PortfolioIntroduction
Vercel might seem like just a "site publishing service." But actually, it also provides databases, scheduled execution, and email delivery—features needed for applications.
This article introduces useful applications beyond site publishing, focusing on Vercel's Storage features.
What is Vercel Storage?
Vercel's Storage feature is a data storage and processing service directly accessible from Vercel's dashboard.
| Service | Use Case | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Vercel KV | Key-value data storage | Storing settings or session info |
| Vercel Postgres | Relational database | Managing user info or product data |
| Vercel Blob | File storage | Storing images or PDFs |
| QStash | Scheduled/delayed execution | Daily data aggregation at midnight, etc. |
Using these, you can implement certain functionality without contracting a separate database server.
Database Features (KV, Postgres)
Vercel KV (Key-Value)
Good for simple data storage. Use cases include "storing this setting" or "temporarily caching data."
Tell Claude Code "write code that saves data using Vercel KV" and it suggests appropriate implementation.
Vercel Postgres (Relational)
For more serious data management, Postgres is available. It's suitable for managing user information, product data, order history—data with relationships.
Scheduled Execution (QStash)
QStash lets you execute processes at set times—essentially "cron" functionality.
Use Cases
- Generate report and send email every morning at 9am
- Fetch data from external API every hour
- Execute monthly aggregation on the 1st of each month
Set schedule like "every day at 9am"
Automatically starts at set time
Sends request to specified endpoint
App-side defined process runs
Tell Claude Code "I want to run this process every day at 9am" and it suggests QStash implementation.
Email Delivery (Resend)
Resend is an email delivery service. Can be integrated from Vercel's dashboard.
Use Cases
- Auto-reply from contact form
- Registration completion notification
- Password reset email
Tell Claude Code "I want to send email after form submission" and it suggests Resend implementation.
Speed Insight (Performance Analysis)
Speed Insight measures and analyzes site performance. It costs around $10/month extra but helps with site improvement.
Metrics Available
| Metric | Meaning | Target |
|---|---|---|
| LCP | Largest content display time | Under 2.5 seconds is good |
| FID | Response time to first interaction | Under 100ms is good |
| CLS | Layout shift | Under 0.1 is good |
| TTFB | Time to first byte | Faster is better |
Using for Improvement
When Speed Insight identifies issues, you can pass that information to Claude Code for improvements.
Speed Insight shows LCP at 3.2 seconds.
Please investigate what can be improved and fix it.
Claude Code suggests specific improvements like image optimization, lazy loading, cache settings.
When Settings Are Unclear
If you're stuck on setting up these services, there are several approaches:
Have Claude Code Write Procedures
Instruct "write Vercel KV setup procedures to a file" and it outputs steps as text.
Reference Official Documentation
Vercel's official documentation is comprehensive. "Docs" links are available from each service.
Ask ChatGPT or Other AI
Asking while showing screenshots like "what should I do next?" is often effective.
Notes
Free Tier Limits
Each service has a free tier with limitations.
| Service | Free Tier Estimate |
|---|---|
| Vercel KV | 256MB / 30,000 requests/day |
| Vercel Postgres | 256MB / 1,000 hours/month |
| QStash | 500 messages/day |
| Speed Insight | Paid ($10+/month) |
Free tiers are often sufficient for small projects, but larger scale requires considering paid plans.
Integration Complexity
Combining these services can make systems complex. Starting simple and adding features as needed is recommended.
Summary
- Vercel Storage adds database functionality
- QStash enables scheduled execution
- Resend implements email delivery
- Speed Insight for performance improvement
- Consult Claude Code or ChatGPT when settings are unclear
Vercel can be used as a platform supporting entire applications, not just "publishing sites." Gradually adding needed features expands what you can do.