How To Deploy a Next JS App

How To Deploy a Next JS App

Deploying a Next.js application is one of the most exciting steps in your development journey. After building and testing your app locally, it's time to make it available to the world. Whether you're deploying a personal project, a client website, or a large-scale production app, understanding the deployment process is crucial for smooth performance and scalability.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about deploying a Next.js app, from preparation to hosting options and best practices for optimization.

🚀 Why Deployment Matters in Next.js

Next.js combines the best of React, offering server-side rendering (SSR), static site generation (SSG), and hybrid rendering capabilities. But how you deploy your app can significantly affect performance, SEO, and scalability.

Proper deployment ensures:

• Fast load times with optimized builds\
• Automatic scaling for traffic spikes\
• Seamless updates during version changes\
• Enhanced security through HTTPS and managed hosting\
• Better SEO performance thanks to SSR and caching

Whether you're using Vercel, Netlify, AWS, or a custom VPS, the goal remains the same --- deliver your Next.js app efficiently and reliably.

⚙️ Step 1: Prepare Your Next.js App for Deployment

Before deploying, you need to ensure that your project is production-ready.

✅ 1. Update Dependencies

Make sure all dependencies are up-to-date:

npm update

or

yarn upgrade

This prevents version mismatches or deprecated packages from affecting your deployment.

✅ 2. Check Environment Variables

If your app depends on environment variables (API keys, database URLs, etc.), ensure they're defined in your .env file. For example:

NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=https://api.example.com

Next.js automatically exposes variables prefixed with NEXT_PUBLIC_ to the client-side.

✅ 3. Optimize Your App

You can test your production build locally using:

npm run build
npm start

This command generates a production-optimized version of your app and serves it locally on a test server.

Ensure everything works as expected before deployment.

🏗 Step 2: Build the Application

Building the app compiles your code into a production-ready version.

Run the following command:

npm run build

This command creates an optimized .next folder that contains the build output. You'll also see information about pages, static assets, and routes.

Once the build is successful, you can run your app with:

npm start

At this point, your Next.js app is ready for deployment.

☁️ Step 3: Choose a Deployment Platform

Next.js supports multiple hosting options depending on your requirements. Let's explore the most common ones.

🧭 Option 1: Deploy on Vercel (Official Platform)

Vercel is the easiest and most recommended platform to deploy Next.js applications. Since Next.js is created by the Vercel team, the integration is seamless.

Steps to Deploy on Vercel:

1. Install Vercel CLI (optional):

   npm i -g vercel
   

2. Login to your account:

   vercel login
   

3. Deploy your project:

   vercel
   

4. Follow the prompts and choose your project settings.

Vercel automatically detects that your project is a Next.js app and configures everything --- from SSR to CDN caching.

Benefits of Vercel Deployment:

• Automatic builds and previews for every Git commit\
• Global CDN for fast content delivery\
• Environment variable management\
• Free SSL certificates\
• One-click rollbacks

You can also deploy directly by linking your GitHub or GitLab repository to Vercel. Every push triggers an automatic deployment.

🧭 Option 2: Deploy on Netlify

While Vercel is the native choice, Netlify also supports Next.js apps with full SSR capabilities.

Deploy via Git:

1. Connect your Git repository to Netlify.\

2. Select the branch you want to deploy.\

3. Set the build command as:

   npm run build
   

4. Set the publish directory to:

   .next
   

5. Add environment variables under "Site Settings."

Netlify automatically builds and deploys your app on each commit.

🧭 Option 3: Deploy on AWS (Amazon Web Services)

For larger or enterprise-level projects, AWS provides a flexible infrastructure.

You can deploy a Next.js app using services such as AWS Amplify, Elastic Beanstalk, or EC2.

Using AWS Amplify:

1. Go to the AWS Amplify Console.\
2. Connect your GitHub repository.\
3. Configure build settings in the Amplify UI.\
4. Add environment variables as needed.\
5. Click Save and Deploy.

Amplify automatically builds your Next.js app and provides a live production URL.

Using EC2 or Elastic Beanstalk (Manual):

If you want more control:

1. Create an EC2 instance and install Node.js.\

2. Upload your project files via SSH.\

3. Run:

   npm install
   npm run build
   npm start
   

4. Configure NGINX or PM2 for process management and reverse proxying.

This method gives full customization but requires more DevOps expertise.

🧭 Option 4: Deploy on DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean offers straightforward hosting for Next.js apps via Droplets (virtual machines) or App Platform (PaaS).

Using DigitalOcean App Platform:

1. Push your app to GitHub or GitLab.\

2. Create a new app in the DigitalOcean App Platform.\

3. Link your repo and branch.\

4. Configure:

   • Build command: npm run build\
   • Run command: npm start

5. Add environment variables under "Settings."

DigitalOcean automatically deploys your Next.js app with HTTPS enabled.

🧭 Option 5: Deploy on Custom VPS or cPanel

If you're using traditional hosting with cPanel or a VPS, you can still deploy Next.js easily.

Steps:

1. Upload your project using FTP or Git.\

2. SSH into your server.\

3. Run the following commands:

   npm install
   npm run build
   npm start
   

4. Configure a process manager like PM2 to keep your app running:

   npm install pm2 -g
   pm2 start npm --name "nextjs-app" -- start
   

5. Configure NGINX as a reverse proxy to route traffic to your Node server.

This setup gives you full control over your server environment.

🧱 Step 4: Configure Domain and HTTPS

After your app is deployed, you'll want to connect your custom domain.

1. Update DNS records:
   • Point your domain's A record to the hosting server's IP.\
   • Or, if using a platform like Vercel/Netlify, update the CNAME record.
2. Enable HTTPS (SSL):
   • Most modern platforms provide free SSL (e.g., Let's Encrypt).\
   • On VPS, install Certbot to configure HTTPS manually.

Secure connections not only improve user trust but also enhance your SEO ranking.

🧠 Step 5: Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)

Modern Next.js workflows rely on CI/CD pipelines for automatic deployments whenever you push updates.

Platforms like Vercel, Netlify, and AWS Amplify provide built-in CI/CD.

For manual setups (e.g., VPS):

1. Use GitHub Actions to automate deployment.\
2. Trigger build and restart scripts via SSH.\
3. Add build caching for faster deployments.

This approach ensures consistent and fast delivery without manual effort.

🔧 Step 6: Monitor and Optimize Performance

Once your app is live, monitoring and optimization are key to success.

Tools to Monitor:

• Google Lighthouse --- for performance and SEO scoring.\
• Vercel Analytics --- for real-time traffic and performance tracking.\
• LogRocket / Sentry --- for error tracking and logging.

Optimization Tips:

• Use Image Optimization with Next.js <Image /> component.\
• Enable Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR) for hybrid rendering.\
• Use CDN caching for static assets.\
• Reduce JavaScript bundle size using dynamic imports.

💡 Common Deployment Issues and Fixes

---

Issue Possible Cause Solution

---

Build fails Missing dependencies Run npm install before build

404 errors Incorrect routing configuration Check next.config.js for basePath or rewrites

Environment Missing .env setup Define variables in variables not hosting platform working dashboard

SSL not Domain misconfiguration Recheck DNS and enable enabled HTTPS

Always test your deployment on staging before pushing live updates.

🧩 Advanced Deployment Tips

• Use Docker: Containerize your Next.js app for consistent deployment environments.\
• Use CDN: Platforms like Cloudflare or AWS CloudFront improve global load times.\
• Serverless Functions: Utilize Next.js API routes for backend logic without maintaining a server.\
• Edge Rendering: Use Vercel Edge Functions for lightning-fast SSR near your users.

These advanced techniques help improve reliability and performance for production apps.

💼 Hire Experts for Next.js Deployment

Deploying a Next.js app can be straightforward, but optimizing for performance, scalability, and SEO often requires professional expertise.

If you need help deploying or managing your Next.js or MERN Stack Development, hire AAMAX --- a full-service digital marketing and development agency offering MERN Stack Development, Web Development, Digital Marketing, and SEO services.

AAMAX's expert developers can help you deploy and optimize your app across various hosting platforms, ensuring it performs smoothly and securely in production.

👉 Visit AAMAX today to get started with expert Next.js deployment and development services.

🧭 Final Thoughts

Learning how to deploy a Next.js app is a crucial skill for any modern web developer. From Vercel's simplicity to AWS's scalability, you have multiple options depending on your project's needs.

By following this guide, you can confidently prepare, build, deploy, and optimize your Next.js app for production. And if you ever need expert support, remember that AAMAX is always ready to assist in bringing your digital projects to life.