Preview Deployments

Every time you push a branch or open a pull request, Vercel creates a preview deployment with a unique URL. This lets your team review changes in a production-like environment before merging.

How Preview Deployments Work

1. You push a commit to a non-production branch
2. Vercel detects the push via the Git integration
3. A full build runs with the Preview environment variables
4. A unique URL is generated and posted as a comment on the PR

https://my-app-git-feature-login.vercel.app
https://my-app-abc123def.vercel.app

URL Patterns

Preview deployments receive multiple URLs automatically:

The branch-based URL updates with every push to that branch, so reviewers always see the latest version.

GitHub Integration Features

When connected to GitHub, Vercel provides:

• PR Comments — Automatic comment with the preview URL and build status
• Commit Status Checks — Green checkmark when the build succeeds
• Deployment Summary — Links to inspect the deployment details

Example PR Comment

Vercel deployed your project:
✅ Preview: https://my-app-git-feature-login.vercel.app
📝 Inspect: https://vercel.com/team/project/abc123

Commenting on Previews

Vercel provides a toolbar on preview deployments that allows team members to:

• Leave comments on specific elements of the page
• Draw annotations on the UI
• Tag teammates for review
• Resolve feedback threads

Enable this in Project Settings then Comments.

Branch-Specific Settings

Override environment variables or behavior for specific branches:

// vercel.json
{
  "git": {
    "deploymentEnabled": {
      "main": true,
      "staging": true,
      "feature/*": true
    }
  }
}

Skipping Deployments

Add [skip ci] or [vercel skip] to your commit message to prevent a deployment:

git commit -m "docs: update README [skip ci]"

Preview vs Production

Preview deployments are a powerful collaboration tool. Share preview URLs in Slack or project management tools to get fast feedback before merging.