Introduction

Next.js gives you a blazing‑fast framework that supports static site generation (SSG), server‑side rendering (SSR), API routes, and more. The challenge? Getting it onto a live web server that scales, secures, and serves content quickly.

Prerequisites

• Node.js v20+ installed
• Git for version control
• A cloud provider account (Vercel, Netlify, AWS, Docker Hub, etc.)
• Basic understanding of next.config.js

Deployment Options

1️⃣ Vercel (Recommended)

The creators of Next.js built Vercel for it. Just connect your GitHub repo, set the Root Directory to ./ and Vercel will automatically build next export if you have output: 'export', or run next start for SSR. Features:

• Automatic CDN distribution
• Instant rollbacks
• Built‑in Preview URLs
• Zero‑config deployments

2️⃣ Netlify

Great for static sites (SSG). Add a netlify.toml:

[build]
  command = "npm run build"
  publish = ".next"

3️⃣ Docker + Cloud Run / ECS

Create a Dockerfile to serve your production build:

FROM node:20-alpine
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci --production
COPY . .
RUN npm run build
EXPOSE 3000
CMD ["npm", "start"]

4️⃣ S3 + CloudFront (Static Export)

Run npm run export to generate out/ and sync to an S3 bucket. Enable CloudFront for CDN, and you’re set.

5️⃣ Traditional VPS (Ubuntu, DigitalOcean, etc.)

Spin up a server, install Node, clone repo, run npm run start behind pm2 or systemd. Secure with nginx as a reverse proxy.

CI/CD Pipelines

Automate deployments using GitHub Actions:

name: Deploy

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - name: Install Node
        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: '20'
      - run: npm ci
      - run: npm run build
      - name: Deploy to Vercel
        uses: amondnet/vercel-action@v20
        with:
          vercel-token: ${{ secrets.VERCEL_TOKEN }}
          vercel-org-id: ${{ secrets.VERCEL_ORG_ID }}
          vercel-project-id: ${{ secrets.VERCEL_PROJECT_ID }}

Tip: Store secrets in GitHub repo settings, not hard‑coded.

Best Practices

• Environment Variables: Never commit secrets. Use .env.local locally, and set them in your deployment provider.
• Performance: Enable image component next/image for automatic optimization.
• Monitoring: Add vercel analytics or use third‑party like Sentry.
• Cost: For small sites, static export + CloudFront is cheap and fast.
• SEO: Pre-render pages where possible; add next-seo for metadata.

Resources

• Vercel Docs
• Next.js Deployment Docs
• Official Examples
• Static Asset Demo

Conclusion

Next.js gives you the flexibility to ship as an API‑first backend, a static site, or a full‑stack app. Pick the deployment strategy that matches your traffic, budget, and team size. The ecosystem is mature—if you’re stuck, the community’s Slack and Discord are just a click away.