Complete Guide: Deploying Next.js to Vercel in 2025

Deploying your Next.js application to Vercel is one of the fastest and most reliable ways to get your project online. Here's your complete guide:

Why Vercel for Next.js?

Vercel is created by the same team that built Next.js, making it the perfect hosting platform:

Initial Setup

Step 1: Prepare Your Project

Ensure your package.json is properly configured:

{
  "name": "your-project",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "scripts": {
    "dev": "next dev",
    "build": "next build",
    "start": "next start"
  }
}

Step 2: Install Vercel CLI

npm i -g vercel

Step 3: Login to Vercel

vercel login

Deployment Process

Method 1: Deploy via Dashboard

1. Push your code to GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket

2. Go to [vercel.com](https://vercel.com) and click "New Project"

3. Import your repository

4. Vercel will auto-detect Next.js and configure settings

5. Click "Deploy"

Method 2: Deploy via CLI

# From your project directory
vercel

# For production
vercel --prod

Configuration

next.config.js for Production

/** @type {import('next').NextConfig} */
const nextConfig = {
  output: 'export', // For static sites
  trailingSlash: true,
  images: {
    unoptimized: true // For static export
  }
}

module.exports = nextConfig

Environment Variables

Set environment variables in Vercel dashboard:

Best Practices

1. Use Preview Deployments - Test before merging to main

2. Optimize Images - Use Next.js Image component with Vercel's image optimization

3. Enable Analytics - Track performance and Core Web Vitals

4. Set Up Custom Domain - Add your domain in Project Settings

5. Configure Redirects - Use vercel.json for routing

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Build Errors

Environment Variables Not Working

Performance Optimization

Your Next.js app is now live on Vercel with automatic deployments on every push!