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Serverless React with Next.js and Vercel: A Complete Guide

Majd Muhtaseb05/31/202510 minutes

Introduction

Serverless architecture is revolutionizing web development, offering scalability, cost-efficiency, and simplified deployments. Next.js, a React framework, and Vercel, a serverless platform, provide a powerful combination for building and deploying modern web applications. This guide walks you through the process.

Prerequisites

• Node.js and npm/yarn installed
• Basic understanding of React

Setting Up a Next.js Project

Create a new Next.js project using create-next-app:

npx create-next-app my-serverless-app
cd my-serverless-app

Creating a Simple Page

Replace the content of pages/index.js with the following:

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

export default HomePage;

Adding an API Route

Next.js allows you to create serverless API functions within your project. Create a file pages/api/hello.js:

export default function handler(req, res) {
  res.status(200).json({ message: 'Hello from Next.js API!' })
}

You can access this API endpoint at /api/hello.

Deploying to Vercel

1. Create a Vercel Account: If you don't already have one, sign up for a free Vercel account at vercel.com.
2. Install Vercel CLI:

npm install -g vercel

3. Deploy:

vercel

The Vercel CLI will guide you through the deployment process. It will ask you to link your project to a Vercel account and create a new project.

4. Automatic Deployments: Vercel automatically deploys your application whenever you push changes to your Git repository (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).

Environment Variables

You can manage environment variables in the Vercel dashboard under your project settings. These variables can be accessed in your Next.js application using process.env.

Conclusion

This guide provides a basic introduction to building and deploying serverless React applications with Next.js and Vercel. The simplicity and scalability of this approach make it an excellent choice for modern web development. Explore the Next.js and Vercel documentation for more advanced features and configurations.