> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/Israel-Perez/Nuxt-Secure/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Deployment overview

> Options and considerations for deploying Nuxt Secure to production.

Nuxt Secure is a full-stack Nuxt.js application built with Nitro. It can be deployed as a traditional Node.js server or to serverless and edge platforms that support Nitro output targets.

## Deployment options

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Node.js server" icon="server">
    Deploy to any VPS or cloud VM — DigitalOcean Droplets, AWS EC2, or similar. Run the built output directly with Node.js or manage the process with PM2.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Vercel" icon="triangle">
    Serverless functions with zero-config Nuxt detection. Recommended when using Neon DB, as both are optimized for serverless environments.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Netlify" icon="cloud">
    Deploy to Netlify's serverless functions platform. Nuxt's Nitro build system produces a Netlify-compatible output automatically.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Railway / Render" icon="box">
    Docker-based platforms that build and run your application as a container. Suitable for teams that prefer a managed infrastructure approach.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Build and preview commands

Both commands are defined in `package.json`:

| Command           | Script         | Description                                                            |
| ----------------- | -------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `npm run build`   | `nuxt build`   | Compiles the application for production. Output goes to `.output/`.    |
| `npm run preview` | `nuxt preview` | Serves the production build locally for verification before deploying. |

<Note>
  The `private: true` field in `package.json` means this project is not published to the npm registry. It is intended for direct deployment only.
</Note>

## Requirements before deploying

Before you deploy to any environment, confirm the following:

* **Environment variables** — All required variables are set in your hosting environment. See [Environment variables](/configuration/environment-variables) for the full list.
* **Database schema** — The Drizzle schema has been pushed to your production database with `npx drizzle-kit push`.
* **Cloudinary credentials** — `CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME`, `CLOUDINARY_API_KEY`, and `CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET` are set if profile photo uploads are required.
* **Turnstile production keys** — You are using keys registered for your production domain, not test keys. Test keys will cause CAPTCHA failures in production.

## Pre-deployment checklist

* [ ] `DATABASE_URL` points to the production database
* [ ] `JWT_SECRET` is a strong, randomly generated string (32+ characters)
* [ ] Cloudinary credentials are set (if using photo uploads)
* [ ] `NUXT_PUBLIC_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY` and `TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY` are production keys registered to your domain
* [ ] Database schema has been pushed (`npx drizzle-kit push`)
* [ ] Initial admin user has been seeded or migrated from development
* [ ] HTTPS is enabled on your production domain
* [ ] The `.env` file is not committed to version control

<Warning>
  Never use Cloudflare Turnstile test keys in production. Test keys bypass CAPTCHA verification and provide no bot protection.
</Warning>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Production deployment" icon="rocket" href="/deployment/production">
    Step-by-step instructions for deploying Nuxt Secure to a Node.js server or Vercel.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Environment variables" icon="key" href="/configuration/environment-variables">
    Complete reference for all required and optional environment variables.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>