenarios where downtime is acceptable.

Choose the option that best fits your requirements.

## Smooth rebuild Optimizely Graph

Use smooth rebuild when you need to refresh your Optimizely Graph deployment without downtime. This approach follows a [Blue-Green deployment](https://www.optimizely.com/optimization-glossary/blue-green-deployment/) strategy. Optimizely Graph creates a new deployment slot (green) while the current slot (blue) remains active. You can validate the new slot before promoting it to live.

Use a smooth rebuild for the following:

- Start from a clean state to remove legacy defects.
- Test new implementations, such as updated data models, without downtime. Both versions run in parallel for easy comparison.
- Upgrade to new configurations introducing features, bug fixes, or performance improvements.

## Perform a smooth rebuild

To perform a smooth rebuild in Optimizely Graph, complete the following:

1. Go to **Settings > Smooth Rebuild**.
2. Click **Smooth Rebuild Settings**.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/ufi9m0elJ9WwD1kMwPWbx_79e53de8e2b975f5578a88fd4360538d17630c073d50f4032d97af8d2697014b-image.png)

1. On the **Details** page, click **Start** to begin the rebuilding Optimizely Graph.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/OXkD6pj4l_TAF5vce6EWh_396bf3ff1c59ac4f33e9721c586c4207eaf33b2c3539e21c945b2a9ec42a8926-image.png)

### Smooth rebuild process

After you start the rebuild:

- The Status changes from **IDLE** to **RUNNING**.
- Optimizely Graph creates a new deployment slot.
- The system syncs CMS content to the new slot.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/7VWHZ_XRIzJV0953wDmXD_7154c37d60b263bea294226289b74b1c274e7c80e1593ead7cf0c917d287c9d6-image.png)

After the first full sync completes, the status changes to **DELTA SYNCING**. Optimizely Graph continues syncing incremental content changes made since the rebuild started.

On the rebuild page, you can monitor:

- Rebuild start time.
- Pending and completed synced items.
- Failed items.

### Test the new slot

After the initial sync completes, test the new slot before promoting it to live.

You can test using the following methods:

- **Optimizely Graph playground (GraphiQL)** – Enable the **New** option to query the new slot.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/JZegGVSQ0NBZTxNsypqH9_89ff09e0ab923dd253aaef9f80bb5da2fe1c599c23918967ffe895e1a9889f64-image.png)

- [ GraphQL API](https://docs.developers.optimizely.com/platform-optimizely/v1.4.0-optimizely-graph/docs/getting-started#access-the-api-endpoint) – Add the request header `cg-query-new: true` to target the new slot.

### Finalize or abandon the rebuild

Review failed items carefully before completing the rebuild.

- Select **Abandon** to discard the new slot and keep the existing deployment.
- Select **Accept** to promote the new slot as the live version.

:::hint{type="danger"}
Selecting **Accept** makes the new slot live and routes all requests to it.

You can revert only to the state before the rebuild started. Any changes made after that point are lost.
:::

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/j02wZR_z7nROBn01amQ9q_ed46c4de09f3a291e8bd47b5f02c766f1ae7e22365022885ac769c0bfcf9fd05-image.png)

After promotion:

- The Status returns to **IDLE**.
- You can revert to the previous slot.
- You can start another smooth rebuild if needed.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/pUcxWHyCQzushlYmUYDqD_125fdb47be8265afccbfefe21f25420ff4ef0be0e6729db785f09373aeecdebe-image.png)

## Hard reset Optimizely Graph

Use a hard reset when working in development environments where downtime is acceptable. A hard reset deletes all indexed data and recreates standard indexes for the current tenant.

Use a hard reset when:

- The tenant syncs with multiple sites that use different content structures.
- Data models change significantly and require a full reindex.

:::hint{type="warning"}
Hard resetting the account deletes your indexed data and is not a routine maintenance procedure. After resetting, manually run the **Content type indexing job** and **Content indexing job** again.
:::

You can use the [CMS Admin UI](#) or a [GraphQL call (account mutation)](#) to perform the reset account procedure.

### Reset with Content Management System Admin UI

After installing the [Optimizely.Search.Synchronizer](https://docs.developers.optimizely.com/platform-optimizely/v1.4.0-optimizely-graph/docs/installation-and-configuration) package, the CMS Admin UI includes a **Project GraphQL** page.

1. Go to **Admin > Project GraphQL**.
   - (Or visit `http://<yoursite>/EPiServer/ProjectGraphQL/GraphQLAdmin`).
2. Click **Reset Account**, and confirm the reset procedure for the current account.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/gQ8e6xZP5OdQL1rKlSFTA_ceec649-content-graph-1.png)

## Use a reset account mutation (advanced)

You can reset your account by sending a GraphQL call to reset the account mutation.

```text
{
    "query": "mutation { resetAccount }"
}
```

To use this mutation:

- Use HMAC authentication.
- Set the request header **RemoveAllData** to true.

### Example request

**Endpoint**

```text
POST https://cg.optimizely.com/content/v2
```

**Headers**

```text
RemoveAllData: true
```

**Body (JSON)**

```javascript
{
    "query": "mutation { resetAccount }"
}
```

**Authentication script (Postman example)**

```javascript
var crypto = require("crypto-js");
var sdk = require('postman-collection');
var method = pm.request.method;
var key = "yourProvidedSecret";
var secret = CryptoJS.enc.Base64.parse("yourProvidedSecret");
var target = new sdk.Url(request.url).getPathWithQuery();
var timestamp = (new Date()).getTime();
var nonce = Math.random().toString(36).substring(7);
var body = "";
if( pm.request.body )
{
    body = pm.request.body.raw;
}
var bodybase64 = crypto.MD5(body).toString(CryptoJS.enc.Base64);
var hmac = crypto.HmacSHA256(key + method + target + timestamp + nonce + bodybase64, secret);
var base64hmac = CryptoJS.enc.Base64.stringify(hmac);
var header = "epi-hmac " + key + ":" + timestamp +":" + nonce + ":" + base64hmac;
// Add Authorization header with computed HMAC to the request
pm.request.headers.add({
    key: "Authorization",
    value: header});
```

**HMAC keys**

```text
var key = "yourProvidedAppKey"
var secret = "yourProvidedSecret"
```

In the pre-request script, replace **yourProvidedAppKey** and **yourProvidedSecret** with the corresponding keys from your site's `appsettings.json`.

The following is an example of a successful result:

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/RDWA-La-ZdN-dlpoQloDV_386b97d-screenshot-2023-04-03-at-132447.png)

Learn more about [GraphQL mutation](https://graphql.org/learn/queries/#mutations).