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Vercel deploy checklist

Deployed on Vercel — cleared for launch?

Vercel makes shipping fast but doesn't automatically give you HSTS, CSP, or production-grade metadata. Edge configs, preview vs production domains, and env var leaks in client chunks are the usual blockers.

Launch benchmark · Vercel

Based on 1 audit, 100% of Vercel launches miss missing caa (certification authority authorization) record.

76/100 avg score · 100% score below 80

Anonymized aggregate from completed clearance scans — no customer data.

Security & headers

Production deploys need baseline HTTP hardening before you share the URL.

  • Add Strict-Transport-Security in vercel.json headers — not enabled by default.

    Audit check SEC-001 · security

  • Configure Content-Security-Policy for Next.js, analytics, and Stripe embeds.

    Audit check SEC-003 · security

  • Set X-Frame-Options and Referrer-Policy on all routes.

    Audit check SEC-005 · security

  • Audit NEXT_PUBLIC_* and leaked secrets in client-side chunks.

    Audit check SEC-020 · dns ssl

DNS & SSL

Custom domains and certificate health on Vercel projects.

  • Verify apex and www both resolve with valid TLS — watch CAA and cert expiry.

    Audit check DNS-001 · dns ssl

  • Confirm SPF, DKIM, and DMARC on your sending domain for transactional email.

    Audit check DNS-023 · dns ssl

Performance

Core Web Vitals and load behavior under real traffic — not just localhost.

  • Measure Core Web Vitals on production domain — edge cache hits differ from preview.

    Audit check PERF-001 · performance

AI visibility

Help ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI cite your product accurately.

  • Serve llms.txt from public/ or app route for AI crawler discovery.

    Audit check AIV-001 · ai visibility

FAQ

Vercel launch questions

Should I add security headers in Next.js or vercel.json?

Either works — vercel.json headers apply to all frameworks on Vercel. Launch Auditor verifies what browsers actually receive on your production URL, regardless of where you configured them.

Scan your Vercel production URL

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