10 Common Vercel Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Deploying your project with Vercel can feel like a breeze, but it’s easy to trip over common pitfalls that can lead to frustrating downtime or unexpected costs. In our experience as indie hackers, we’ve seen how small mistakes can snowball into major headaches. Here are ten common Vercel mistakes we’ve made (and learned from) along the way, and how you can avoid them.

1. Ignoring Build Output Size

What It Is:

Vercel has a limit on the size of your build output. If you exceed this, your deployments can fail.

How to Avoid It:

Regularly check your build size during development. Use tools like webpack-bundle-analyzer to visualize your output.

Our Take:

We ignored this at first and faced repeated deployment failures. Now, we keep our builds under 500KB, which has made our deployments much smoother.

2. Not Using Environment Variables Properly

What It Is:

Hardcoding sensitive information directly into your code can expose you to security risks.

How to Avoid It:

Utilize Vercel’s environment variables feature to store sensitive data securely. Make sure to set up different variables for development and production.

Limitations:

Remember that environment variables set in Vercel do not update automatically. If you change them, you’ll need to redeploy.

3. Overlooking Automatic Caching

What It Is:

Vercel automatically caches your static files, but you might not be leveraging this effectively.

How to Avoid It:

Use the Cache-Control header to control how long resources are cached. This can drastically improve loading times.

Our Take:

We initially left caching settings at default and found our load times were slower than expected. Now, we specify caching rules based on resource types.

4. Misconfiguring Redirects

What It Is:

Improperly configured redirects can lead to broken links and poor user experience.

How to Avoid It:

Use the vercel.json file to define your redirects clearly. Test them thoroughly.

Our Take:

We’ve had instances where redirects caused infinite loops. Always double-check your paths and use tools like curl to test them.

5. Forgetting to Optimize Images

What It Is:

Large image files can slow down your site and increase loading times.

How to Avoid It:

Use Vercel’s Image Optimization capabilities or third-party tools like Cloudinary to serve optimized images.

Limitations:

While Vercel does offer image optimization, it’s not foolproof. Always analyze your images for additional optimizations.

6. Not Utilizing Serverless Functions Wisely

What It Is:

Vercel's serverless functions can handle backend logic, but they have execution limits.

How to Avoid It:

Keep your functions lightweight and avoid long-running processes. Use them for simple tasks and offload heavy computations to dedicated servers.

Our Take:

We misused serverless functions for heavy data processing, leading to timeouts. Now, we reserve them for tasks like form submissions and API calls.

7. Ignoring Custom Domains

What It Is:

Not setting up a custom domain can make your project look unprofessional.

How to Avoid It:

Take advantage of Vercel's custom domain feature. It’s straightforward to set up and can enhance your brand.

Limitations:

Custom domains can add complexity, especially with SSL certificates. Make sure you understand how to manage these.

8. Not Monitoring Performance

What It Is:

Failing to monitor your application’s performance can lead to unnoticed issues.

How to Avoid It:

Use tools like Vercel Analytics or Google Lighthouse to track performance metrics.

Our Take:

We didn’t monitor our performance at the start and missed some critical slowdowns. Regular checks now keep us on top of any issues.

9. Underestimating the Importance of Version Control

What It Is:

Deploying without proper version control can lead to chaos during updates.

How to Avoid It:

Use Git for version control and connect it to your Vercel project. This way, you can roll back easily if something goes wrong.

Our Take:

We faced a situation where a deployment broke our site. Version control saved us from a complete disaster.

10. Not Taking Advantage of Preview Deployments

What It Is:

Skipping preview deployments can lead to deploying untested changes.

How to Avoid It:

Always use Vercel’s preview deployments to test changes before going live.

Limitations:

Preview deployments can add overhead if you’re not disciplined about cleaning them up.

Conclusion: Start Here to Avoid Common Mistakes

To avoid these common Vercel pitfalls, start by setting up proper environment variables and monitoring your build sizes. Utilize Vercel’s features, like caching and image optimization, to enhance your project’s performance. By implementing these practices, you’ll save time and headaches down the line.

If you’re looking for a solid starting point, we recommend setting up your development environment with Git version control and making use of Vercel’s preview deployments right off the bat. This foundation will help you build a smoother deployment process.