# Build with a FastAPI starter template

**Author:** Ben Sabic

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FastAPI is a high-performance Python web framework for building APIs, and it deploys to Vercel with zero configuration. On Vercel, your FastAPI app becomes a [Vercel Function](https://vercel.com/docs/functions) running on [Fluid compute](https://vercel.com/fluid), with response streaming and preview deployments available with minimal configuration.

Vercel maintains a [FastAPI template directory](https://vercel.com/templates?search=fastapi) with starters from both Vercel and the community, so you can begin from a working project instead of a blank repo.

## Which FastAPI template should you use?

These templates range from a minimal API to AI, agent, and full-stack apps:

| Template                                                                                                           | What it gives you                                                                                                                                                         |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [FastAPI Boilerplate](https://vercel.com/templates/python/fastapi-python-boilerplate)                              | A minimal FastAPI app that runs on Vercel's Python runtime and deploys with zero configuration. Start here if you're new to FastAPI on Vercel.                            |
| [Next.js FastAPI Starter](https://vercel.com/templates/next.js/nextjs-fastapi-starter)                             | An AI chatbot with a [Next.js](https://nextjs.org/) frontend and a FastAPI backend in a single project.                                                                   |
| [OpenAI Agents SDK with FastAPI](https://vercel.com/templates/other/openai-agents-sdk-with-vercel-sandbox-fastapi) | A FastAPI app that runs the OpenAI Agents SDK with [Vercel Sandbox](https://vercel.com/sandbox), creating an isolated microVM per request to give the agent shell access. |
| [Full-stack FastAPI with Next.js](https://vercel.com/templates/other/full-stack-fastapi-template-with-next-js)     | A full-stack starter that pairs a FastAPI backend with a Next.js frontend, with `HttpOnly` cookie auth and a Postgres database.                                           |

If you're not sure where to begin, deploy the FastAPI Boilerplate and add routes, middleware, or a frontend as your project grows.

## Deploy a FastAPI template

Most FastAPI templates deploy to Vercel the same way. Open the template you want, select Deploy, and Vercel clones the repository into your Git provider, creates a project, and ships it to a live URL.

1. **Open the template**: Choose a template from the table above, then select Deploy.
   
2. **Connect your Git provider**: Vercel creates a new repository for the template in your GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket account.
   
3. **Deploy the project**: Vercel builds and deploys the template, then returns a production URL. Each later push to the repository triggers a new deployment.
   

The full-stack FastAPI with Next.js template is the exception. It provisions two projects, one for the frontend and one for the backend, along with a Postgres database, so you'll set a few environment variables during setup. Follow its template page for the exact steps.

### Run the template locally

After deploying, clone your new repository, set up a virtual environment, install dependencies, and start the development server with [Vercel CLI](https://vercel.com/docs/cli):

`git clone your_repository_url_here cd your_project_name_here python -m venv .venv source .venv/bin/activate pip install -r requirements.txt vercel dev`

Vercel CLI serves your app at `http://localhost:3000` and runs it the same way it does in production. Edit your route handlers to make it your own.

Templates that include a Next.js frontend, such as Next.js FastAPI Starter or the full-stack template, also require their Node dependencies to be installed. Run `npm install` (or the package manager the template uses) before `vercel dev`.

### Start from the command line instead

To scaffold the FastAPI example with Vercel CLI, run:

`vercel init fastapi`

This clones the FastAPI boilerplate into a `fastapi` directory, so you can develop locally first and deploy with `vercel` when you're ready.

## Resources and next steps

- Follow the end-to-end [How to ship a FastAPI app on Vercel](https://vercel.com/kb/guide/ship-a-fastapi-app-on-vercel) guide to deploy and configure your app
  
- Read the full [FastAPI on Vercel documentation](https://vercel.com/docs/frameworks/backend/fastapi)
  
- Learn how the [Python runtime](https://vercel.com/docs/functions/runtimes/python) runs your code
  
- Learn how [Vercel Functions](https://vercel.com/docs/functions) run your server code
  
- Understand pricing and scaling with [Fluid compute](https://vercel.com/docs/fluid-compute)
  
- Run code before requests with [Routing Middleware](https://vercel.com/docs/routing-middleware)
  
- Serve static assets from the [CDN](https://vercel.com/docs/cdn)

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