How to ship a Hono app on Vercel

Hono is a fast, lightweight web framework built on Web Standards. It gives you a small, zero-dependency core, a familiar middleware model, fast routing, and built-in helpers for tasks like streaming and validation, and it runs anywhere JavaScript runs.

On Vercel, you can deploy a Hono app with zero configuration: your routes become Vercel Functions running on Fluid compute, and you get response streaming, preview deployments, and observability without extra setup.

This guide walks you through deploying a Hono app to Vercel from a template, the Vercel CLI, or a Git repository, then configuring features such as streaming, middleware, cron jobs, the Bun runtime, and observability.

Copy link to headingPrerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

A Vercel account
Node.js 20+ and a package manager (e.g., npm)
An existing Hono project, or a new one created from a Hono template
A Git repository on GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket (if you want Git-based deployments)
Vercel CLI installed (npm i -g vercel)

Copy link to headingHow it works

When you deploy a Hono app, Vercel detects the framework and builds it for the Vercel runtime. Your exported Hono app handles requests through Vercel Functions, which run on Fluid compute by default. Your app scales with traffic, and you pay only for the compute your functions use, not for idle time.

Because Vercel ships zero-configuration detection for Hono, you don't set a build command or output directory. Vercel reads your project, finds the file that exports your Hono app, and applies the correct build settings.

Copy link to headingDeploy your Hono app

You can ship a Hono app to Vercel in three ways. Choose the one that fits where your code lives today.

Copy link to headingOption 1: Deploy from a template

The fastest way to ship a Hono app is to start from a template. Browse the Hono templates gallery, pick a starter, and deploy it. Vercel clones the template to your Git provider, creates a project, and deploys it with zero configuration.

Templates to start from include:

Hono on Vercel: A minimal Hono API that deploys with zero configuration. Start here if you're new to Hono on Vercel.
Hono MCP remote server: A remote MCP server built on Hono, with example tools that run math operations.
Hono + AI SDK: A Hono backend wired up with AI SDK for building AI features and streaming responses.
Slack Bolt with Hono: A starting point for Slack apps built with Bolt for JavaScript on Hono.
Hono and Next.js Starter: A Hono API paired with a Next.js App Router frontend in a single project.
Caltext: An iMessage calorie-tracking assistant built with AI SDK and Chat SDK.

Copy link to headingOption 2: Start a new project with the Vercel CLI

To scaffold a new Hono project locally, use the Vercel CLI init command. It clones Vercel's Hono example into a folder named hono.

Create the project:
Terminal
```
vercel init nitro
```
Install dependencies:
Terminal
```
cd nitro
npm install
```
Develop locally at http://localhost:3000. Use the Vercel CLI, so your app runs with the same default export it uses in production:
Terminal
```
vercel dev
```
Deploy your app. The first run links the project, and because it's the project's first deployment, Vercel creates a production deployment:
Terminal
```
vercel
```
After that, vercel creates preview deployments. Deploy later changes to production with:
Terminal
```
vercel --prod
```

Copy link to headingOption 3: Deploy an existing Hono app

If you already have a Hono app, deploy it from Git or from the command line.

From Git: Push your project to GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket, then import it at vercel.com/new. Vercel detects Hono automatically and deploys it with zero configuration.

From the CLI: From your project's root directory, run vercel to deploy. The first deployment of a new project is a production deployment. After that, vercel creates preview deployments and vercel --prod deploys to production. To pull project settings and environment variables for local development, run:

Terminal

vercel link
vercel env pull

For Vercel to detect your app, export your Hono instance as the default export from one of the recognized entry files, such as app.ts, index.ts, or server.ts at your project root or under src/:

src/index.ts

import { Hono } from 'hono';

const app = new Hono();

app.get('/', (c) => c.text('Hello from Hono on Vercel'));

export default app;

Copy link to headingUse Vercel features with Hono

After your app is deployed, you can layer Vercel features onto it. Some work automatically, and others take a few lines of configuration in vercel.json.

Copy link to headingServer routes run as Vercel Functions

Each route in your Hono app is served by Vercel Functions. These functions use Fluid compute by default, which runs multiple requests concurrently within a single instance to reduce cold starts and the cost of I/O-bound work such as API calls and database queries. You don't configure anything to get this behavior.

Because Hono exports a single app, Vercel sends every incoming request to that app and lets Hono's router match the path. Your route handlers, middleware, and error handling all run inside Vercel Functions.

Copy link to headingStream responses

Vercel Functions support streaming, so you can send data to the client as you produce it instead of waiting for the full response. Use Hono's stream() helper to stream text, server-sent events, or AI model output:

src/index.ts

import { Hono } from 'hono';
import { stream } from 'hono/streaming';

const app = new Hono();

app.get('/stream', (c) => {
  return stream(c, async (stream) => {
    stream.onAbort(() => {
      console.log('Client disconnected');
    });

    for (const chunk of ['Hello', ' ', 'from', ' ', 'Hono']) {
      await stream.write(chunk);
      await stream.sleep(200);
    }
  });
});

export default app;

Streaming pairs well with Fluid compute: while your function waits between chunks, the same instance can serve other requests.

Copy link to headingCombine Hono Middleware with Vercel Routing Middleware

Hono and Vercel each have a middleware layer, and they solve different problems. Hono Middleware runs inside your app's router, after the request reaches your function. Use it for app-level concerns such as logging, CORS, and authentication:

src/index.ts

import { Hono } from 'hono';
import { logger } from 'hono/logger';
import { cors } from 'hono/cors';
import { basicAuth } from 'hono/basic-auth';

const app = new Hono();

app.use(logger());
app.use('/posts/*', cors());
app.post('/posts/*', basicAuth({ username: 'admin', password: process.env.ADMIN_PASSWORD ?? '' }));

export default app;

Vercel Routing Middleware runs at the edge, before the request reaches your Hono app. Use it for rewrites, redirects, and header changes that should happen before any function runs. The two layers work together, with Routing Middleware shaping the request at the edge and Hono Middleware handling it inside your app.

Copy link to headingServe static assets from the CDN

To serve static files such as images, fonts, or a favicon, place them in the public/** directory. Vercel serves them through its CDN using default headers, which you can override in vercel.json. Hono's own serveStatic() helper is ignored on Vercel, so rely on the public directory instead.

Copy link to headingRun scheduled tasks with cron jobs

Vercel Cron Jobs trigger a route on a schedule by sending an HTTP GET request to it. Define a route in your Hono app for the task, then register the schedule in vercel.json.

Define the route:

src/index.ts

import { Hono } from 'hono';

const app = new Hono();

app.get('/api/cron/cleanup', (c) => {
  if (c.req.header('authorization') !== `Bearer ${process.env.CRON_SECRET}`) {
    return c.text('Unauthorized', 401);
  }

  // Run your scheduled work here

  return c.json({ ok: true });
});

export default app;

vercel.json

{
  "$schema": "https://openapi.vercel.sh/vercel.json",
  "crons": [{ "path": "/api/cron/cleanup", "schedule": "0 0 * * *" }]
}

Vercel runs cron jobs only on production deployments. To stop anyone else from calling the route, set a CRON_SECRET environment variable in your project settings. Vercel sends it as a Bearer token in the Authorization header on every cron invocation, and your handler compares it before running the task.

Copy link to headingUse the Bun runtime

Hono runs your functions on Node.js by default. To run them on Bun instead, set bunVersion in vercel.json:

vercel.json

{
  "$schema": "https://openapi.vercel.sh/vercel.json",
  "bunVersion": "1.x"
}

Vercel detects the setting, runs your app on Bun in both vercel dev and production, and keeps it on Fluid compute. The Bun runtime is in public beta and supports most Node.js APIs. Set the major version only, and Vercel manages the minor and patch versions.

Copy link to headingMonitor performance with Observability

Vercel Observability tracks your deployed functions automatically, with no setup. Open the Observability page in your project to see invocation counts, error rates, and duration for your Hono app, along with the requests your functions make to external APIs. On Observability Plus, you also get longer retention and a latency breakdown by path.

Copy link to headingBest practices

Copy link to headingExport your app from a recognized entry point

Vercel finds your Hono app by looking for a default export at a fixed set of locations: app, index, or server (with a .js, .ts, or related extension) at your project root or under src/. Put your app at one of these paths so Vercel detects and deploys it correctly:

src/index.ts

import { Hono } from 'hono';

const app = new Hono();

// Add your routes here

export default app;

Copy link to headingDevelop with the Vercel CLI

Run vercel dev for local development instead of a standalone server. It serves your app the same way production does, using your default export, so the behavior you test locally matches what you deploy. This also lets you exercise features such as cron routes and the Bun runtime before shipping.

Copy link to headingResources and next steps

Read the full Hono on Vercel documentation
Browse Hono templates you can deploy in one step
Learn how Vercel Functions run your server code
Understand pricing and scaling with Fluid compute
Run code before requests with Routing Middleware
Defer background work from your routes with Vercel Queues, or orchestrate multi-step tasks with Vercel Workflows

Copy link to headingPrerequisites

Copy link to headingHow it works

Copy link to headingDeploy your Hono app

Copy link to headingOption 1: Deploy from a template

Copy link to headingOption 2: Start a new project with the Vercel CLI

Copy link to headingOption 3: Deploy an existing Hono app

Copy link to headingUse Vercel features with Hono

Copy link to headingServer routes run as Vercel Functions

Copy link to headingStream responses

Copy link to headingCombine Hono Middleware with Vercel Routing Middleware

Copy link to headingServe static assets from the CDN

Copy link to headingRun scheduled tasks with cron jobs

Copy link to headingUse the Bun runtime

Copy link to headingMonitor performance with Observability

Copy link to headingBest practices

Copy link to headingExport your app from a recognized entry point

Copy link to headingDevelop with the Vercel CLI

Copy link to headingResources and next steps

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