How to Deploy an Express API to Vercel

Vercel is a cloud platform that allows you to deploy your web applications with ease. In this article, we will walk through the steps to deploy an Express API to Vercel.

Step 1: Set up your Express API

First, you’ll need to have an Express API that you want to deploy. If you don’t have one yet, you can create a new Express project using the express-generator or by setting it up manually. Once you have your Express API ready, make sure it’s working as expected locally.

Step 2: Install Vercel CLI

Next, you’ll need to install the Vercel CLI if you haven’t already. You can do this by running the following command in your terminal:

npm install -g vercel

Step 3: Deploy to Vercel

Once you have the Vercel CLI installed, navigate to your Express API’s directory in your terminal and run the following command:

vercel

This will start the deployment process and prompt you to configure the deployment settings for your project. Once you’ve configured the settings, Vercel will build and deploy your Express API.

Step 4: Configure Environment Variables

If your Express API relies on any environment variables, you’ll need to set them in your Vercel project settings. You can do this by navigating to your project’s dashboard on Vercel, selecting the “Settings” tab, and then adding your environment variables under the “Environment Variables” section.

Step 5: Test your deployed API

Once your Express API is deployed to Vercel, you can test it by making requests to the provided URL. If everything is working as expected, congratulations! You’ve successfully deployed your Express API to Vercel.

Conclusion

Deploying an Express API to Vercel is a straightforward process that allows you to easily host and scale your API. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can quickly deploy your Express API and start serving requests in a production environment.