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Python on Vercel

Keep your Python stack and ship it with your frontend. Build a FastAPI + Next.js furniture app deployed as one Vercel project.

Eve Porcello

Eve Porcello

Vercel is now Vercel for backends. Your Next.js frontend and Python API can deploy together as one Vercel project.

Hazel Home gives us the test case: a furniture storefront still using mock inventory even though its FastAPI backend is ready. We'll connect the two locally, with Next.js at / and FastAPI under /api, then deploy the finished app under one domain.

Course repo: vercel-labs/academy-python-course

What You'll Build

A furniture inventory app with a FastAPI endpoint at /api/items and a Next.js frontend that displays the inventory. Both parts deploy together as one Vercel project.

Python runtime status

Vercel's Python runtime is currently in Beta and available on every Vercel plan.

Prerequisites

  • Python 3.12+
  • Familiarity with FastAPI (you've written routes and run a dev server)
  • Basic Node.js and npm knowledge (enough to run a Next.js app)
  • A Vercel account (Hobby supports a personal learning project; its fair-use policy excludes commercial use)

Optional Companion Skill

This course has a companion Academy skill that helps you debug vercel dev, route matching in api/index.py, wiring app/page.tsx to /api/items, and deployment checks.

Install it once:

npx skills add vercel-labs/academy-skills --skill=python-on-vercel -y

Then invoke it in chat with prompts like:

  • "Use the python-on-vercel skill and check why /api/items returns 404."
  • "Use the python-on-vercel skill and review my starter/app/page.tsx wiring."
  • "Use the python-on-vercel skill and walk me through deploy verification."

What's Covered

Section 1: Setup. Install the Vercel CLI, then run each side of the starter project locally.

Section 2: Connect the Apps. Use vercel dev to serve the project from one local URL, then replace the frontend's mock inventory with data from FastAPI.

Section 3: Deploy to Vercel. Deploy the project and verify the frontend and API in production.