Flask Vercel Example

This Example Code is a Part of an Article: Simple Guide on Deploying Python Flask API on Vercel — Free of Cost

---

Live Url: Deployment

Article Link: Medium

---

Introduction:

Whether you’re working on a hobby project or a professional endeavor, deployment is essential. Flask, a lightweight and versatile Python web framework, is commonly used for building web applications due to its simplicity and flexibility. In this guide, we’ll explore deploying a Python Flask API on Vercel, a platform that offers straightforward deployment with continuous integration, and the best part — it’s free!

Steps for Deployment:

1. Initialize the Project:

• Create a new project directory (e.g., flask-api-example).
• Set up a virtual environment (optional but recommended).
• Install Python and any IDE (if not already installed).

2. Add Dependencies:

• Specify your app’s dependencies in a requirements.txt file.
• Install the dependencies using pip install -r requirements.txt.

3. Write the API:

• Create an /api directory (or any name you prefer).
• Inside this directory, create an index.py file with your Flask API code.
• Define routes and handlers (e.g., a simple home route and a 404 error handler).

4. Configure .gitignore:

• Initialize a Git repository (git init).
• Create a .gitignore file to exclude specific files and directories (e.g., .vscode, .venv, etc.).

5. Configure vercel.json:

• Add a vercel.json file at the root of your app.
• Specify rewrite rules to route requests to your Flask API (e.g., from /api to /api/index).

6. Deploy on Vercel:

• Using Vercel CLI:
  • Install Vercel CLI globally (npm i -g vercel).
  • Log in to the CLI using vercel login.
• Deploy using vercel commands.
  • Using GitHub/GitLab Integration:
  • Connect your Vercel account to your Git repository.
  • Automatically deploy on every push to the repository.

Result: