How to Use Vercel’s Cli for Custom Deployment Scripts

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Vercel is a popular platform for deploying web applications, especially those built with frameworks like Next.js. Its command-line interface (CLI) provides powerful tools for customizing deployment workflows through scripts. This article explains how to use Vercel’s CLI for creating and managing custom deployment scripts.

Getting Started with Vercel CLI

Before creating custom scripts, you need to install the Vercel CLI. You can do this globally using npm:

Command: npm install -g vercel

Once installed, verify the installation with:

vercel --version

Creating Custom Deployment Scripts

Vercel allows you to define custom scripts in your project’s package.json file. These scripts can be run during deployment or manually via the CLI.

For example, add a script to build your project:

"scripts": { "build": "next build" }

Using Vercel CLI to Run Scripts

To execute your custom scripts during deployment, use the vercel command with the --prebuild or --postbuild flags.

For example, to run a custom script before deployment:

vercel --prebuild

Automating Deployment with Custom Scripts

You can also automate complex workflows by chaining scripts in your package.json. For instance:

  • Clean old builds
  • Run tests
  • Build the project
  • Deploy to Vercel

Sample scripts section:

"scripts": {

"clean": "rm -rf dist",

"test": "jest",

"build": "next build",

"deploy": "vercel --prod"

}

Best Practices for Using Vercel CLI Scripts

When using custom scripts, consider the following best practices:

  • Keep scripts simple and well-documented.
  • Use environment variables for sensitive data.
  • Test scripts locally before deploying.
  • Integrate scripts into CI/CD pipelines for automation.

By leveraging Vercel’s CLI and custom scripts, developers can streamline deployment workflows and ensure consistent, repeatable builds across environments.