Deploying with Vercel

Vercel via GitHub (recommended): you connect your GitHub repo to Vercel. Every git push triggers an automatic redeployment.

Vercel CLI: you deploy from the terminal with a command. More direct, less automated.

npm install -g vercel
vercel login

From your project folder:

vercel

Vercel asks a few questions on the first deployment. At the end, it returns a preview URL: a unique public URL for that version.

Deploy to production

vercel --prod

Deploys the current version to production and returns the definitive public URL.

1. You work locally with Claude Code
2. You check the result in the browser (localhost)
3. vercel: preview URL, you share it for feedback
4. You incorporate the feedback
5. vercel --prod: production URL updated

# Add a variable
vercel env add VARIABLE_NAME

# List variables for a project
vercel env ls

# Remove a variable
vercel env rm VARIABLE_NAME

Variables are stored on Vercel's side and injected automatically at each deployment. Your .env.local file stays on your computer, never in the GitHub repo.

vercel domains add my-domain.com

Vercel then tells you which DNS records to configure. Propagation takes anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours. Vercel automatically generates the SSL certificate.

1. Go to vercel.com and connect your GitHub account.
2. Import your repository.
3. Vercel configures the project automatically.
4. Every git push origin main triggers an automatic redeployment.

You no longer need to type vercel --prod manually. Every change pushed to the main branch is in production within seconds.