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From Zero to Serverless: Deploying Your React App with Next.js and Vercel

Majd Muhtaseb05/02/20257 minutes

Introduction

Deploying a React application can sometimes feel daunting, especially when considering server management and scalability. Thankfully, tools like Next.js and Vercel make it incredibly easy to deploy your React apps to a serverless environment. This guide will walk you through the process from setting up your project to deploying it live.

Prerequisites

• Node.js and npm or yarn installed
• A Vercel account (it's free!)

Step 1: Create a Next.js Application

Next.js provides server-side rendering, static site generation, and excellent developer experience. Let's create a new project:

npx create-next-app my-react-app
cd my-react-app

This command initializes a new Next.js project in a directory named my-react-app.

Step 2: Develop Your React Components (Optional)

If you already have a React application, you can adapt it to Next.js. Otherwise, feel free to modify the default pages/index.js file to include some React components:

// pages/index.js
function HomePage() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Welcome to My Serverless React App!</h1>
      <p>This app is deployed on Vercel.</p>
    </div>
  );
}

export default HomePage;

Step 3: Commit to Git

Vercel relies on Git for deployments. Initialize a Git repository in your project directory if you haven't already:

git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"

You'll also need to push your code to a remote repository on platforms like GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket.

Step 4: Deploy to Vercel

Now for the easy part!

1. Connect to Vercel: Go to Vercel and sign up or log in.

2. Import Project: Click "Add New..." and choose the Git repository containing your project.

3. Configure Deployment (Optional): Vercel usually auto-detects the Next.js configuration. However, you might need to adjust the build command or output directory in advanced configurations.

4. Deploy! Click the "Deploy" button. Vercel will build and deploy your application.

Vercel will provide you with a unique URL where your application is hosted. It also sets up automatic deployments for every subsequent Git push, making updates a breeze.

Step 5: Custom Domains (Optional)

You can easily configure a custom domain for your application in your Vercel dashboard.

Conclusion

Deploying React applications to serverless environments has never been easier, thanks to Next.js and Vercel. This guide provides a streamlined approach, enabling you to focus on building great user interfaces without worrying about server infrastructure. Experiment with Next.js features and explore the Vercel platform to unlock the full potential of serverless React development.