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TOOL · VERCEL · BEGINNER · ZERO ASSUMED

Vercel for agent builders: deploy in one push.

From zero account to a live https://your-app.vercel.app URL in 6 minutes. Then the env-var, custom-domain, and edge-function patterns you'll use weekly.

▸ When you're done

Your Next.js + agent endpoints live on the internet. Every git push = new deploy. Custom domain wired. Production env vars set.

12 min walkthrough
2 tools · all free tier
Copy-paste ready · no theory
◢ The stack
Vercel
Vercel
Deploy your Next.js + agent endpoints in one git push
Free for hobby · $20/mo Pro
GitHub
GitHub
Source control + Vercel auto-deploy on push
Free
◢ The build · 6 steps · 12 min

Follow these in order. Don't skip.

Step 01 / 06

Sign up with GitHub (the only sane choice)

Go to vercel.com → Sign Up → Continue with GitHub. Why GitHub? Because Vercel auto-deploys every push to main with zero config. Email signup adds friction you don't need.

Vercel dashboard
STEP 01
Once you're in, the dashboard lists your projects. Empty for now.
Step 02 / 06

Push your repo to GitHub

Vercel pulls from GitHub. Get your code there first.

Terminal
1cd ~/projects/my-app
2 
3# Initialize + commit (skip if already done)
4git init
5git add .
6git commit -m "feat: initial commit"
7 
8# Create the GitHub repo via gh CLI (one-liner)
9gh repo create my-app --public --source=. --push
10 
11# Or manually: github.com/new → copy the remote URL →
12# git remote add origin <url> && git push -u origin main
Step 03 / 06

Import to Vercel

  • ▸Vercel dashboard → Add New → Project
  • ▸Pick your GitHub repo from the list (you'll authorize Vercel to read your repos on first use)
  • ▸Framework preset: should auto-detect Next.js
  • ▸Root directory: leave as ./ unless your app is in a monorepo subfolder
  • ▸Click Deploy. ~90 seconds. You're live.
◆ You're done when
Vercel just gave you a URL like my-app-xxxx.vercel.app. Open it. Your app is on the internet.
Step 04 / 06

Add environment variables

Your agent needs API keys (OpenAI, Supabase, etc). Never commit them — set them in Vercel.

  • ▸Project → Settings → Environment Variables
  • ▸Add each key (OPENAI_API_KEY, SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY, etc.)
  • ▸Set to all three environments: Production, Preview, Development
  • ▸Redeploy: Deployments tab → top deploy → ⋯ → Redeploy
Terminal · pull env vars locally
1# Install Vercel CLI
2npm install -g vercel
3 
4# Link the project
5vercel link
6 
7# Pull production env vars into .env.local
8vercel env pull
◆ Watch out
Public-facing vars MUST start with NEXT_PUBLIC_. Anything else is server-only and won't show up in the browser. That's a feature, not a bug.
Step 05 / 06

Wire up a custom domain

  • ▸Project → Settings → Domains → Add
  • ▸Enter yourdomain.com
  • ▸Vercel shows you DNS records to add at your registrar
  • ▸If your registrar is Cloudflare/Namecheap/GoDaddy: add an A record pointing to 76.76.21.21, OR a CNAME at www → cname.vercel-dns.com
  • ▸Wait 5–60 minutes for DNS. Vercel auto-issues an SSL cert. Done.
Step 06 / 06

Deploy from the CLI for instant feedback

Terminal
1# Preview deploy (any branch)
2vercel
3 
4# Production deploy
5vercel --prod
6 
7# Watch logs in real-time
8vercel logs my-app --follow
◆ Ship-it checklist
6 CHECKS
  • Live URL on vercel.app
  • Connected to your GitHub repo (push to main = auto-deploy)
  • Environment variables set for Production + Preview + Development
  • Custom domain attached (optional but recommended)
  • vercel CLI installed and linked locally
  • vercel env pull works to sync prod env to your laptop
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