How to Deploy a Personal Developer Site for Free Using Vercel

How to Deploy a Personal Developer Site for Free Using Vercel

Deploying your portfolio or personal website doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. In fact, with Vercel, you can ship a full-featured site live to the web for free in just a few minutes. Whether you're using React, Next.js, or plain HTML, this guide will walk you through everything you need to get your site online, fast.

Step 1: Prepare Your Project

Make sure your site is working locally and pushed to a GitHub repository. If you're using a framework like Next.js, ensure your build script works and produces a .next or build directory.

Example project structure:

/my-portfolio
  ├── pages/
  ├── public/
  ├── styles/
  ├── package.json
  └── README.md

Step 2: Sign Up and Connect GitHub to Vercel

Go to vercel.com and sign up using your GitHub account. After logging in:

• Click "Add New Project"
• Authorize access to your GitHub repos
• Select your portfolio repository from the list

Vercel will auto-detect your framework (e.g. Next.js) and set the correct build and output settings.

Step 3: Configure Deployment Settings

Most projects won’t require extra configuration, but if needed:

• Framework preset: Choose Next.js, React, or Other
• Build Command: npm run build (or your custom script)
• Output Directory: .next, dist, or build depending on your stack

Click “Deploy” and let Vercel handle the rest. Within a minute or two, your site will be live with a sharable link like your-project-name.vercel.app.

Step 4: Set Up a Custom Domain (Optional)

Want a personal URL like yourname.dev? Vercel makes this simple:

• Buy a domain from a registrar (like Namecheap or Google Domains)
• In your Vercel dashboard, go to your project > Settings > Domains
• Add your domain and follow the DNS instructions

Vercel will even provision free HTTPS certificates via Let’s Encrypt.

Step 5: Automatic Deployments

Every time you push to your GitHub repository, Vercel will automatically rebuild and redeploy your site. This creates a seamless CI/CD pipeline with zero configuration.

You can also create preview deployments from pull requests — great for collaboration or testing changes before merging.

Conclusion

With Vercel, deploying your personal developer website is frictionless and free. Whether you're showcasing your portfolio, sharing blog posts, or experimenting with new tech, getting online has never been easier. If you’ve been delaying your launch, now is the time to go live.

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