Configuration and domains
Control build settings
Know when framework detection is enough and when root, install, build, output, Node.js, or ignored-build settings need an explicit override.
8 minute lesson
Project settings define how Vercel turns the repository into a deployment. Framework presets provide good defaults, but overrides can silently change the artifact.
Keep commands in package.json when they are part of the project contract. Use dashboard overrides only when the deployment context truly differs and document them. Pin important runtime versions in repository files rather than relying on a dashboard default that another environment will not share.
Review the whole build input: root directory, package manager and lockfile, install command, build command, output directory, runtime version, and required build-time variables. In a monorepo, an apparently correct command can still run against the wrong package. Generated output should come from the build, not from an untracked local directory.
Configuration can drift because repository files and dashboard settings have different review histories. Prefer repository-owned settings when possible, and keep a short record for every dashboard-only override. After changing one, create a Preview deployment and compare its build log and output with the previous deployment before touching Production.
Compare the dashboard build settings with package.json and repository version files. Remove any redundant override or document why it exists.
Lesson completed