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Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/igorek05m/daily-geogame/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Daily GeoGame is optimized for deployment on Vercel, the platform built by the creators of Next.js.
1

Push to GitHub

Ensure your code is pushed to a GitHub repository:
git add .
git commit -m "Ready for deployment"
git push origin main
2

Import to Vercel

Go to vercel.com and sign in with your GitHub account. Click “Add New Project” and import your repository.
3

Configure project settings

Vercel will automatically detect that this is a Next.js project. The default settings should work:
  • Framework Preset: Next.js
  • Build Command: next build --turbopack (from package.json)
  • Output Directory: .next (auto-detected)
  • Install Command: pnpm install (auto-detected)
4

Add environment variables

Before deploying, add your MongoDB connection string:
  1. Go to “Environment Variables” section
  2. Add MONGODB_URI with your MongoDB Atlas connection string
  3. Select all environments (Production, Preview, Development)
Use your production MongoDB connection string, not your development one.
5

Deploy

Click “Deploy” and Vercel will build and deploy your application. Your app will be live at a *.vercel.app URL.
The live demo is hosted at https://daily-geogame.vercel.app

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Environment variables in production

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Required variables

Set these environment variables in your deployment platform: 
MONGODB_URI=mongodb+srv://username:password@cluster.mongodb.net/geogame?retryWrites=true&w=majority

​
Setting variables on Vercel

1

Navigate to project settings

Go to your project dashboard on Vercel and click “Settings”.
2

Add environment variables

Click “Environment Variables” in the sidebar and add your variables:
  • Key: MONGODB_URI
  • Value: Your MongoDB connection string
  • Environments: Select Production, Preview, and Development
3

Redeploy

If you add variables after initial deployment, trigger a new deployment for changes to take effect.

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MongoDB Atlas production setup

For production deployments, configure MongoDB Atlas with enhanced security:
1

Use a production cluster

Create a separate production cluster, distinct from your development database. Consider upgrading from the free M0 tier for better performance.
2

Configure IP whitelist

Restrict access to Vercel’s IP addresses:
  1. In MongoDB Atlas, go to “Network Access”
  2. Add Vercel’s IP ranges or use 0.0.0.0/0 (less secure but easier)
  3. For tighter security, use Vercel’s static IP addresses if available on your plan
3

Set up database user

Create a production-specific database user:
  1. Use a strong, unique password
  2. Grant only necessary permissions (readWrite on your database)
  3. Store credentials securely in environment variables
4

Enable monitoring

Enable MongoDB Atlas monitoring and set up alerts for:
  • Connection spikes
  • High CPU usage
  • Storage threshold warnings
Use MongoDB Atlas’s free M0 tier for small projects, but consider upgrading for production workloads with higher traffic.

​
Build process

The build process compiles your Next.js application for production: 
npm run build
This runs next build --turbopack, which:
  1. Compiles TypeScript to JavaScript
  2. Optimizes React components
  3. Generates static pages where possible
  4. Creates optimized bundles with Turbopack

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Build output

After a successful build, you’ll see output similar to: 
✓ Compiled successfully
✓ Linting and checking validity of types
✓ Collecting page data
✓ Generating static pages
✓ Finalizing page optimization

Route (app)                              Size     First Load JS
┌ ○ /                                   XXX kB         XXX kB
└ ○ /api/*                              XXX kB         XXX kB

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Starting the production server

For custom hosting, start the production server after building: 
npm run start
This runs next start, which serves the built application on port 3000.
On Vercel, this step is handled automatically. You only need this for self-hosting.

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Custom domain setup

To use a custom domain with your Vercel deployment:
1

Add domain in Vercel

Go to your project settings → “Domains” and add your custom domain.
2

Configure DNS

Add DNS records to your domain provider:
  • Type: A or CNAME
  • Name: @ (or your subdomain)
  • Value: Provided by Vercel
3

Verify and enable HTTPS

Vercel will automatically verify your domain and provision SSL certificates. This usually takes a few minutes.

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Alternative deployment platforms

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Self-hosting with Docker

For self-hosting, create a Dockerfile: 
FROM node:20-alpine

WORKDIR /app

COPY package.json pnpm-lock.yaml ./
RUN npm install -g pnpm && pnpm install --frozen-lockfile

COPY . .

RUN pnpm build

EXPOSE 3000

CMD ["pnpm", "start"]
Build and run: 
docker build -t daily-geogame .
docker run -p 3000:3000 -e MONGODB_URI="your-connection-string" daily-geogame

​
Other platforms

Daily GeoGame can be deployed to any platform that supports Next.js:
  • Netlify: Use the Next.js build plugin
  • Railway: Auto-detects Next.js, add environment variables
  • DigitalOcean App Platform: Import from GitHub, configure build settings
  • AWS Amplify: Import repository and set build configuration
For all platforms, ensure you:
  1. Set MONGODB_URI environment variable
  2. Use Node.js 20.x or higher
  3. Install pnpm or configure the platform to use it
  4. Use build command: pnpm build
  5. Use start command: pnpm start

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Monitoring and logs

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Vercel monitoring

Vercel provides built-in monitoring:
  1. Real-time logs: View deployment and runtime logs in the dashboard
  2. Analytics: Track page views and performance (requires upgrade)
  3. Error tracking: See runtime errors and stack traces
Access logs:
  • Go to your project → “Deployments”
  • Click on a deployment to view its logs
  • Use “Runtime Logs” for live application logs

​
MongoDB Atlas monitoring

Monitor your database:
  1. Performance: View query performance and slow queries
  2. Connections: Track connection count and patterns
  3. Storage: Monitor database size and growth
  4. Alerts: Set up email alerts for issues
Enable MongoDB Atlas’s Performance Advisor to get recommendations for index optimization.

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Production checklist

Before going live, verify:
  • MongoDB connection string is set in environment variables
  • Using production MongoDB cluster (not development)
  • MongoDB network access is properly configured
  • Database user has appropriate permissions
  • Build completes without errors
  • All required dependencies are in package.json
  • .env.local is in .gitignore
  • Custom domain is configured (if applicable)
  • SSL certificate is active
  • Monitoring and alerts are enabled

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Troubleshooting

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Build failures

If your build fails:
  1. Check the build logs for TypeScript errors
  2. Ensure all dependencies are listed in package.json
  3. Verify Node.js version is 20.x or higher
  4. Try building locally first: pnpm build

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MongoDB connection errors

If you see database connection errors:
  1. Verify MONGODB_URI is set correctly
  2. Check MongoDB Atlas network access settings
  3. Ensure database user credentials are correct
  4. Test connection string locally

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Performance issues

If your application is slow:
  1. Check MongoDB Atlas performance metrics
  2. Consider upgrading from M0 tier
  3. Add database indexes for frequently queried fields
  4. Enable Vercel Analytics to identify bottlenecks

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Next steps

After deployment:
  • Monitor your application’s performance
  • Set up error tracking (Sentry, LogRocket, etc.)
  • Configure continuous deployment for automatic updates
  • Review and optimize database queries

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