Vercel
A cloud platform for deploying frontend and full-stack apps with Git-driven workflows, serverless functions, and edge-friendly defaults.
What it is
Vercel hosts static and dynamic workloads, connects to Git for previews and production deploys, and runs serverless and edge functions alongside your app. It is infrastructure and workflow, not application UI code.
Why it matters
It reduces operational overhead for teams that want preview URLs, simple rollbacks, and tight integration with common JavaScript frameworks, especially Next.js, which shares the same company.
When to use it
Use it when you want managed hosting with strong DX for JS frameworks and you accept the platform model. Evaluate alternatives if you need long-lived servers, unusual regions, or deep infra customization.
How it fits in the stack
It is deployment and runtime hosting above your repo and build. Your framework and app code still ship as artifacts; Vercel runs and routes them.
Common confusion
Vercel is deployment and hosting, not the framework. It does not replace Next.js or React. Confusing the platform with the framework leads to wrong assumptions about local dev, routing, and what runs where.