How to Deploy Your Replit Project to the Web with Zeabur

This guide is the easiest way to take the code generated by Replit and turn it into a real, live website that you can share with friends or customers.

Overview

Replit is amazing for creating your app’s design and features, but to put it online, you need “hosting.” We strongly recommend Zeabur because it handles the technical heavy lifting for you. It takes your code and puts it on a live URL in just a few clicks.

The Workflow:

• Create: Generate your app in Replit.
• Refine: Save the code to your computer and check it with Cursor.
• Deploy: Host it live on Zeabur.

📝 Important Note: This guide focuses on getting your website online (the Frontend). If your app needs to save user data or logins, that requires a Database. We will cover how to add a database in a separate, follow-up tutorial!

Prerequisites

• A GitHub account.
• Cursor installed on your computer.
• A Zeabur account.
• Node.js installed locally (Version 18+ recommended).

Step 1: Finalize and Export Your Project from Replit

First, finish building your application in the Replit environment. Once your code is ready, you need to download it to your local machine.

1. In your Replit project, click the three-dot menu (⋮) next to the “Files” section.
2. From the dropdown menu, select “Download as zip”.

Your entire project will be saved as a single zip file in your downloads folder.

Step 2: Set Up Local Environment (Cursor)

You must extract the zip file before opening it in Cursor, or the deployment will fail.

1. Unzip and Open the Project:

   For Mac Users:

   1. Open Finder and navigate to your Downloads folder.
   2. Double-click the zip file you downloaded from Replit. This will create a new folder with your project name.
   3. Open Cursor.
   4. In the top menu bar, click File > Open… (or press Cmd + O).
   5. Select the new unzipped folder (not the zip file itself) and click Open.

   For Windows Users:

   1. Open File Explorer and go to your Downloads folder.
   2. Right-click the zip file and select “Extract All…”.
   3. Click Extract. (Do not just double-click the zip to look inside; you must extract it).
   4. Open Cursor.
   5. In the top menu bar, click File > Open Folder… (or press Ctrl + K then Ctrl + O).
   6. Select the newly extracted folder and click Select Folder.

2. Install Dependencies: Replit projects usually detect the package manager automatically. Check for a lock file (pnpm-lock.yaml, package-lock.json, or yarn.lock).

   # If using npm
   npm install
    
   # If using pnpm
   pnpm install
    

3. Environment Setup:

   • Locate the .env.example file (if it exists) and duplicate it to create a .env file.
   • Important: If your Replit app used API keys (OpenAI, Supabase, etc.), you must manually add these keys to your local .env file. Replit does not export your secrets for security reasons.

4. Local Test: Run the development server to ensure the app works locally.

   npm run dev

Step 3: Open in a Local Editor and Install the Zeabur Extension

To make deployment incredibly simple, you’ll use the Zeabur extension.

1. Go to the Extensions Marketplace in your editor.
2. Search for “Zeabur” and click Install.

Step 4: Deploy with a Single Click

Now that your project folder is open in Cursor:

1. Click on the new Zeabur icon (usually a “Z” logo) in the activity bar on the far left.
2. Click the “Deploy” button.
3. Your editor will ask for permission to open a link in your browser. Click “Open”.

Step 5: Let the Zeabur AI Agent Handle the Rest

Once you’re redirected to Zeabur, the platform’s AI agent takes over. It analyzes your code to understand the project’s structure, dependencies, and build requirements.

The Zeabur agent will:

• Recognize that you have a full-stack application (e.g., a React frontend and an Express backend).
• Automatically configure the build and start commands.
• Provision all necessary services.

You’ll be prompted to select a project and a deployment region. After that, Zeabur handles everything else.

You can watch in real-time as your service builds and becomes fully operational. Zeabur even provides you with a live domain as soon as the deployment is successful.

Step 6 : Domain & Networking

1. Click on your Service in Zeabur.
2. Navigate to the Networking tab.
3. Click Generate Domain (to get a .zeabur.app domain) or Custom Domain to connect your own.
4. Visit the URL. Your Replit application is now a fully deployed production app.

Step 7: Connect a Database (PostgreSQL preferred)

If your Replit app allows users to log in, create accounts, or save data, it requires a database. Replit’s docs recommend PostgreSQL as best practice.

Currently, you have successfully deployed the Frontend (the visual interface). To enable data and auth, you’ll connect a PostgreSQL database and add the connection details as Zeabur Variables.

We’ll publish a dedicated follow-up tutorial showing how to create a PostgreSQL database on Zeabur and wire it up to your app. If you need a hosted option now, you can also use Supabase (PostgreSQL under the hood).

👉 Follow the upcoming guide to create and connect PostgreSQL on Zeabur (coming soon).

That’s it! You’ve successfully moved your project from a prototype on Replit to a live, production-ready application on Zeabur without writing a single line of configuration. This seamless workflow lets you focus on what matters most: building great software.