How to Deploy a Vue Application to Heroku

Deploying a Vue.js application to Heroku can seem like a daunting task, especially if you're new to the platform. However, with the right guidance, it can be a relatively straightforward process. In this blog post, we'll walk you through the steps involved in deploying a Vue.js application to Heroku, complete with screenshots to make the process as easy as possible.

Before we dive in, let's briefly discuss what Heroku is and why you might want to use it to deploy your Vue.js application.

What is Heroku?

Heroku is a cloud-based platform as a service (PaaS) that enables developers to build, deploy, and manage applications. It's popular among developers because it offers a simple, streamlined way to deploy applications without having to worry about managing infrastructure. Heroku also supports a wide range of programming languages, including Node.js, which makes it an excellent choice for deploying Vue.js applications.

Why deploy your Vue.js application to Heroku?

There are several reasons why you might want to deploy your Vue.js application to Heroku:

1. Heroku offers a streamlined, user-friendly deployment process that can save you time and effort.
2. Heroku's platform as a service (PaaS) model means that you don't have to worry about managing infrastructure, which can be a significant burden for developers.
3. Heroku supports a wide range of programming languages, including Node.js, which makes it an excellent choice for deploying Vue.js applications.

Now that we've covered the basics, let's get started with the deployment process.

Step 1: Create a new project on Heroku

The first step in deploying your Vue.js application to Heroku is to create a new project on the platform. If you don't already have an account, you'll need to create one before you can proceed.

Once you've logged in to Heroku, click on the "New" button in the top right corner of the dashboard and select "Create new app" from the dropdown menu.

In the next screen, give your app a name and select a region that is closest to your location. Then click on the "Create app" button.

Step 2: Set up the app on Heroku

Once you've created your app, the next step is to set it up on Heroku. In the "Deploy" tab of your app's dashboard, scroll down to the "Deployment method" section and select "GitHub" as your deployment method.

Then, click on the "Connect to GitHub" button and follow the prompts to authorize Heroku to access your GitHub account. Once you've done this, you'll be able to search for and select the repository that contains your Vue.js application.

Next, scroll down to the "Manual deploy" section and click on the "Deploy Branch" button to deploy your application to Heroku.

Step 3: Prepare your Vue.js application for deployment

Before you can deploy your Vue.js application to Heroku, you'll need to prepare it for deployment. This involves making sure that all necessary dependencies are installed and that the build files are generated.

Open your terminal and navigate to your project directory. Then, run the following command to install all of the necessary dependencies:

npm install

Once the installation process is complete, run the following command to generate a production build of your app:

npm run build

This will create a dist directory in your project's root directory, which contains the files that you'll need to deploy to Heroku.

Step 4: Create a Procfile

The next step is to create a Procfile in the root of your project directory. This file tells Heroku how to run your application. Open a new file in your project directory and name it Procfile (with no extension). Then, add the following line of code to the file:

web: npm run start

This tells Heroku to start your application by running the start script in your package.json file.

Step 5: Create a git repository

Before you can deploy your application to Heroku, you'll need to initialize a git repository in your project directory. Open a terminal window and navigate to your project directory. Then, run the following command to initialize a new git repository:

git init

Next, add all of your project's files to the repository by running the following command:

git add .

Then, commit your changes by running the following command:

git commit -m "Initial commit"

This creates an initial commit that contains all of your project's files.

Step 6: Push your code to Heroku

With your git repository set up, you can now push your code to Heroku. Run the following command to add a new remote repository for Heroku:

heroku git:remote -a <your-app-name>

Replace <your-app-name> with the name of your Heroku app.

Next, push your code to Heroku by running the following command:

git push heroku master

This will push your code to the remote Heroku repository and trigger a build of your application.

Step 7: Visit your app

Once the deployment process is complete, you can visit your app by navigating to https://<your-app-name>.herokuapp.com in your web browser.

Congratulations, you've successfully deployed your Vue.js application to Heroku!

Conclusion

Deploying a Vue.js application to Heroku can seem like a complex process, but with the right guidance, it can be a straightforward and rewarding experience. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can deploy your application to Heroku with confidence and ease. Remember to take your time and double-check each step along the way, and you'll have your app up and running on Heroku in no time.