Unlock the Power of Vue.js: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building and Deploying Applications
Get Started with Vue.js
Vue.js, created by Evan You and maintained by a community of over 250 members, is a progressive framework for building user interfaces. Its approachable core library focuses solely on the view layer, making it an ideal choice for building larger single-page applications. In this article, we’ll explore an easy way to build Vue applications and deploy them using GitHub Pages.
Prerequisites
Before we dive in, make sure you have the following prerequisites:
- Node.js ≥10.x installed
- npm ≥ v6.7 installed
- A code editor (Visual Studio Code is highly recommended)
- General knowledge of using Git
- Vue’s latest version installed globally on your machine
- Vue CLI ≥ v3.0 installed on your machine
What is GitHub Pages?
GitHub Pages is a static site hosting service that deploys your static apps straight from their GitHub repository. You can set up GitHub Pages for yourself as a user or for any new or existing repositories you have on GitHub.
Setting Up Your Vue Project
Let’s use the Vue GUI to create a new project. Open your terminal and run the command vue create my-project. This will redirect you to a remote server where you can create and manage your Vue project. Follow the prompts to set up your project, choosing the default preset with Babel and ESLint.
Setting Up GitHub
Create a new GitHub repository for your project and set it up for Git using the command git init. Then, commit and push your changes to the origin master branch.
Deploying to GitHub Pages
Create a vue.config.js file in the root directory of your Vue project and add the necessary code. Then, create a gh-pages-deploy.js file in a new Scripts folder and add the deployment script. Update your package.json file to include the execa config and scripts.
Deploy Your Vue App
Run the command npm run deploy to deploy your Vue app to GitHub Pages. This will create a GitHub Pages branch, build your application for production, commit and push the changes, and delete the GitHub Pages branch.
Your Vue App is Live!
Open your project on GitHub and click on Settings to find the unique link to your deployed app. Congratulations, you’ve successfully built and deployed a Vue application using GitHub Pages!
Debugging Vue.js Applications
Debugging Vue.js applications can be challenging, especially with dozens of mutations during a user session. Try LogRocket, a DVR for web and mobile apps that records everything that happens in your Vue apps, including network requests, JavaScript errors, performance problems, and more.