Check if Vercel CLI is Installed

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 18 views

Introduction

In recent updates to the default GitHub Actions (GHA) Runner image, the Vercel CLI has been removed. This change affects many users who rely on the deploy-to-vercel-action to deploy their applications to Vercel. To address this issue, we will create a task that checks if the Vercel CLI is installed and installs the latest version if it's not. Additionally, we will provide an option to allow the calling workflow to set or pin a specific or older version of the Vercel CLI.

Problem Statement

The removal of the Vercel CLI from the default GHA Runner image has caused issues for many users who rely on the deploy-to-vercel-action. This action is commonly used to deploy applications to Vercel, but it requires the Vercel CLI to be installed. Without the Vercel CLI, the action will fail, causing deployment failures and delays.

Solution

To address this issue, we will create a task that checks if the Vercel CLI is installed and installs the latest version if it's not. We will also provide an option to allow the calling workflow to set or pin a specific or older version of the Vercel CLI.

Check if Vercel CLI is Installed

The first step is to check if the Vercel CLI is installed. We can use the following command to check if the Vercel CLI is installed:

vercel --version

If the Vercel CLI is installed, this command will output the version number. If the Vercel CLI is not installed, this command will output an error message.

Install Vercel CLI

If the Vercel CLI is not installed, we can install the latest version using the following command:

npm install -g vercel

This command will install the latest version of the Vercel CLI.

Allow Workflow to Set/Pin Vercel CLI Version

To allow the calling workflow to set or pin a specific or older version of the Vercel CLI, we can add a WITH prop to the task. This prop will allow the workflow to specify the version of the Vercel CLI to use.

Example Use Case

Here is an example use case for the task:

name: Deploy to Vercel

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout code
        uses: actions/checkout@v2

      - name: Install Vercel CLI
        uses: ./.github/actions/install-vercel-cli
        with:
          version: 'latest'

      - name: Deploy to Vercel
        uses: beta-huhn/deploy-to-vercel-action@v1
        with:
          token: ${{ secrets.VERCEL_TOKEN }}
          project: my-project

In this example, the workflow uses the install-vercel-cli task to install the latest version of the Vercel CLI. The WITH prop is used to specify the version of the Vercel CLI to use.

Benefits

The benefits of this task are:

Ensures that the Vercel CLI is installed and up-to-date
Allows the calling workflow to set or pin a specific or older version of the Vercel CLI
Simplifies the deployment process by automating the installation of the Vercel CLI

Conclusion

In conclusion, the removal of the Vercel CLI from the default GHA Runner image has caused issues for many users who rely on the deploy-to-vercel-action. To address this issue, we created a task that checks if the Vercel CLI is installed and installs the latest version if it's not. We also provided an option to allow the calling workflow to set or pin a specific or older version of the Vercel CLI. This task simplifies the deployment process by automating the installation of the Vercel CLI and ensures that the Vercel CLI is installed and up-to-date.

Future Work

Future work includes:

Adding support for other package managers, such as yarn
Adding support for other deployment platforms, such as Netlify
Improving the task to handle errors and edge cases

References

GitHub Actions Runner Image Issue
Deploy to Vercel Action Issue
Vercel CLI Documentation
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) =====================================

Q: What is the Vercel CLI?

A: The Vercel CLI is a command-line interface tool that allows developers to deploy and manage their applications on Vercel. It provides a simple and intuitive way to deploy, update, and manage applications on Vercel.

Q: Why is the Vercel CLI important?

A: The Vercel CLI is important because it allows developers to automate the deployment process, which saves time and reduces the risk of human error. It also provides a consistent and reliable way to deploy applications, which is essential for ensuring the quality and reliability of the application.

Q: What is the issue with the default GHA Runner image?

A: The default GHA Runner image has been updated to remove the Vercel CLI, which causes issues for many users who rely on the deploy-to-vercel-action. This action is commonly used to deploy applications to Vercel, but it requires the Vercel CLI to be installed.

Q: How does the `install-vercel-cli` task solve the issue?

A: The install-vercel-cli task checks if the Vercel CLI is installed and installs the latest version if it's not. It also provides an option to allow the calling workflow to set or pin a specific or older version of the Vercel CLI.

Q: What are the benefits of using the `install-vercel-cli` task?

A: The benefits of using the install-vercel-cli task are:

Ensures that the Vercel CLI is installed and up-to-date
Allows the calling workflow to set or pin a specific or older version of the Vercel CLI
Simplifies the deployment process by automating the installation of the Vercel CLI

Q: How do I use the `install-vercel-cli` task in my workflow?

A: To use the install-vercel-cli task in your workflow, you can add the following step to your workflow file:

- name: Install Vercel CLI
  uses: ./.github/actions/install-vercel-cli
  with:
    version: 'latest'

This will install the latest version of the Vercel CLI.

Q: Can I specify a specific version of the Vercel CLI to use?

A: Yes, you can specify a specific version of the Vercel CLI to use by adding the version prop to the install-vercel-cli task. For example:

- name: Install Vercel CLI
  uses: ./.github/actions/install-vercel-cli
  with:
    version: '14.0.0'

This will install version 14.0.0 of the Vercel CLI.

Q: What if I encounter issues with the `install-vercel-cli` task?

A: If you encounter issues with the install-vercel-cli task, you can try the following:

Check the logs to see if there are any error messages
Verify that the Vercel CLI is installed correctly
Try updating the Vercel CLI to the latest version
Reach out to the Vercel support team for assistance

Q: Is the `install-vercel-cli` task compatible with other package managers?

A: The install-vercel-cli task is currently only compatible with npm. However, we plan to add support for other package managers, such as yarn, in the future.

Q: Is the `install-vercel-cli` task compatible with other deployment platforms?

A: The install-vercel-cli task is currently only compatible with Vercel. However, we plan to add support for other deployment platforms, such as Netlify, in the future.