Setting Up CI/CD with Vercel

Introduction

Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Deployment (CD) are essential practices in modern web development. With Vercel, you can easily set up CI/CD pipelines for your Next.js, TailwindCSS, and TypeScript project. Vercel provides seamless integration with Git repositories, automatic builds, and deployments on every commit.

Why Use Vercel for CI/CD?

1. Ease of Use: Vercel automates deployments with minimal configuration.
2. Built-in Features: Supports custom domains, performance monitoring, and serverless functions.
3. Integration with Git: Automatically builds and deploys your project on every push to a Git branch.

Prerequisites

1. A Vercel account (Sign up here).
2. A Git repository for your project (GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket).
3. A completed Next.js project.

Setting Up Vercel

Step 1: Install Vercel CLI (Optional)

You can manage your projects using the Vercel CLI.

npm install -g vercel

Login to your Vercel account:

vercel login

Step 2: Deploy Your Project

1. Navigate to the Vercel dashboard (https://vercel.com/dashboard).
2. Click "New Project" and select your Git repository.
3. Configure the project settings:
   • Framework: Next.js
   • Environment Variables: Add any required variables (e.g., NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL).
4. Click Deploy to initiate the first build and deployment.

CI/CD Workflow

Automatic Deployments

Once your Vercel project is connected to a Git repository:

• Pushing to main: Automatically triggers a production deployment.
• Pushing to other branches: Creates preview deployments for testing.

Environment Variables

Add environment variables in the Vercel dashboard under Settings > Environment Variables.

Example:

Custom Domains

Set up a custom domain for your project:

1. Go to Settings > Domains in the Vercel dashboard.
2. Add your domain (e.g., www.example.com).
3. Update your DNS settings with the records provided by Vercel.

Managing Builds

Ignoring Builds

Prevent Vercel from building certain commits by adding [skip ci] to your commit message:

git commit -m "Update README [skip ci]"

Custom Build Commands

You can define custom build commands in the Build & Development Settings in the Vercel dashboard.

Default Commands for Next.js:

• Install: npm install
• Build: npm run build

Rollbacks

If a deployment introduces an issue, you can rollback to a previous version:

1. Go to the Deployments tab in the Vercel dashboard.
2. Select a previous deployment and click Restore.

Advanced Configuration

Using a Monorepo

Vercel supports monorepos out of the box. Define the project root in Settings > Build & Development.

Example:

Serverless Functions

Deploy API routes as serverless functions in the /api directory of your Next.js project.

Example:

export default function handler(req, res) {
  res.status(200).json({ message: "Hello, world!" });
}

Monitoring and Analytics

Deployment Analytics

View build and deployment analytics in the Vercel dashboard to monitor performance, build times, and errors.

Web Vitals Monitoring

Enable Web Vitals monitoring in Settings > Analytics to track metrics like:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
• First Input Delay (FID)
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

Using Vercel CLI for Deployments

Deploy the Project

Deploy manually using the Vercel CLI:

vercel

Set a Production Deployment

To deploy to production:

vercel --prod

Link a Project

Link your local project to a Vercel project:

vercel link

Best Practices

1. Use Preview Deployments: Test features on preview URLs before merging to main.
2. Monitor Builds: Regularly check build times and optimize dependencies.
3. Secure Environment Variables: Never hardcode sensitive information in your codebase.

Conclusion

Vercel simplifies the CI/CD workflow for your Next.js project, enabling fast and reliable deployments. By following these steps and leveraging Vercel’s powerful features, you can streamline your development and deployment processes. Happy coding!