Deploying Your Node.js Backend for Free on Vercel

Deploying frontends for free? Super easy! Tools like Vercel, Firebase, and GitHub Pages make it a breeze. Heck, you can even host a static site on Google Drive! But when it comes to backend APIs, the free options shrink significantly 🥲. Today, I’ll show you how to deploy your Node.js backend to Vercel without spending a dime!

Stay tuned until the end, and I’ll throw in a few bonus free hosting options you might not know about! 🤩

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1. Start Your Node.js Project

First, let’s spin up a simple Express.js backend. Open your terminal, navigate to your desired folder, and run these commands:

mkdir my-express-backend  
cd my-express-backend  
npm init -y  
npm install express  

Next, create a file at api/index.js and add the following code to set up a basic Express server:

const express = require("express");  
const app = express();  

app.get("/", (req, res) => res.send("Express on Vercel"));  

app.listen(3000, () => console.log("Server ready on port 3000"));  

module.exports = app;  

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2. Prepare for Vercel 🚦

Now, you need to add a vercel.json file in the root of your project to tell Vercel how to handle your backend. Add this configuration:

{  
  "version": 2,  
  "rewrites": [{ "source": "/(.*)", "destination": "/api" }]  
}  

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3. Test Locally

Before deploying, let’s test it on your machine. First, install the Vercel CLI:

npm install -g vercel  

Log in using vercel login, and then run your project locally:

vercel dev  

Now, visit http://localhost:3000 to see your backend in action! 🎉

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4. Deploy to Vercel

Time to go live! You can deploy using three methods:

1. Vercel CLI
2. Manual setup on the dashboard
3. GitHub integration (the easiest and most automated option).

Here’s how to deploy using GitHub:

• Push your project to a GitHub repo.
• Log in to Vercel and click “New Project.”
• Import your repo, set up environment variables (if needed), and click "Deploy."

Boom! 🎉 Your backend is live with a public URL!

Import the repository that you need to deploy.

Through here, we can add environmental variables.

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Limitations of Free Hosting

While Vercel’s free Hobby account is great, it has limits—like request quotas and sleep mode for inactive projects. If you’re aiming for a production-ready app, you might need to upgrade.

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Alternatives to Vercel 😱

Looking for more free hosting options? Check out Render, another excellent platform similar to Vercel. It’s simple and supports backend deployment effortlessly.

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And there you go! Your Node.js backend is live on Vercel, and you didn’t spend a penny. Let me know how your deployment goes or if you discover other cool platforms! 😊