Prepare to Deploy
Requirements
Before you begin, install and set up the required software and environments.
Node.js and Node Package Manager
On your local machine, install:
-
Node.js 20.9.0 or later, the minimum version that Next.js 16 supports
-
Node Package Manager (
npm), which is bundled with Node.js
GitHub account and repository
Create the repository
On GitHub, using an existing account or a new account, create a new
repository named <my-repository>.
Leave the new repository empty. Do not add a README, .gitignore, or license.
Configure the Vercel app
In the repository settings, click Installed GitHub Apps, confirm Vercel is installed, and click Configure.
Grant repository access
In the Repository access section, select the repository you created,
<my-repository>, or allow access to all repositories.
Vercel account and project
Import the repository
In Vercel, using an existing account or a new account, import
the GitHub repository, <my-vercel-project>, and click Deploy.
Leave the build settings at their defaults. Vercel detects the Next.js static export automatically.
You can ignore the warning about the missing branch.
Copy the domain
From the Dashboard, click the card for the new project <my-vercel-project>, and copy the domain that Vercel assigned to it, <my-vercel-domain>, from the Domains list.
Set the environment variables
Go to Environment Variables, add the following keys and values, and click Save:
| Key | Value | Comment |
|---|---|---|
PRODUCT_NAME | The name of the product that your documentation describes | Appears in the top bar and page titles, and replaces the productName variable in your pages. If you don't set it, the site shows MyProduct. |
SITE_URL | https://<my-vercel-domain> | Beacon uses it to build absolute links in canonical tags, sitemap.xml, and /llms.txt. It doesn't change where the site deploys. |