Vercel to Netlify migration checklist

Migrating from Vercel to Netlify can be seamless with the right preparation. This checklist covers the essential steps for successfully moving your projects, with special attention to Next.js applications, configuration migration, and production readiness.

Pre-migration preparation

Review your current setup

Document your current Vercel configuration (build commands, environment variables, redirects)
Identify Next.js version and features in use (App Router, API routes, middleware, etc.)
List all custom domains and DNS configurations
Review existing environment variables and secrets
Document any Vercel-specific features you’re using (Edge Functions, Analytics, etc.)

Plan your migration

Choose your Netlify plan based on your needs
Set up your Netlify account and connect to your Git provider
Plan your domain migration strategy to minimize downtime

Code and configuration migration

Next.js applications

Update to supported version: Upgrade to Next.js 13.5+ for zero-configuration deployment
Image optimization: Verify next/image components work with Netlify Image CDN

Convert Vercel configuration to netlify.toml

Build settings: Convert Vercel build commands to netlify.toml configuration
```
[build]
  command = "next build"
  publish = ".next"
```
Redirects and rewrites: Add redirects to next.config.js for proper handling, or use Netlify redirects
Headers: Add headers to next.config.js for proper handling, or use Netlify headers
Functions: Convert Vercel API routes to Netlify Functions if needed (Next.js API routes work automatically)

Environment variables and secrets

Export variables: Export environment variables from Vercel dashboard
Import to Netlify: Import .env file variables for consistency
Review sensitive data: Use Secrets Controller for your most sensitive variables
Set up scoped variables: Configure environment variable scopes for different deploy contexts

Smooth migration checklist

Based on Netlify’s production checklist, here are the essential steps for a smooth migration. For comprehensive production readiness guidance, see our complete production checklist.

Domain and DNS setup

Plan DNS cutover: Coordinate DNS changes to minimize downtime (see DNS cutover guidance)
Add custom domain: Configure your custom domain in Netlify
Configure DNS: Use www or subdomain as primary domain for optimal performance
Set up HTTPS: Enable secure connections for your site

Build and performance optimization

Optimize build performance: Configure build settings for faster deployments
Set function regions: Configure serverless functions region closest to your data sources
Image optimization: Ensure Netlify Image CDN is properly configured

Site configuration and branding

Search engine indexing: Prevent branch deploys from search indexing if needed

Forms migration (if applicable)

Netlify Forms setup: Convert Vercel forms to Netlify Forms
Spam protection: Enable spam filters
Custom success pages: Create custom success pages for better UX

Monitoring and analytics

Enable Project Analytics: Turn on Project Analytics for site monitoring
Set up performance monitoring: Configure monitoring tools for ongoing optimization

Testing and validation

Pre-launch testing

Deploy Preview testing: Test your site using Deploy Previews
Function testing: Verify all serverless functions work correctly
Form testing: Test all form submissions and integrations (if applicable)
Performance validation: Run performance tests and audits
Cross-browser testing: Ensure compatibility across target browsers

Feature verification

Next.js features: Test SSR, ISR, API routes, and middleware functionality
Image optimization: Verify images load correctly with Netlify Image CDN
Redirects and routing: Test all URL redirects and routing rules
Environment variables: Confirm all environment variables are working correctly

Go-live preparation

Final steps

Emergency preparedness: Plan maintenance page process for unexpected issues
Team training: Familiarize team with rollback procedures
Monitoring setup: Configure alerts and monitoring for production traffic
DNS cutover: Execute planned DNS migration with minimal downtime

Post-migration

Monitor performance: Watch for any performance regressions or issues
Test all functionality: Perform comprehensive testing of all site features
Update documentation: Update internal documentation with new Netlify workflows
Clean up: Remove old Vercel configurations and deployments after confirming stability