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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/nextjs/saas-starter/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Before deploying your Next.js SaaS Starter application to production, it’s important to understand the deployment options available and ensure your application is properly configured.

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Deployment Options

The Next.js SaaS Starter is designed to work seamlessly with modern hosting platforms that support Next.js applications: Vercel is the recommended deployment platform as it’s built by the creators of Next.js and offers:
  • Zero-configuration deployments
  • Automatic HTTPS and SSL certificates
  • Global CDN and edge network
  • Automatic preview deployments for pull requests
  • Built-in environment variable management
  • Excellent Next.js optimization
The official demo at next-saas-start.vercel.app is deployed on Vercel.

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Other Platforms

You can also deploy to other platforms that support Next.js:
  • AWS (using Amplify, ECS, or EC2)
  • Google Cloud Platform (using Cloud Run or App Engine)
  • Azure (using App Service)
  • DigitalOcean (using App Platform)
  • Railway
  • Render
These platforms require more manual configuration but offer greater infrastructure control.

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Pre-Deployment Checklist

Before deploying your application, ensure you’ve completed the following steps:
1

Environment Variables

Verify all required environment variables are configured:
  • BASE_URL - Your production domain
  • POSTGRES_URL - Production database connection string
  • STRIPE_SECRET_KEY - Production Stripe secret key
  • STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET - Production webhook secret
  • AUTH_SECRET - Secure random string for JWT signing
Never use development or test credentials in production. Always use production-specific API keys and secrets.
2

Database Setup

Ensure your production database is ready:
  • Database is created and accessible
  • Connection string is secure (use SSL if available)
  • Run migrations: pnpm db:migrate
  • Optionally seed with initial data: pnpm db:seed
3

Stripe Configuration

Switch from test mode to production mode:
  • Use production API keys from Stripe Dashboard
  • Create production webhook endpoint
  • Configure webhook to listen for required events
  • Test payment flow with real card (then refund)
4

Build Verification

Test the production build locally:
pnpm build
pnpm start
Verify there are no build errors or TypeScript issues.
5

Security Review

Review security settings:
  • JWT tokens are using secure AUTH_SECRET
  • Cookies are configured with httpOnly, secure, and sameSite flags (middleware.ts:29-32)
  • Protected routes are properly secured by middleware (middleware.ts:5-14)
  • API routes validate authentication where needed

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Environment Setup Overview

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Required Environment Variables

The application requires five essential environment variables to function:
.env
POSTGRES_URL=postgresql://user:password@host:port/database
STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=sk_live_...
STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET=whsec_...
BASE_URL=https://yourdomain.com
AUTH_SECRET=your-secure-random-string
Generate a secure AUTH_SECRET using OpenSSL:
openssl rand -base64 32

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Database Considerations

  • The application uses PostgreSQL with Drizzle ORM
  • Supports any PostgreSQL-compatible database (Vercel Postgres, Neon, Supabase, etc.)
  • Migrations are stored in lib/db/migrations/
  • Schema is defined in lib/db/schema.ts

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Stripe Webhook Configuration

The application requires a webhook endpoint to handle subscription changes:
  • Endpoint URL: https://yourdomain.com/api/stripe/webhook
  • Required Events:
    • customer.subscription.updated
    • customer.subscription.deleted
The webhook handler is implemented in app/api/stripe/webhook/route.ts:23-28.

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Next Steps

Deploy to Vercel

Follow our step-by-step guide to deploy on Vercel

Production Setup

Configure production environment variables and webhooks