How to Deploy a React App to Vercel

Vercel is the company behind Next.js, but it works beautifully with plain React apps too. It offers a global CDN, automatic HTTPS, and instant rollbacks for every deployment. The free tier is generous enough for most startups and side projects. If your React app was generated with Create React App, Vite, or any other build tool, Vercel can handle it seamlessly.

Start by creating an account on vercel.com and connecting your GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket account. Click 'Add New Project' and select your React repository. Vercel will automatically detect your framework and suggest build settings. For most React apps built with Vite, the build command will be `npm run build` and the output directory will be `dist`. For Create React App projects, the output directory is `build`.

Vercel is smart about detecting your build configuration, but sometimes you need to tweak settings. You can override the build command, output directory, and install command in the project settings. If your app uses a monorepo structure, you can specify the root directory of your React app. Make sure your `package.json` has a valid build script that produces a static output.

Add your environment variables in the Vercel dashboard under Project Settings then Environment Variables. Vercel lets you set different values for Production, Preview, and Development environments. For React apps, remember that only variables prefixed with `REACT_APP_` or `VITE_` will be available in the browser bundle. Sensitive server-side keys should never be exposed in client-side React code.

One of Vercel's best features is automatic preview deployments for every pull request. When you or your team pushes a branch, Vercel creates a unique URL where you can test changes before merging. This is incredibly valuable for reviewing UI changes and catching bugs before they reach production. Preview deployments also get their own set of environment variables, so you can point them at staging databases.

Vercel serves your React app through a global edge network with over 100 points of presence. Static assets are cached aggressively, resulting in fast load times for users worldwide. You can configure custom cache headers in a `vercel.json` file if you need more control. For optimal performance, make sure you are code-splitting your React app and lazy-loading routes.

While Vercel makes deployment simple, production React apps often need additional configuration for routing, API proxying, and performance tuning. If your AI-generated React app has client-side routing issues or API connection problems after deployment, SpringCode can diagnose and fix these issues quickly so your users get a seamless experience.