Alpha Theme
Alpha Docs
Host & Deploy

Vercel

Written by oxypteros

Vercel allows deployment by importing a Git repository from GitHub, GitLab, BitBucket or third-party platforms.

Deploy on Vercel

After signing up and logging into Vercel:

  1. Choose your Git provider and install the corresponding integration if prompted.
  2. Select your site’s repository and click Import.

On the New Project page:

  1. Project Name — This will be part of your deployment URL: https://[project-name].vercel.app

  1. Framework Preset: Select Hugo.

  2. In the Build and Output Settings section click the edit icon and set as Build Command:

    • With search:
    hugo --gc --minify && npx pagefind --site "public"
    • Without search:
    hugo --gc --minify

  3. In the Environment Variables add:

    • Key: HUGO_VERSION — Value: 0.148.0
      Note: Use a HUGO_VERSION greater than 0.146.1, ideally matching your local version.

  4. Click Deploy.

Once the deployment is complete:

  1. Go to your Project dashboard and click Domains.
  2. If the default production domain matches your project name ([project-name].vercel.app), update your root hugo.toml:
baseURL = "https://[project-name].vercel.app"
  1. Commit and push the change to the Git Provider.

If it doesn’t match and you want a specific name:

  1. Click Add Domain.
  2. Enter a custom subdomain: [custom-name].vercel.app.
  3. Click Add Domain and then Save.
  4. After your preferred domain is added successfully:
    • Delete the old domain you no longer need by clicking the three dots.
    • Update the baseURL in your hugo.toml to reflect the new domain.
    • Push the change to the Git provider.

Tip

If you can’t Save due to an error go back and try using a more specific or unique name.

Vercel Json (Optional)

Vercel settings can be configured not only through the Vercel dashboard but also with a vercel.json file placed at the root of your project.

Alpha includes a vercel.json file located at: themes/alpha/vercel.json. The provided configuration includes security headers and a Content Security Policy (CSP) identical to those in the themes/alpha/static/_headers file.

Refer to the official Vercel JSON documentation for full syntax and available options.

vercel.json

JSON does not officially support comments (even though Vercel’s parser allows them). To avoid editor validation errors, the provided vercel.json does not contain comments.

How to use:

  1. Copy the file from themes/alpha/vercel.json to your site’s root directory (not static/, but the actual root of your project).
  2. Review and customize the rules to match your site’s security and performance needs.
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