Deployments · 9 min read · Updated August 2026
Deploy a v0 app to your own server
Short answer
Start by putting the v0 project in a customer-owned GitHub repository, then decide whether it is a static site or a full Next.js application. A static export can run on simple hosting; an app using server-side Next.js features needs a Node.js server or Docker runtime. Make that distinction before moving the domain or copying environment variables.
Choose the right path
| Static export | Use static hosting only when the project can be exported as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It is a good fit for a client-side landing page or tool without request-time server features. |
|---|---|
| Node.js or Docker | Use a running Next.js server when the app uses Server Components, Server Actions, Route Handlers, runtime image optimization, authentication callbacks, or other request-time behavior. |
| First requirement | Create or connect a GitHub repository that your team controls. Treat the v0 project as the builder and the repository as the durable deployment source. |
Walkthrough
- 01
Back up the v0 project to GitHub
Use v0’s GitHub publishing flow to create a repository under the account or organization that will own production. Check that the default branch contains the complete project, package manifest, lockfile, and configuration before changing where the app is hosted. A repository gives the team a durable backup and a place to review future changes.
- 02
Identify which Next.js runtime the app needs
Do not assume a v0 app is a static site. Review the code for Server Actions, Route Handlers, server-only environment variables, dynamic rendering, authentication callbacks, and image optimization. Next.js supports static export for a limited feature set; a Node.js server or Docker container supports the full framework.
- 03
Inventory everything Vercel currently supplies
Record the production branch, domain, redirects, environment variables, integrations, database connection, storage, scheduled work, and webhook endpoints. v0 projects are connected to Vercel by default, so some configuration may exist outside the repository. Copying source code alone does not recreate the production application.
- 04
Separate public configuration from secrets
Keep secrets outside Git and load them through the deployment environment. In Next.js, values prefixed with NEXT_PUBLIC_ are included in the browser bundle during the build, so never put private credentials behind that prefix. Plan which values must be available during the build and which can be read only on the server at runtime.
- 05
Build the production target
For a full Next.js app, use a Node.js process or Docker container behind a reverse proxy such as Nginx. The reverse proxy terminates HTTPS and protects the application process from direct internet exposure. For a true static export, serve the generated output from static hosting instead of maintaining a server process you do not need.
- 06
Make deployments repeatable
Build from a clean checkout using the package manager named by the project’s lockfile. A release should install dependencies deterministically, build the app, start or replace the runtime safely, and run a health check. Deploy through Git so the known-good version and a rollback target are always clear.
- 07
Test before moving the domain
Use a temporary URL or staging hostname to test the build, login, database writes, email, webhooks, redirects, images, and any background work. Only then update DNS. Keep the previous production path available until the replacement has passed a smoke test and the team has the credentials and recovery notes.
Before calling it production-ready
- v0 project backed up to a customer-owned GitHub repository
- Static export versus Node.js runtime decision documented
- Vercel environment variables and integrations inventoried
- Secrets kept outside Git and public variables reviewed
- HTTPS reverse proxy or static host tested
- Health check, rollback target, and handover notes ready
Questions founders ask
Can every v0 app be deployed as static files?
No. A static export works only for a compatible subset of Next.js. Apps using server-side features need a Node.js server or Docker runtime so those requests can execute.
Do I have to stop using v0 after moving production?
No. Keep using v0 to iterate, but preserve the GitHub repository as the source of truth for deployment. Review and deploy the resulting changes through the same production workflow.
Can I keep Vercel for previews?
Yes. A hybrid setup can keep Vercel previews while production runs elsewhere. Make the environment-variable and domain boundaries explicit so preview settings do not leak into production.
What does RepoAssistant do?
We assess the v0 repository, determine the runtime it needs, recreate the production dependencies on the right target, test the release, and hand over the deployment path and access.
Where RepoAssistant fits
We help startup teams turn the right path into a working setup: review the current infrastructure, use available Azure credits deliberately, deploy the app, and leave the team with ownership and handover notes.