---
name: vercel-cli
description: Command-line interface for deploying, managing, and developing Vercel projects locally and in CI/CD pipelines. Requires explicit project linking via vercel link (single project) or vercel link --re...
---

# vercel-cli

Command-line interface for deploying, managing, and developing Vercel projects locally and in CI/CD pipelines. Requires explicit project linking via vercel link (single project) or vercel link --repo (monorepos); commands must run from the directory containing .vercel/ folder Core workflows: vercel dev for local development, vercel deploy for preview deployments, vercel --prod for production Supports environment variables, domains, DNS, blob storage, integrations, Node.js backends,...

# vercel-cliby vercel
Command-line interface for deploying, managing, and developing Vercel projects locally and in CI/CD pipelines. Requires explicit project linking via vercel link (single project) or vercel link --repo (monorepos); commands must run from the directory containing .vercel/ folder Core workflows: vercel dev for local development, vercel deploy for preview deployments, vercel --prod for production Supports environment variables, domains, DNS, blob storage, integrations, Node.js backends,...

`npx skills add https://github.com/vercel/vercel --skill vercel-cli`Download ZIPGitHub

## Vercel CLI Skill

The Vercel CLI (`vercel` or `vc`) deploys, manages, and develops projects on the Vercel platform from the command line. Use `vercel <command> --help` for full flag details on any command.

The installed CLI help is the source of truth for obscure or newly added flags. If a command example here is not enough, check `vercel <command> --help` before acting instead of guessing.

## Critical: Project Linking

Commands must be run from the directory containing the `.vercel` folder (or a subdirectory of it). How `.vercel` gets set up depends on your project structure:

* `.vercel/project.json`: Created by `vercel link`. Links a single project. Fine for single-project repos, and can work in monorepos if there's only one project.

* `.vercel/repo.json`: Created by `vercel link --repo`. Links a repo that may contain multiple projects. Always a good idea when any project has a non-root directory (e.g., `apps/web`).

Running from a project subdirectory (e.g., `apps/web/`) skips the "which project?" prompt since it's unambiguous.

When something goes wrong, check how things are linked first — look at what's in `.vercel/` and whether it's `project.json` or `repo.json`. Also verify you're on the right team with `vercel whoami` — linking while on the wrong team is a common mistake.

## Quick Start

```
`npm i -g vercel
vercel login
vercel link # single project
# OR
vercel link --repo # monorepo
vercel pull
vercel dev # local development
vercel deploy # preview deployment
vercel --prod # production deployment
`
```

## Decision Tree

Use this to route to the correct reference file:

* Deploy → `references/deployment.md`

* Rolling releases, deploy hooks, cron jobs, cache, git connection, Edge Config, redirects, custom environments → `references/project-infra.md`

* Local development → `references/local-development.md`

* Environment variables → `references/environment-variables.md`

* CI/CD automation → `references/ci-automation.md`

* Domains or DNS → `references/domains-and-dns.md`

* Projects or teams → `references/projects-and-teams.md`

* Logs, metrics, Speed Insights, Core Web Vitals, activity, performance, preview access, or production debugging → `references/monitoring-and-debugging.md`

* Alerts, usage, contracts, billing purchases, tokens, telemetry, or CLI upgrades → `references/platform-ops.md`

* Blob storage → `references/storage.md`

* Integrations (databases, storage, etc.) → `references/integrations.md`

* Connectors (`vercel connect`) → `references/connectors.md`

* Routing rules → `references/routing.md`

* Firewall (WAF rules, IP blocks, rate limiting) → `references/firewall.md`

* Access a preview deployment → use `vercel curl` (see `references/monitoring-and-debugging.md`)

* CLI command is unavailable or output is missing required fields → use `vercel api` after first-class CLI paths are unavailable or insufficient (see `references/advanced.md`)

* Node.js backends (Express, Hono, etc.) → `references/node-backends.md`

* Monorepos (Turborepo, Nx, workspaces) → `references/monorepos.md`

* Bun runtime → `references/bun.md`

* Feature flags → `references/flags.md`

* Microfrontends → `references/microfrontends.md`

* Sandbox → `references/sandbox.md`

* Agent, MCP, skills discovery, or AI Gateway → `references/agent-and-ai.md`

* Captured request traces (`vercel traces`, including `--open` / `--view`) → `references/advanced.md`

* Vercel Apps / OAuth apps (`vercel oauth-apps`) → `references/advanced.md`

* Advanced (`vercel api` fallback, webhooks) → `references/advanced.md`

* Global flags → `references/global-options.md`

* First-time setup → `references/getting-started.md`

## Anti-Patterns

* Wrong link type in monorepos with multiple projects: `vercel link` creates `project.json`, which only tracks one project. Use `vercel link --repo` instead. When things break, check `.vercel/` first.

* Letting commands auto-link in monorepos: Many commands implicitly run `vercel link` if `.vercel/` doesn't exist. This creates `project.json`, which may be wrong. Run `vercel link` (or `--repo`) explicitly first.

* Linking while on the wrong team: Use `vercel whoami` to check, `vercel teams switch` to change.

* Forgetting non-interactive flags in CI/agent runs: Use `--non-interactive` when you need prompt-free behavior, and add `--yes` only for commands that require confirmation.

* Using `vercel deploy` after `vercel build` without `--prebuilt`: The build output is ignored.

* Hardcoding tokens in flags: Use `VERCEL_TOKEN` env var instead of `--token`.

* Disabling deployment protection: Use `vercel curl` instead to access preview deploys.

* Using `vercel api` too early: Prefer first-class CLI commands when they expose the needed data or mutation.

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**Source**: https://github.com/vercel/vercel/tree/HEAD/skills/vercel-cli
**Author**: vercel
**Discovered via**: mcpservers.org