What is probably broken in your Cursor app
The app runs perfectly on your machine after Cursor built it, but the server fails with missing modules, wrong Node version, or build errors.
What production should look like for Cursor
The Cursor-built app running on your production server with correct dependencies, build config, and live URL.
STEP 01
Audit what Cursor produced
Cursor generates code based on your prompts but does not set up production build config, environment variables, or server infrastructure. Cursor may also generate platform-specific imports or dependencies that assume your local machine environment rather than a production server.
- Check package.json for build and start scripts. Cursor may generate multiple scripts; identify which one is meant for production.
- Confirm the Node version matches what the app expects. Check the engines field in package.json and verify it is available on the server.
- List every environment variable the app reads from process.env by scanning the entire project for env references.
- Check for absolute file paths or localhost references in the config files that will break on a different machine.
- Review the generated tsconfig or build config for path aliases that may not resolve correctly in the production build.
STEP 02
Set up the production server
The server needs dependencies installed, environment variables configured, and a process manager configured to keep the app alive. Cursor-built apps often use bleeding-edge framework versions that require specific system packages on the server.
- Install all dependencies with the same package manager used locally. Use frozen lockfile for deterministic installs across environments.
- Add environment variables to the server deploy panel or .env file outside the repository. Include every value the app reads at startup.
- Set up a process manager (PM2, Docker, Docker Compose, or deploy panel) to restart the process on crash and on server reboot.
- Install any system-level dependencies the app needs: Sharp for image processing, Puppeteer for browser automation, or Python build tools for native modules.
- Configure the server firewall to allow traffic only on ports 80, 443, and any application-specific ports behind the reverse proxy.
STEP 03
Build, deploy, and test
Run the production build and verify every integration works. Cursor apps frequently have integration points that work locally with emulators but fail in production because the real services behave differently.
- Build the app on the server with production env vars loaded. Do not reuse the local build artifact.
- Start the process and confirm it responds on the expected port with curl or a health check endpoint.
- Test database connections, auth flows, file uploads, and any external API calls against the real production endpoints.
- Verify the app handles errors gracefully by testing invalid inputs, missing parameters, and network timeouts.
- Check the server resource usage during the first hour of operation to confirm the VPS has enough RAM and CPU for the Cursor-generated code.
Quick check
Is your Cursor production-ready?
If you cannot tick all five, we can fix it. Send us the repo and we handle the rest.
- ?Custom domain with HTTPS
- ?Environment variables configured
- ?Database wired and backed up
- ?Auto-deploy on push
- ?Smoke tested and live
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Related guides
Cursor App Environment Variables Not Loading in Production
Cursor env vars work locally but fail on the production server. Fix missing keys, public vs private mixing, and callback URLs. Launch without secrets failures.
Read guideCursor App Cannot Connect to Supabase in Production
Cursor app loses Supabase connection in production. Fix project URL, anon key, RLS policies, and network rules. Get auth and data queries working on your live app.
Read guideCursor App Database Backup and Recovery
Database backup and recovery for Cursor-built apps. Postgres dumps, automated schedules, restore testing, and Supabase export strategy for production safety.
Read guide