Vercel's default deployment is simple: connect your Git repository, push code, and it's live. But as your product grows, you need more control.
September 27, 2024 9 min read
# Vercel Deployment: Beyond the Basics
Slug: vercel-deployment-beyond-basics
Date: 2024-09-27
Tag: Tech Stack
Meta Description: Advanced Vercel deployment patterns for startups. Preview environments, environment variables, edge functions, and optimization strategies beyond the basics.
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Vercel's default deployment is simple: connect your Git repository, push code, and it's live. That basic workflow gets you surprisingly far.
But as your product grows, you need more control. Preview environments for client demos. Environment variables that don't leak between environments. Edge functions for low-latency APIs. Monitoring for production issues.
This post covers the Vercel patterns we use after the initial setup. Practical configurations that make deployment smoother as your startup scales.
Preview Deployments for Real-World Use
Every pull request on Vercel automatically gets a preview deployment. The URL looks like your-project-abc123-yourteam.vercel.app.
That's useful for code review. With some configuration, it becomes useful for client demos, QA testing, and team collaboration.
Stable Preview URLs
The default preview URL changes with every deployment. For sharing with clients or external testers, you want stable URLs.
Branch-specific URLs: Enable branch subdomains in Project Settings > Domains. The branch becomes .
Variables prefixed with NEXT_PUBLIC_ are embedded in the client-side JavaScript bundle. They're visible to anyone inspecting your code.
Safe to expose:
Analytics keys (PostHog, Amplitude)
Public API URLs
Feature flags
Error tracking DSNs
Never expose:
Database credentials
Payment processor secrets
Authentication secrets
Internal service URLs
Environment Variable Encryption
Vercel encrypts environment variables at rest. But some teams want additional protection for highly sensitive values.
Options:
Vercel Secrets: Recommended for most teams
External secret managers: AWS Secrets Manager or HashiCorp Vault for enterprise requirements
Encrypted environment variables: Encrypt values before storing, decrypt at runtime
For most MVPs, Vercel's built-in encryption is sufficient.
Syncing with Local Development
The Vercel CLI can pull environment variables to your local machine:
bash
vercel env pull .env.local
This creates a .env.local file with all Development-scoped variables. Faster than copying values manually and reduces the chance of typos.
Add .env.local to .gitignore—never commit environment files.
Edge Functions and Middleware
Edge Functions run on Vercel's global network, close to users. For latency-sensitive operations, they're significantly faster than traditional serverless functions.
When to Use Edge Functions
Authentication checks: Validate sessions before the request reaches your application.
Configure auth providers to call different webhook URLs based on environment.
Key Takeaways
Beyond basic deployment, Vercel provides tools for serious production use:
Preview environments: Configure for client demos and team collaboration
Environment variables: Scope correctly, never expose secrets
Edge functions: Use for low-latency operations, not heavy computation
Monitoring: Add error tracking and structured logging
Build optimization: Keep deploys fast as the codebase grows
Rollbacks: Know how to recover quickly when issues arise
The patterns here scale from MVP to production traffic. Start simple, add complexity as needed. For the complete deployment workflow, see CI/CD Explained: Why It Matters.
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At NextBuild, we deploy all projects on Vercel with these patterns built in. If you're planning a web application and want production-ready deployment from day one, let's discuss your project.
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