deploy-to-vercel_skill

Overview

This skill deploys applications and websites to Vercel, favoring preview deployments unless the user requests production. It guides the user through detecting project state, choosing the safest deployment method, and returning the deployment URL. The goal is to link projects to Vercel with git-push deploys whenever possible for long-term reliability.

How this skill works

It inspects the local project for a git remote, Vercel linking (.vercel/project.json or .vercel/repo.json), CLI authentication (vercel whoami), and available teams. Based on those checks it chooses one of: git push (if linked + git), vercel deploy (if linked + no git), link-then-deploy (if CLI authenticated but not linked), or a no-auth fallback script for sandboxed environments. It always prefers preview deployments and returns preview (and claim) URLs.

When to use it

• User asks to deploy an app or site (e.g., “deploy my app”, “push this live”).
• User wants a preview deployment or a link to a live preview.
• You need to set up long-term git-based deployments to Vercel.
• CLI is unavailable or unauthenticated in a sandbox and a no-auth fallback is needed.
• User wants an immediate non-production deploy for testing or review.

Best practices

• Always deploy as a preview by default; only use --prod when explicitly requested.
• Run the four project checks first: git remote, .vercel files, vercel whoami, vercel teams list.
• If multiple teams exist, prompt once for a team slug and use --scope for subsequent CLI commands.
• Prefer repo-based linking (vercel link --repo) when a git remote exists to create .vercel/repo.json.
• Use --no-wait with vercel deploy so the CLI returns immediately; then use vercel inspect to check build status.
• If CLI auth fails in sandboxed environments, use the provided no-auth deploy script and share preview + claim URLs.

Example use cases

• User: “Deploy my current project and give me the preview URL.” Skill runs checks, links or deploys, and returns the preview URL.
• User: “Link this repo to my Vercel team and enable git-push deploys.” Skill runs vercel link --repo --scope <team> to create .vercel/repo.json and instructs on pushing.
• User in sandbox: CLI unauthenticated — use deploy.sh to create a preview and claim URL the user can transfer.
• User: “I changed some files — push live to trigger a preview.” Skill asks for confirmation, commits, pushes, then retrieves the latest preview URL.
• User requests a production deploy explicitly — skill runs vercel deploy --prod -y --no-wait only after confirmation.