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Deploy without Git

Create and publish your first CamelMind site without installing Git or creating a GitHub account.

This guide walks you through the fastest path—from an empty computer to a live website—without installing Git or creating a GitHub account.

You'll build your site locally, preview it in your browser, and deploy it directly to Vercel using the Vercel CLI.

Tip

This is the easiest path if you're new to web development. You can always add Git later for automatic deployments, version history, and collaboration.

Estimated time

Most users can complete this guide in 15–20 minutes.

You'll:

  • ✅ Install the required tools
  • ✅ Create your first CamelMind site
  • ✅ Customize your homepage
  • ✅ Preview your site locally
  • ✅ Publish it to the internet

Step-by-step guide

1

Install Node.js

CamelMind runs on Node.js. If you haven't installed it yet, start here:

→ Install Node.js

3

Create your CamelMind site

Use the CamelMind CLI to create a new documentation site.

→ Installation

Once you're finished, you should be able to start your local development server with:

bash
npm run dev
4

Customize your homepage

Open your project in VS Code and edit the homepage to make it your own.

Try changing:

  • Site title
  • Homepage content
  • Navigation
  • Logo

Visit Writing Content to learn more.

5

Preview your site locally

Start the development server:

bash
npm run dev

Then open:

http://localhost:3000

Every time you save a file, your browser automatically refreshes so you can immediately see your changes.

6

Publish your site

Now it's time to put your site online.

Install the Vercel CLI:

bash
npm install -g vercel

Sign in to your Vercel account:

bash
vercel login

From your project's root directory, deploy your site:

bash
vercel

Vercel automatically detects CamelMind's Next.js project and asks a few setup questions before creating a preview deployment.

When you're ready to make it publicly available, run:

bash
vercel --prod
Note

Before deploying to production, configure any required environment variables (such as CAMELMIND_URL) in your Vercel project settings or by using vercel env add.

See Environment Variables for the complete list.

When should I start using Git?

Deploying without Git is a great option for getting started. As your project grows, Git becomes increasingly useful.

If you want to...Deploy without GitUse Git
Learn CamelMind✅
Build a personal website✅
Publish a simple documentation site✅
Keep a history of every change✅
Collaborate with teammates✅
Automatically deploy after every change✅
Review changes before publishing✅

If you're happy manually running vercel --prod whenever you update your site, you can continue without Git indefinitely.

Ready to add Git?

Switching to a Git-based workflow only takes a few minutes.

  1. Install Git
  2. Create a Git repository
  3. Follow Deploy to Vercel to connect your repository and enable automatic deployments.
Tip

Connecting an existing Vercel project to a Git repository doesn't create a new website. Future deployments continue using the same Vercel project and live URL.

🎉 Congratulations!

Your CamelMind site is now live on the internet.

From here, you can continue improving your site by:

  • Writing more documentation
  • Adding new pages
  • Customizing the theme and branding
  • Connecting a custom domain
  • Learning Git when you're ready

What the AI sees

1> For a complete documentation index, see /llms.txt. To read any public page as Markdown, append .md to the URL.
2 
3This guide walks you through the fastest path—from an empty computer to a live website—without installing Git or creating a GitHub account.
4 
5You'll build your site locally, preview it in your browser, and deploy it directly to Vercel using the Vercel CLI.
6 
7<Callout type="tip">
8This is the easiest path if you're new to web development. You can always add Git later for automatic deployments, version history, and collaboration.
9</Callout>
10 
11---
12 
13## Estimated time
14 
15Most users can complete this guide in **15–20 minutes**.
16 
17You'll:
18 
19- ✅ Install the required tools
20- ✅ Create your first CamelMind site
21- ✅ Customize your homepage
22- ✅ Preview your site locally
23- ✅ Publish it to the internet
24 
25---
26 
27## Step-by-step guide
28 
29<Steps>
30 
31<Step n={1} title="Install Node.js">
32 
33CamelMind runs on Node.js. If you haven't installed it yet, start here:
34 
35→ [Install Node.js](/before-you-begin/install-nodejs)
36 
37</Step>
38 
39<Step n={2} title="Install VS Code (recommended)">
40 
41VS Code isn't required, but it's the easiest way to edit your documentation and run CamelMind commands.
42 
43→ [Install VS Code](/before-you-begin/install-vscode)
44 
45</Step>
46 
47<Step n={3} title="Create your CamelMind site">
48 
49Use the CamelMind CLI to create a new documentation site.
50 
51→ [Installation](/getting-started/installation)
52 
53Once you're finished, you should be able to start your local development server with:
54 
55```bash
56npm run dev
57```
58 
59</Step>
60 
61<Step n={4} title="Customize your homepage">
62 
63Open your project in VS Code and edit the homepage to make it your own.
64 
65Try changing:
66 
67- Site title
68- Homepage content
69- Navigation
70- Logo
71 
72Visit [Writing Content](/getting-started/writing-content) to learn more.
73 
74</Step>
75 
76<Step n={5} title="Preview your site locally">
77 
78Start the development server:
79 
80```bash
81npm run dev
82```
83 
84Then open:
85 
86```
87http://localhost:3000
88```
89 
90Every time you save a file, your browser automatically refreshes so you can immediately see your changes.
91 
92</Step>
93 
94<Step n={6} title="Publish your site">
95 
96Now it's time to put your site online.
97 
98Install the Vercel CLI:
99 
100```bash
101npm install -g vercel
102```
103 
104Sign in to your Vercel account:
105 
106```bash
107vercel login
108```
109 
110From your project's root directory, deploy your site:
111 
112```bash
113vercel
114```
115 
116Vercel automatically detects CamelMind's Next.js project and asks a few setup questions before creating a preview deployment.
117 
118When you're ready to make it publicly available, run:
119 
120```bash
121vercel --prod
122```
123 
124<Callout type="note">
125Before deploying to production, configure any required environment variables (such as `CAMELMIND_URL`) in your Vercel project settings or by using `vercel env add`.
126 
127See [Environment Variables](/reference/environment-variables) for the complete list.
128</Callout>
129 
130</Step>
131 
132</Steps>
133 
134---
135 
136## When should I start using Git?
137 
138Deploying without Git is a great option for getting started. As your project grows, Git becomes increasingly useful.
139 
140| If you want to... | Deploy without Git | Use Git |
141| --- | :---: | :---: |
142| Learn CamelMind | ✅ | |
143| Build a personal website | ✅ | |
144| Publish a simple documentation site | ✅ | |
145| Keep a history of every change | | ✅ |
146| Collaborate with teammates | | ✅ |
147| Automatically deploy after every change | | ✅ |
148| Review changes before publishing | | ✅ |
149 
150If you're happy manually running `vercel --prod` whenever you update your site, you can continue without Git indefinitely.
151 
152---
153 
154## Ready to add Git?
155 
156Switching to a Git-based workflow only takes a few minutes.
157 
1581. [Install Git](/before-you-begin/install-git)
1592. [Create a Git repository](/before-you-begin/git-repository)
1603. Follow [Deploy to Vercel](/deployment/vercel) to connect your repository and enable automatic deployments.
161 
162<Callout type="tip">
163Connecting an existing Vercel project to a Git repository doesn't create a new website. Future deployments continue using the same Vercel project and live URL.
164</Callout>
165 
166---
167 
168## 🎉 Congratulations!
169 
170Your CamelMind site is now live on the internet.
171 
172From here, you can continue improving your site by:
173 
174- Writing more documentation
175- Adding new pages
176- Customizing the theme and branding
177- Connecting a custom domain
178- Learning Git when you're ready

Issues (1)

Notes (1)