use-cases/deploy-app-or-website.md

name: Deploy an app or website tagline: Build or update a web app, deploy a preview, and get a live URL. summary: Use Codex with Build Web Apps and Vercel to turn a repo, screenshot, design, or rough app idea into a working preview deployment you can share. skills:

token: build-web-apps url: https://github.com/openai/plugins/tree/main/plugins/build-web-apps description: Build, review, and prepare web apps with React, UI, deployment, payments, and database guidance.
token: vercel url: https://github.com/openai/plugins/tree/main/plugins/vercel description: Deploy previews, inspect deployments, read build logs, and manage Vercel project settings. bestFor:
Turning a screenshot, map, design brief, or rough app idea into a working web preview
Deploying a branch or local app without manually wiring Vercel commands
Sharing a live URL after Codex runs the build and checks the deployment starterPrompt: title: Build and Deploy a Preview body: >- Use @build-web-apps to turn [repo, screenshot, design, or rough app idea] into a working website.

Then use @vercel to deploy a preview and hand me the live URL.

Context:
- [what the site should do]
- [source data, API, docs, or assets to use]
- [style or product constraints]
- [anything not to change]
Before you hand it back, run the local build and verify the deployment is ready. suggestedEffort: medium relatedLinks:
label: Build Web Apps plugin url: https://github.com/openai/plugins/tree/main/plugins/build-web-apps
label: Vercel plugin url: https://github.com/openai/plugins/tree/main/plugins/vercel
label: Vercel deployments url: https://vercel.com/docs/deployments/overview

Start with the site and the deploy target

Codex can build or update a website or app, run the project checks, deploy it with Vercel, and return the URL.

The useful handoff is concrete: a repo, screenshot, map, design brief, product note, API doc, or data source. Codex should inspect the project before changing it, then use the Vercel plugin to deploy a preview by default.

Use @build-web-apps when Codex needs to build or polish the app. Use @vercel when it should deploy, inspect the deployment, or read Vercel build logs.

Codex should tell you what it changed, which command it used to build the project, and whether the Vercel deployment is ready. If the deploy needs an environment variable, team choice, domain setting, or login step, Codex should call that out instead of pretending the site is finished.

Keep production changes explicit. A preview deployment is the default; ask for production only when you mean it.

Iterate from the live URL

Once you have the preview, keep the same thread open. Ask Codex to open the URL, fix layout issues, update copy, wire missing data, or read Vercel logs if the deploy fails. The thread already has the repo, deployment, and build context.

Good follow-ups are specific:

"The mobile layout is cramped. Fix it and redeploy the preview."
"Use the same project and add the latest data from [source]."
"Read the failed build logs and fix the deploy."

use-cases/deploy-app-or-website.md +38 −102

~~1# Deploy an app or website | Codex use cases~~1---

2 2name: Deploy an app or website

~~3Codex use cases~~3tagline: Build or update a web app, deploy a preview, and get a live URL.

4 4summary: Use Codex with Build Web Apps and Vercel to turn a repo, screenshot,

~~5![](/assets/OpenAI-black-wordmark.svg)~~5 design, or rough app idea into a working preview deployment you can share.

6 6skills:

~~7![Codex](/assets/OAI_Codex-Lockup_Fallback_Black.svg)~~7 - token: build-web-apps

8 8 url: https://github.com/openai/plugins/tree/main/plugins/build-web-apps

~~9Codex use case~~9 description: Build, review, and prepare web apps with React, UI, deployment,

10 10 payments, and database guidance.

~~11# Deploy an app or website~~11 - token: vercel

12 12 url: https://github.com/openai/plugins/tree/main/plugins/vercel

~~13Build or update a web app, deploy a preview, and get a live URL.~~13 description: Deploy previews, inspect deployments, read build logs, and manage

14 14 Vercel project settings.

~~15Difficulty **Intermediate**~~15bestFor:

16 16 - Turning a screenshot, map, design brief, or rough app idea into a working

~~17Time horizon **30m**~~17 web preview

~~19Use Codex with Build Web Apps and Vercel to turn a repo, screenshot, design, or rough app idea into a working preview deployment you can share.~~

~~21## Best for~~

~~23- Turning a screenshot, map, design brief, or rough app idea into a working web preview~~

24 - Deploying a branch or local app without manually wiring Vercel commands18 - Deploying a branch or local app without manually wiring Vercel commands

25 - Sharing a live URL after Codex runs the build and checks the deployment19 - Sharing a live URL after Codex runs the build and checks the deployment

20starterPrompt:

21 title: Build and Deploy a Preview

22 body: >-

23 Use @build-web-apps to turn [repo, screenshot, design, or rough app idea]

24 into a working website.

26 25

~~27# Contents~~

~~29[← All use cases](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases)~~

~~31Copy page [Export as PDF](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/deploy-app-or-website/?export=pdf)~~

~~33Use Codex with Build Web Apps and Vercel to turn a repo, screenshot, design, or rough app idea into a working preview deployment you can share.~~

~~35Intermediate~~

36 26

~~3730m~~27 Then use @vercel to deploy a preview and hand me the live URL.

~~39Related links~~

41[Build Web Apps plugin](https://github.com/openai/plugins/tree/main/plugins/build-web-apps) [Vercel plugin](https://github.com/openai/plugins/tree/main/plugins/vercel) [Vercel deployments](https://vercel.com/docs/deployments/overview)

~~43## Best for~~

~~45- Turning a screenshot, map, design brief, or rough app idea into a working web preview~~

~~46 - Deploying a branch or local app without manually wiring Vercel commands~~

~~47 - Sharing a live URL after Codex runs the build and checks the deployment~~

~~49## Skills & Plugins~~

~~51- [Build Web Apps](https://github.com/openai/plugins/tree/main/plugins/build-web-apps)~~

~~53 Build, review, and prepare web apps with React, UI, deployment, payments, and database guidance.~~

~~54- [Vercel](https://github.com/openai/plugins/tree/main/plugins/vercel)~~

~~56 Deploy previews, inspect deployments, read build logs, and manage Vercel project settings.~~

~~58| Skill | Why use it |~~

~~59| --- | --- |~~

~~60| [Build Web Apps](https://github.com/openai/plugins/tree/main/plugins/build-web-apps) | Build, review, and prepare web apps with React, UI, deployment, payments, and database guidance. |~~

~~61| [Vercel](https://github.com/openai/plugins/tree/main/plugins/vercel) | Deploy previews, inspect deployments, read build logs, and manage Vercel project settings. |~~

62 28

~~63## Starter prompt~~

64 29

~~65Use @build-web-apps to turn [repo, screenshot, design, or rough app idea] into a working website.~~

~~66 Then use @vercel to deploy a preview and hand me the live URL.~~

67 Context:30 Context:

68 - [what the site should do]32 - [what the site should do]

69 - [source data, API, docs, or assets to use]34 - [source data, API, docs, or assets to use]

70 - [style or product constraints]36 - [style or product constraints]

71 - [anything not to change]38 - [anything not to change]

~~72Before you hand it back, run the local build and verify the deployment is ready.~~

73 39

74[Open in the Codex app](codex://new?prompt=Use+%40build-web-apps+to+turn+%5Brepo%2C+screenshot%2C+design%2C+or+rough+app+idea%5D+into+a+working+website.%0A%0AThen+use+%40vercel+to+deploy+a+preview+and+hand+me+the+live+URL.%0A%0AContext%3A%0A-+%5Bwhat+the+site+should+do%5D%0A-+%5Bsource+data%2C+API%2C+docs%2C+or+assets+to+use%5D%0A-+%5Bstyle+or+product+constraints%5D%0A-+%5Banything+not+to+change%5D%0A%0ABefore+you+hand+it+back%2C+run+the+local+build+and+verify+the+deployment+is+ready. "Open in the Codex app")

75 40

~~76Use @build-web-apps to turn [repo, screenshot, design, or rough app idea] into a working website.~~41 Before you hand it back, run the local build and verify the deployment is

~~77 Then use @vercel to deploy a preview and hand me the live URL.~~42 ready.

~~78 Context:~~43 suggestedEffort: medium

~~79 - [what the site should do]~~44relatedLinks:

~~80 - [source data, API, docs, or assets to use]~~45 - label: Build Web Apps plugin

~~81 - [style or product constraints]~~46 url: https://github.com/openai/plugins/tree/main/plugins/build-web-apps

~~82 - [anything not to change]~~47 - label: Vercel plugin

~~83Before you hand it back, run the local build and verify the deployment is ready.~~48 url: https://github.com/openai/plugins/tree/main/plugins/vercel

49 - label: Vercel deployments

50 url: https://vercel.com/docs/deployments/overview

51---

84 52

85## Start with the site and the deploy target53## Start with the site and the deploy target

86 54

90 58

91Use `@build-web-apps` when Codex needs to build or polish the app. Use `@vercel` when it should deploy, inspect the deployment, or read Vercel build logs.59Use `@build-web-apps` when Codex needs to build or polish the app. Use `@vercel` when it should deploy, inspect the deployment, or read Vercel build logs.

92 60

~~93Use @build-web-apps to turn [repo, screenshot, design, or rough app idea] into a working website.~~

~~94 Then use @vercel to deploy a preview and hand me the live URL.~~

~~95 Context:~~

~~96 - [what the site should do]~~

~~97 - [source data, API, docs, or assets to use]~~

~~98 - [style or product constraints]~~

~~99 - [anything not to change]~~

100Before you hand it back, run the local build and verify the deployment is ready.

~~101~~

102## Check the result before you share it61## Check the result before you share it

103 62

104Codex should tell you what it changed, which command it used to build the project, and whether the Vercel deployment is ready. If the deploy needs an environment variable, team choice, domain setting, or login step, Codex should call that out instead of pretending the site is finished.63Codex should tell you what it changed, which command it used to build the project, and whether the Vercel deployment is ready. If the deploy needs an environment variable, team choice, domain setting, or login step, Codex should call that out instead of pretending the site is finished.

114- "The mobile layout is cramped. Fix it and redeploy the preview."73- "The mobile layout is cramped. Fix it and redeploy the preview."

115- "Use the same project and add the latest data from [source]."74- "Use the same project and add the latest data from [source]."

116- "Read the failed build logs and fix the deploy."75- "Read the failed build logs and fix the deploy."

~~117~~

118## Related use cases

~~119~~

120[![](/images/codex/codex-wallpaper-1.webp)

~~121~~

122### Bring your app to ChatGPT

~~123~~

124Build one narrow ChatGPT app outcome end to end: define the tools, scaffold the MCP server...

~~125~~

126Integrations Code](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/chatgpt-apps)[![](/images/codex/codex-wallpaper-1.webp)

~~127~~

128### Add iOS app intents

~~129~~

130Use Codex and the Build iOS Apps plugin to identify the actions and entities your app should...

~~131~~

132iOS Code](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-app-intents)[![](/images/codex/codex-wallpaper-2.webp)

~~133~~

134### Adopt liquid glass

~~135~~

136Use Codex and the Build iOS Apps plugin to audit existing iPhone and iPad UI, replace custom...

~~137~~

138iOS Code](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-liquid-glass)

~~139~~

use-cases/deploy-app-or-website.md 2026-05-02 06:45 UTC to 2026-05-05 23:00 UTC

Start with the site and the deploy target

Check the result before you share it

Iterate from the live URL