Vercel

Deploy your NEXTDEVKIT application to Vercel, the most universal platform for Next.js applications. Vercel provides seamless integration with Next.js and offers excellent developer experience with zero-configuration deployment.

🎯 Why Choose Vercel

• Zero Configuration: Built specifically for Next.js applications
• Global Edge Network: Automatic edge deployment worldwide
• Preview Deployments: Unique URL for every pull request
• Automatic Optimizations: Built-in performance optimizations
• Generous Free Tier: Perfect for development and small projects

📋 Prerequisites

Before deploying your NEXTDEVKIT project, ensure you have:

• Git Repository: Your code pushed to GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket
• Vercel Account: Sign up here if you don't have one
• Database Setup: External database configured (see Database Guide)
• Environment Variables: Production environment variables ready (see Environment Guide)

🚀 Deployment Steps

Step 1: Push Code to Git Repository

Ensure your NEXTDEVKIT code is pushed to your Git repository like GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket.

Step 2: Connect to Vercel

1. Log in to the Vercel Console
2. Click "Add New Project" or "New Project" button
3. Import your Git repository from GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket
4. Select your NEXTDEVKIT repository

Step 3: Configure Project Settings

On the configuration page, Vercel will automatically detect your Next.js project. Verify these settings:

Note: Keep the default values unless you have specific requirements. Vercel optimizes these settings for Next.js applications.

Step 4: Configure Environment Variables

In the Environment Variables section, add all required variables for your NEXTDEVKIT application:

Core Application Variables

NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_NAME="Your App Name"
NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL="https://your-domain.vercel.app"
DATABASE_URL="your_database_connection_string"

Authentication Variables

BETTER_AUTH_SECRET="your_better_auth_secret_key"
BETTER_AUTH_URL="https://your-domain.vercel.app"

Database Variables

DATABASE_URL="your_database_connection_string"

Important: Set environment variables for the Production environment. You can add more environments later.

Reference: For detailed environment variable configuration, see the Environment Guide.

Step 5: Deploy the Project

1. Click the "Deploy" button to start the deployment process
2. Vercel will automatically build and deploy your project
3. Wait for the deployment to complete (usually 1-2 minutes)
4. Your application will be available at https://your-project.vercel.app

🌐 Important: NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL Configuration

The NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL environment variable is crucial for your application to work correctly.

Initial Deployment

For your first deployment, use the Vercel-provided domain:

NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL="https://your-project.vercel.app"

After Deployment

1. Note the Vercel-provided domain after successful deployment
2. Update the NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL environment variable with this domain
3. Redeploy the project to apply the changes

With Custom Domain

If you plan to use a custom domain:

NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL="https://your-custom-domain.com"

🔧 Custom Domain Setup

To add a custom domain to your NEXTDEVKIT project:

Step 1: Add Domain in Vercel

1. Go to your project in the Vercel console
2. Navigate to Settings → Domains
3. Click "Add Domain"
4. Enter your custom domain (e.g., your-app.com)

Step 2: Configure DNS

Follow Vercel's DNS configuration instructions:

• For Vercel Nameservers: Change your domain's nameservers
• For External DNS: Add A/CNAME records as instructed

Step 3: Update Environment Variables

1. Go to Settings → Environment Variables
2. Update NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL to your custom domain
3. Update BETTER_AUTH_URL to your custom domain
4. Redeploy the project

⚙️ Managing Environment Variables

Adding New Variables

1. Go to Project Settings → Environment Variables
2. Click "Add New"
3. Enter variable name and value
4. Select environment (Production, Preview, Development)
5. Click "Save"

Updating Variables

1. Find the variable in the list
2. Click "Edit"
3. Update the value
4. Click "Save"
5. Redeploy the project to apply changes

Environment Types

• Production: Live application
• Preview: Pull request deployments
• Development: Local development (optional)

🔄 Automatic Deployments

Vercel provides automatic deployments for:

Production Deployments

• Trigger: Push to main/master branch
• URL: Your production domain
• Environment: Production variables

Preview Deployments

• Trigger: Pull requests and feature branches
• URL: Unique preview URL for each deployment
• Environment: Preview variables (falls back to Production)

Branch Deployments

• Trigger: Push to any branch (configurable)
• URL: Branch-specific URL
• Environment: Preview variables

📊 Vercel Optimizations for NEXTDEVKIT

Automatic Optimizations

Vercel automatically applies these optimizations:

• Image Optimization: Automatic WebP/AVIF conversion
• Code Splitting: Automatic bundle optimization
• Edge Caching: Static assets cached globally
• Compression: Gzip/Brotli compression
• Tree Shaking: Dead code elimination

🔍 Monitoring and Debugging

Build Logs

• Access build logs in the Vercel dashboard
• Check for build errors and warnings
• Monitor build performance

Runtime Logs

• View function logs in real-time
• Monitor API route performance
• Track errors and exceptions

Analytics

• Enable Vercel Analytics for performance insights
• Monitor Core Web Vitals
• Track user interactions

🚨 Common Issues and Solutions

Build Failures

Issue: Build process fails during deployment

Solutions:

• Check build logs for detailed error information
• Ensure all dependencies are in package.json
• Verify environment variables are correctly set
• Check for TypeScript errors

Authentication Issues

Issue: Authentication not working after deployment

Solutions:

• Verify BETTER_AUTH_URL matches your domain
• Check BETTER_AUTH_SECRET is set correctly
• Ensure callback URLs are configured properly
• Verify database connection

Database Connection Issues

Issue: Cannot connect to database

Solutions:

• Verify DATABASE_URL is correct
• Check database service is running
• Ensure database allows connections from Vercel
• Test connection locally first

Reference: For database setup, see the Database Guide.

Environment Variable Issues

Issue: Environment variables not working

Solutions:

• Ensure variables are set for Production environment
• Check variable names are correct (case-sensitive)
• Redeploy after changing variables
• Verify NEXT_PUBLIC_ prefix for client-side variables

🎉 Next Steps

After successful deployment:

1. Test Your Application: Verify all features work correctly
2. Set Up Monitoring: Configure error tracking and analytics
3. Configure Webhooks: Set up Stripe webhooks if using payments
4. SSL Certificate: Vercel provides automatic SSL certificates
5. Performance Monitoring: Use Vercel Analytics for insights

🔗 Useful Resources

• Vercel Documentation
• Next.js Deployment Guide
• Environment Variables Guide
• Database Configuration Guide

Ready to deploy your NEXTDEVKIT application to Vercel? Follow the steps above and you'll have your application live in minutes! 🚀