Was Santa Clara always a mission or was it also used for a different purpose?

Santa Clara was originally established as the eighth of the California missions by the Franciscan order in 1777. It was built with the primary purpose of converting indigenous peoples to Christianity and expanding Spanish influence in the region. While the mission did serve as a place of worship and education for the local Native American population, it also functioned as an agricultural center, producing crops and livestock to sustain the mission community.