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The Nepal Administrative Divisions application is configured for seamless deployment to Vercel using serverless Python functions.

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Prerequisites

  • A Vercel account
  • The Vercel CLI installed (optional, for CLI deployment)
  • Your project pushed to a Git repository (GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket)

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Vercel Configuration

The application includes a vercel.json configuration file that defines the build and routing settings:
vercel.json
{
  "version": 2,
  "builds": [
    {
      "src": "app.py",
      "use": "@vercel/python",
      "config": { 
        "runtime": "python3.9",
        "installCommand": "pip install -r requirements.txt"
      }
    }
  ],
  "routes": [
    {
      "src": "/(.*)",
      "dest": "/app.py"
    }
  ]
}

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Configuration Details

  • Runtime: Python 3.9 is used for serverless function execution
  • Build Source: The app.py file is the entry point for the application
  • Builder: @vercel/python handles Python serverless functions
  • Install Command: Dependencies from requirements.txt are automatically installed during build
  • Routing: All requests are routed to the Flask application

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Deployment Methods

1

Import Project

  1. Go to Vercel Dashboard
  2. Click Add New → Project
  3. Import your Git repository
2

Configure Build Settings

Vercel will automatically detect the vercel.json configuration. Verify the settings:
  • Framework Preset: Other
  • Build Command: (leave empty, handled by vercel.json)
  • Output Directory: (leave empty)
  • Install Command: pip install -r requirements.txt
3

Set Environment Variables

Before deploying, add the required environment variable:
  1. Go to Settings → Environment Variables
  2. Add NEPAL_ADMIN_DATA_URL with your data source URL
  3. Set it for Production, Preview, and Development environments
See Environment Variables for detailed configuration.
4

Deploy

Click Deploy and wait for the build to complete. Your application will be available at:
https://your-project-name.vercel.app

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Method 2: Deploy via Vercel CLI

1

Install Vercel CLI

npm install -g vercel
2

Login to Vercel

vercel login
3

Set Environment Variables

vercel env add NEPAL_ADMIN_DATA_URL
Enter your data source URL when prompted.
4

Deploy

From your project directory:
vercel
For production deployment:
vercel --prod

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Build Process

During deployment, Vercel performs the following steps:
  1. Install Dependencies: Runs pip install -r requirements.txt
  2. Build Function: Converts app.py into a serverless function
  3. Configure Routes: Sets up routing based on vercel.json
  4. Deploy: Deploys the serverless function to Vercel’s edge network

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Accessing Your Application

Once deployed, your application provides:
  • Web Interface: https://your-project-name.vercel.app/
  • API Documentation: https://your-project-name.vercel.app/docs
  • API Endpoints:
    • /api/provinces/
    • /api/districts/
    • /api/municipalities/
Vercel automatically assigns a unique URL to your deployment. You can configure a custom domain in the Vercel dashboard under Settings → Domains.

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Environment Variables in Production

The NEPAL_ADMIN_DATA_URL environment variable is required for the application to function. Without it, the application will attempt to use a local fallback file, which may not be available in the serverless environment.
To manage environment variables after deployment:
  1. Go to your project in the Vercel dashboard
  2. Navigate to Settings → Environment Variables
  3. Add, edit, or remove variables as needed
  4. Redeploy for changes to take effect

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Monitoring and Logs

Vercel provides built-in monitoring tools:
  • Deployment Logs: View build and deployment logs in the Vercel dashboard
  • Function Logs: Real-time logs for your serverless function
  • Analytics: Track visits, performance, and errors
Access logs via:
  • Vercel Dashboard → Your Project → Deployments → View Logs
  • Vercel CLI: vercel logs

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Continuous Deployment

Vercel automatically deploys your application when you push changes to your Git repository:
  • Production: Pushes to the main or master branch
  • Preview: Pushes to other branches or pull requests
Each deployment gets a unique URL for testing before promoting to production.

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Next Steps

  • Configure environment variables for different environments
  • Set up a custom domain in Vercel settings
  • Monitor your application’s performance and logs
  • Enable Vercel Analytics for usage insights

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