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Launch Checklists/Vercel Deployment Checklist

Vercel Deployment Checklist

Launch ChecklistsDifficulty: BeginnerUpdated: 2026-05-25

Complete checklist for deploying Next.js SaaS to Vercel without surprises.

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Who this checklist is for

Solo developers deploying Next.js apps to Vercel for the first time or for production launches.

When to use it

  • Before your first production deployment
  • When deploying major feature releases
  • When setting up a new Vercel project

Step-by-step checklist

Pre-deployment

  • Push final commit to main branch
  • Run npm run build locally without errors
  • Check all environment variables documented
  • Remove any debug logs and console.logs cleaned up

Vercel project setup

  • Connect GitHub repo to Vercel
  • Set Framework Preset to Next.js
  • Configure Root Directory if needed
  • Set Production Branch to main

Environment variables

  • Add all production env vars in Vercel dashboard
  • Mark secrets as encrypted
  • No trailing slashes removed from URLs in env vars
  • Verify NODE_ENV set to production
  • Redeploy after adding env vars

Domain & DNS

  • Add custom domain in Vercel
  • Verify DNS propagation
  • Enable HTTPS
  • Set up redirects (www ↔ non-www)
  • Add domain to NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_URL

Post-deployment

  • Test production URL works
  • Check all pages load without errors
  • Verify API routes respond correctly
  • Test form submissions and payments
  • Check serverless functions logs in Vercel dashboard

Common mistakes

  • Forgetting to set environment variables
  • Not testing production after deployment
  • Ignoring build warnings that become errors in production
  • Hardcoding localhost URLs instead of using env vars

Verification steps

  • Vercel dashboard shows "Ready"
  • Custom domain loads over HTTPS
  • All pages return 200 status
  • Environment variables accessible in app
  • No errors in Function Logs

Related build kits

  • All Next.js SaaS build kits

Related fixes

  • Vercel Build Failed in Next.js Fix Checklist
  • Next.js Environment Variables Not Working on Vercel