Deploy Next.js on Oracle Cloud's free tier

At a glance

Running Next.js on Ampere ARM

Next.js builds natively on ARM64. Set `output: "standalone"` in next.config.js so the runtime image stays under 200 MB — the 1 OCPU / 6 GB shape has plenty of RAM, but a smaller image rebuilds far faster over a home connection.

Steps

1. Enable standalone output. Standalone output bundles only the files the server actually needs, which keeps the ARM image small and the boot time under a second.

   // next.config.js
   module.exports = { output: "standalone" };

2. Add the Dockerfile. Use the multi-stage Dockerfile below, or generate one from your repo with the Dockerfile generator.
3. Point Cheaploy at the repo. Connect GitHub, pick the repository and branch, and add your environment variables. Cheaploy clones on the VM, builds the image there, and swaps traffic to the new container only after the health check passes.
4. Attach a domain. Add your domain in project settings and point an A record at the instance IP. Caddy issues and renews the TLS certificate automatically.

Dockerfile for Next.js on ARM64

FROM node:22-alpine AS deps
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci

FROM node:22-alpine AS build
WORKDIR /app
COPY --from=deps /app/node_modules ./node_modules
COPY . .
ENV NEXT_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1
RUN npm run build

FROM node:22-alpine AS runner
WORKDIR /app
ENV NODE_ENV=production PORT=3000
COPY --from=build /app/public ./public
COPY --from=build /app/.next/standalone ./
COPY --from=build /app/.next/static ./.next/static
EXPOSE 3000
CMD ["node", "server.js"]

Need one tailored to your repository? The free Dockerfile generator writes an ARM-ready multi-stage build for you.

Common mistakes

• Build-time env vars are baked in: Anything prefixed NEXT_PUBLIC_ is inlined at build time. Changing it later requires a rebuild, not a restart.
• Image builds run out of memory on the 1 GB shape: Use the Ampere A1 ARM shape (up to 4 OCPU / 24 GB across your tenancy) rather than the 1 GB AMD micro instance for anything that runs a webpack or Turbopack build.
• sharp needs the musl build on Alpine: If next/image throws at runtime, either install `sharp` explicitly or switch the runner stage to `node:22-slim`.

Related reading

• /guides/deploy-nextjs-free
• /alternatives/vercel-free
• /compare/vercel-vs-cheaploy
• All deployment guides