When we think about deploying websites, our mind often jumps straight to complex cloud setups like AWS EC2, DigitalOcean droplets, or cPanel hosting. But what if you have a simple HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, and jQuery project, and you just want it live in minutes with minimal hassle, no server management, and zero cost?

That’s where Vercel comes in.

Today, I’ll walk you through deploying one of our own tools – the CodeHunger Invoice Generator. This is a lightweight, fully client-side invoice generator built with HTML, Bootstrap, and jQuery – no PHP backend, no database – perfect for quick deployments.

If you’re a beginner, freelancer, student, or even an agency looking to deploy static sites fast, this guide is crafted for you in plain English without any jargon. Let’s begin.

🌟 Why Vercel for Static Projects?

You might wonder:

🤔 “Isn’t Vercel mainly for React or Next.js apps?”

While it is famous for Next.js because the team behind Next.js created Vercel, it is equally brilliant for hosting any static project. Here’s why I personally prefer it:

1. Free for personal and small projects with generous usage limits
2. Global CDN (Content Delivery Network) making your site load super fast everywhere
3. Automatic HTTPS with no configuration
4. Easy integration with GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket
5. Zero-config deployment – it detects your project type and deploys instantly
6. Preview deployments for every Git commit or PR, useful if you work in a team

Before Vercel, I often hosted such tools on Netlify or even GitHub Pages. While GitHub Pages is great, Vercel’s speed, instant cache invalidation, and UI simplicity made me stick with it.

⚡ What is the CodeHunger Invoice Generator?

A quick intro if you haven’t checked it yet.

The CodeHunger Invoice Generator is a simple web tool to:

1. Generate invoices directly in the browser
2. Edit invoice fields dynamically
3. Download as PDF or print instantly
4. Built entirely using Bootstrap for layout and jQuery for interactivity

No backend processing is involved, making it an ideal candidate for static hosting.

📝 Prerequisites Before You Begin

Let’s ensure you have the basics ready:

✔️ A GitHub account (sign up here if you don’t have one)

✔️ Git installed on your system (download from git-scm.com)

✔️ A Vercel account (sign up free here)

✔️ The Invoice Generator project code, which we will deploy

🔧 Step 1. Fork or Clone the Project Repository

First, visit the project on GitHub:

👉 CodeHunger Invoice Generator

You have two options:

1. Fork it
2. Click the “Fork” button on the top right.
3. This will add a copy to your own GitHub account.
4. Best option if you plan to customize the tool later.
5. Clone it locally
6. If you want to edit it before pushing to GitHub:

🔄 Step 2. Push It to Your Own GitHub Repository

If you cloned it and made changes (or just want it under your GitHub username), create a new repo on GitHub (e.g., invoice-generator).

Then update your remote URL and push:

Replace YOUR_USERNAME with your GitHub username.

Befor the starting the deployment you have to create the account on vercel

to create a account on vercel visit this URL - https://vercel.com/signup, it has the UI like the below one

just choose as hobby and move ahead next screen will be likely to below one

I have created my account as google, you choose other option as well,after doing the signup they will ask you to import your git repository as you can see in the below image.

when you click on the github they will tell you for the github install

After installing they will have the access for your github project then they will ask you which project you wants to deploy, see the image below.

After choosing the repository they will ask you to import it.

when you click on the import you have the something like the below one.

then just click on the deploy, it will deploy the application.

🚀 Step 3. Deploying to Vercel – The Magic Step

Here comes the easiest yet most powerful step:

1. Go to Vercel Dashboard.
2. Click “Add New…” ➔ “Project”.
3. You will see a list of your GitHub repositories (authorize Vercel to access GitHub if prompted).
4. Select your invoice-generator repository.
5. For Framework Preset, choose Other since it’s just HTML, CSS, and JS.
6. Click Deploy.

Wait for a few seconds. Vercel will upload your files, deploy them globally, and give you a live URL like:

🎉 Congratulations! Your tool is now live for the world to use.

👀 Step 4. Preview Your Live Site

Open the deployed URL in your browser. You should see your invoice generator loading instantly.

Try creating a sample invoice, downloading it as PDF, or printing it directly. Everything should work seamlessly because all logic is client-side using jQuery.

Dashboard View Of the Vercel.

🔧 Optional: Adding a Custom Domain

If you have a custom domain (e.g., invoices.yourcompany.com), you can connect it:

1. Go to your project in Vercel dashboard.
2. Click Settings ➔ Domains.
3. Add your domain, follow DNS configuration instructions, and within minutes your project will be live on your own brand domain with HTTPS.

💡 Common Questions and Clarifications

Q1. Is Vercel free forever?

Yes, for personal, hobby, and small projects, their free plan is generous. If your site gets massive traffic or you need advanced features, you can upgrade to their Pro plan.

Q2. Can I deploy PHP backend projects to Vercel?

Vercel is serverless-first and Node.js based, so it does not run traditional PHP apps like Laravel out of the box. For Laravel, you should use platforms like Laravel Forge + VPS (DigitalOcean, Linode, AWS) or traditional shared hosting. Vercel is ideal for frontend and static sites, or serverless functions written in Node.js.

Q3. Can I use Vercel for my portfolio website?

Absolutely. In fact, I recommend it. Portfolio sites are static by nature and benefit from Vercel’s CDN and fast deployment flow.

🎯 Final Thoughts

We often overcomplicate the idea of hosting. For a simple tool like CodeHunger Invoice Generator, where the entire functionality runs in the browser, deploying to Vercel takes:

✅ Zero server configuration

✅ Zero backend setup

✅ Zero maintenance headaches

And your tool is available globally within seconds.

I encourage you to try Vercel today for your:

1. Static landing pages
2. Bootstrap admin templates
3. jQuery tools
4. HTML/CSS UI prototypes
5. Frontend-only demos for clients

It’s the fastest route to going live, iterating quickly, and sharing your work with the world.

👨‍💻 Example Live Deployment

Here’s what your final deployment URL might look like:

➡️ https://invoice-generator-yourusername.vercel.app

(Replace with your actual deployed URL)

✨ Let’s Connect

If you enjoyed this tutorial, consider:

✅ Starring the GitHub repository

✅ Sharing your deployed tool on LinkedIn tagging CodeHunger

✅ Following for upcoming deployment guides and Laravel tutorials