Migrating Your Node.js Express Application from Glitch to Vercel: A Step-by-Step Guide

As the tech landscape evolves, developers often seek more robust and scalable hosting solutions beyond platforms like Glitch. Vercel has emerged as a popular choice, offering seamless deployment for modern web applications. If you’re transitioning a Node.js and Express-based app from Glitch to Vercel, this comprehensive guide will help you navigate the process smoothly.

Why Move from Glitch to Vercel?

While Glitch provided an accessible platform ideal for beginners and quick prototypes, it has limitations in scalability and control. Vercel, on the other hand, offers:

• Efficient serverless deployments
• Simplified continuous integration with Git repositories
• Optimized performance with global CDN

Preparing Your Node.js Express App for Vercel

1. Organize Your Project Files

Ensure your project directory contains:

• A package.json with all dependencies
• An index.js or equivalent main server file
• Any other necessary assets or configurations

2. Set Up Your package.json

Vercel relies on your package.json to understand how to build and run your app. Make sure it includes:

• The start script for your server
• All dependencies

For a typical Express app, your package.json might look like:

json
{
"name": "superanki",
"version": "1.0.0",
"scripts": {
"start": "node index.js"
},
"dependencies": {
"express": "^4.18.2"
}
}

3. Configure Your Entry Point

Ensure your index.js (or main server file) correctly listens on the environment port provided by Vercel:

“`js
const express = require(‘express’);
const app = express();

app.get(‘/’, (req, res) => {
res.send(‘Hello from Vercel!’);
});

// Use process.env.PORT for compatibility with Vercel
const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000;
app.listen(PORT, () => {
console.log(Server listening on port ${PORT});
});
“`

4. Create a vercel.json Configuration (Optional but Recommended)

This file helps instruct Vercel on how to build and run your project:

“`json
{
“version”: 2,
“builds”: [