Deploying a Static Site #

The following guides are based on some shared assumptions:

• You are using the default build output location (dist). This location can be changed using build.outDir, and you can extrapolate instructions from these guides in that case.
• You are using npm. You can use equivalent commands to run the scripts if you are using Yarn or other package managers.
• Vite is installed as a local dev dependency in your project, and you have setup the following npm scripts:

{
  "scripts": {
    "build": "vite build",
    "preview": "vite preview"
  }
}

It is important to note that vite preview is intended for previewing the build locally and not meant as a production server.

Building The App #

You may run npm run build command to build the app.

$ npm run build

By default, the build output will be placed at dist. You may deploy this dist folder to any of your preferred platforms.

Testing The App Locally #

Once you've built the app, you may test it locally by running npm run preview command.

$ npm run build
$ npm run preview

The vite preview command will boot up local static web server that serves the files from dist at http://localhost:4173. It's an easy way to check if the production build looks OK in your local environment.

You may configure the port of the server by passing --port flag as an argument.

{
  "scripts": {
    "preview": "vite preview --port 8080"
  }
}

Now the preview method will launch the server at http://localhost:8080.

GitHub Pages #

1. Set the correct base in vite.config.js.

   If you are deploying to https://<USERNAME>.github.io/, you can omit base as it defaults to '/'.

   If you are deploying to https://<USERNAME>.github.io/<REPO>/, for example your repository is at https://github.com/<USERNAME>/<REPO>, then set base to '/<REPO>/'.

2. Inside your project, create deploy.sh with the following content (with highlighted lines uncommented appropriately), and run it to deploy:

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

    

   
   
   
   
   
   
   

    

   
   
   

    

   
   
   
   
   

   #!/usr/bin/env sh
   
   # abort on errors
   set -e
   
   # build
   npm run build
   
   # navigate into the build output directory
   cd dist
   
   # if you are deploying to a custom domain
   # echo 'www.example.com' > CNAME
   
   git init
   git checkout -b main
   git add -A
   git commit -m 'deploy'
   
   # if you are deploying to https://<USERNAME>.github.io
   # git push -f git@github.com:<USERNAME>/<USERNAME>.github.io.git main
   
   # if you are deploying to https://<USERNAME>.github.io/<REPO>
   # git push -f git@github.com:<USERNAME>/<REPO>.git main:gh-pages
   
   cd -
   

GitHub Pages and Travis CI #

1. Set the correct base in vite.config.js.

   If you are deploying to https://<USERNAME or GROUP>.github.io/, you can omit base as it defaults to '/'.

   If you are deploying to https://<USERNAME or GROUP>.github.io/<REPO>/, for example your repository is at https://github.com/<USERNAME>/<REPO>, then set base to '/<REPO>/'.

2. Create a file named .travis.yml in the root of your project.

3. Run npm install locally and commit the generated lockfile (package-lock.json).

4. Use the GitHub Pages deploy provider template, and follow the Travis CI documentation.

   language: node_js
   node_js:
     - lts/*
   install:
     - npm ci
   script:
     - npm run build
   deploy:
     provider: pages
     skip_cleanup: true
     local_dir: dist
     # A token generated on GitHub allowing Travis to push code on you repository.
     # Set in the Travis settings page of your repository, as a secure variable.
     github_token: $GITHUB_TOKEN
     keep_history: true
     on:
       branch: main
   

GitLab Pages and GitLab CI #

1. Set the correct base in vite.config.js.

   If you are deploying to https://<USERNAME or GROUP>.gitlab.io/, you can omit base as it defaults to '/'.

   If you are deploying to https://<USERNAME or GROUP>.gitlab.io/<REPO>/, for example your repository is at https://gitlab.com/<USERNAME>/<REPO>, then set base to '/<REPO>/'.

2. Create a file called .gitlab-ci.yml in the root of your project with the content below. This will build and deploy your site whenever you make changes to your content:

   image: node:16.5.0
   pages:
     stage: deploy
     cache:
       key:
         files:
           - package-lock.json
         prefix: npm
       paths:
         - node_modules/
     script:
       - npm install
       - npm run build
       - cp -a dist/. public/
     artifacts:
       paths:
         - public
     rules:
       - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH
   

Netlify #

1. Install the Netlify CLI.
2. Create a new site using ntl init.
3. Deploy using ntl deploy.

# Install the Netlify CLI
$ npm install -g netlify-cli

# Create a new site in Netlify
$ ntl init

# Deploy to a unique preview URL
$ ntl deploy

The Netlify CLI will share with you a preview URL to inspect. When you are ready to go into production, use the prod flag:

# Deploy the site into production
$ ntl deploy --prod

Google Firebase #

1. Make sure you have firebase-tools installed.

2. Create firebase.json and .firebaserc at the root of your project with the following content:

   firebase.json:

   {
     "hosting": {
       "public": "dist",
       "ignore": [],
       "rewrites": [
         {
           "source": "**",
           "destination": "/index.html"
         }
       ]
     }
   }
   

   .firebaserc:

   {
     "projects": {
       "default": "<YOUR_FIREBASE_ID>"
     }
   }
   

3. After running npm run build, deploy using the command firebase deploy.

Surge #

1. First install surge, if you haven’t already.

2. Run npm run build.

3. Deploy to surge by typing surge dist.

You can also deploy to a custom domain by adding surge dist yourdomain.com.

Heroku #

1. Install Heroku CLI.

2. Create a Heroku account by signing up.

3. Run heroku login and fill in your Heroku credentials:

   $ heroku login
   

4. Create a file called static.json in the root of your project with the below content:

   static.json:

   {
     "root": "./dist"
   }
   

   This is the configuration of your site; read more at heroku-buildpack-static.

5. Set up your Heroku git remote:

   # version change
   $ git init
   $ git add .
   $ git commit -m "My site ready for deployment."
   
   # creates a new app with a specified name
   $ heroku apps:create example
   

6. Set buildpacks. We use heroku/nodejs to build the project and heroku-buildpack-static to serve it.

   # set buildpacks
   $ heroku buildpacks:set heroku/nodejs
   $ heroku buildpacks:add https://github.com/heroku/heroku-buildpack-static.git
   

7. Deploy your site:

   # publish site
   $ git push heroku main
   
   # opens a browser to view the Dashboard version of Heroku CI
   $ heroku open
   

Vercel #

Vercel CLI #

1. Install the Vercel CLI and run vercel to deploy.
2. Vercel will detect that you are using Vite and will enable the correct settings for your deployment.
3. Your application is deployed! (e.g. vite-vue-template.vercel.app)

$ npm i -g vercel
$ vercel init vite
Vercel CLI
> Success! Initialized "vite" example in ~/your-folder.
- To deploy, `cd vite` and run `vercel`.

Vercel for Git #

1. Push your code to your git repository (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).
2. Import your Vite project into Vercel.
3. Vercel will detect that you are using Vite and will enable the correct settings for your deployment.
4. Your application is deployed! (e.g. vite-vue-template.vercel.app)

After your project has been imported and deployed, all subsequent pushes to branches will generate Preview Deployments, and all changes made to the Production Branch (commonly “main”) will result in a Production Deployment.

Learn more about Vercel’s Git Integration.

Azure Static Web Apps #

You can quickly deploy your Vite app with Microsoft Azure Static Web Apps service. You need:

• An Azure account and a subscription key. You can create a free Azure account here.
• Your app code pushed to GitHub.
• The SWA Extension in Visual Studio Code.

Install the extension in VS Code and navigate to your app root. Open the Static Web Apps extension, sign in to Azure, and click the '+' sign to create a new Static Web App. You will be prompted to designate which subscription key to use.

Follow the wizard started by the extension to give your app a name, choose a framework preset, and designate the app root (usually /) and built file location /dist. The wizard will run and will create a GitHub action in your repo in a .github folder.

The action will work to deploy your app (watch its progress in your repo's Actions tab) and, when successfully completed, you can view your app in the address provided in the extension's progress window by clicking the 'Browse Website' button that appears when the GitHub action has run.