What is the easiest way to put my AI-built app online?
Step-by-Step Deployment
First, push your code to a Git repository (GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket). Most AI coding tools like Cursor or Replit can export to GitHub directly. Then, sign up for Vercel or Netlify and connect your repository.
The platform will detect your framework (Next.js, React, etc.) and set up build commands automatically. Click deploy, and your app is live on a subdomain like yourapp.vercel.app. You can then add a custom domain if you want.
If your app has a backend, these platforms support serverless functions or you can deploy a separate backend on Render or Railway. For full-stack frameworks like Next.js, everything deploys together.
- Push code to GitHub.
- Connect GitHub to Vercel/Netlify.
- Configure build settings (usually auto-detected).
- Deploy and get a live URL.
- Add custom domain (optional).
Alternatives for Non-Git Users
If you're not using Git, some platforms like Netlify allow drag-and-drop deployment of a build folder. You can also use Replit, which hosts your app directly from its online IDE.
For simple static sites, GitHub Pages is another easy option: just push to a repository and enable Pages in settings. However, it doesn't support server-side code.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to set environment variables (like API keys) in the hosting platform's dashboard, causing the app to fail.
- Not specifying the correct build command or output directory, leading to deployment errors.
- Assuming the free subdomain is permanent; it's fine for testing but you'll want a custom domain for production.
