Cookies are Not Available in Request Headers in Vercel Deployment? No Problem!

Ah, the sweet taste of cookies! Who doesn’t love them? But, have you ever encountered an issue where cookies are not available in request headers in your Vercel deployment? Fear not, dear developer! This article will guide you through the troubleshooting process and provide you with the solution to this pesky problem.

What’s going on? Why are cookies missing?

Before we dive into the solution, let’s understand why cookies might be missing in the first place. Here are a few possible reasons:

• Server-side rendering (SSR): When using SSR, Vercel generates the initial HTML on the server. Since cookies are client-side, they’re not available on the server. This means that cookies won’t be included in the request headers.
• Cookies not set correctly: If cookies are not set correctly on the client-side, they won’t be sent with the request. This could be due to incorrect cookie syntax, expired cookies, or cookies not being set at all.
• Browser restrictions: Some browsers have restrictions on sending cookies with requests. For example, if the request is made from a different domain or protocol, cookies might not be sent.

Solution: Using Edge Functions in Vercel

Vercel provides a solution to this problem through Edge Functions. Edge Functions allow you to run code on the edge, closer to your users. This enables you to access and manipulate cookies before they reach your application.

Step 1: Create an Edge Function

Create a new file in your project’s root directory, e.g., `edge-cookie-helpers.js`. This will contain your Edge Function code:

export async function handleRequest(request) {
  // Get the cookies from the request
  const cookies = request.cookies;

  // Do something with the cookies, e.g., log them
  console.log(cookies);

  // Return the modified request
  return request;
}

Step 2: Configure Vercel to use the Edge Function

In your `vercel.json` file, add the following configuration:

{
  "version": 2,
  "builds": [
    {
      "src": "index.js",
      "use": "edge-cookie-helpers"
    }
  ]
}

This tells Vercel to use the `edge-cookie-helpers` Edge Function for the `index.js` build.

Step 3: Deploy to Vercel

Run `npx vercel` to deploy your application to Vercel.

Alternative Solution: Using a Custom API Route

If you’re not using Edge Functions or prefer an alternative approach, you can create a custom API route to handle cookies.

Step 1: Create a custom API route

Create a new file in your project’s API directory, e.g., `api/cookies.js`:

import { NextApiRequest, NextApiResponse } from 'next';

export default async function handler(req: NextApiRequest, res: NextApiResponse) {
  const cookies = req.cookies;

  // Do something with the cookies, e.g., log them
  console.log(cookies);

  return res.status(200).json({ message: 'Cookies received!' });
}

Step 2: Call the API route from your client-side code

In your client-side code, make an API request to the custom route:

fetch('/api/cookies', {
  credentials: 'include',
  method: 'GET',
})
  .then(response => response.json())
  .then(data => console.log(data));

This will send the cookies with the request to the custom API route, where you can access and manipulate them.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you’re still experiencing issues, here are some troubleshooting tips:

1. Check cookie syntax: Make sure your cookies are set correctly, with the correct domain, path, and expiration date.
2. Verify cookie existence: Use the browser’s developer tools to inspect the cookies being sent with the request.
3. Check browser restrictions: Ensure that the browser is not blocking cookies due to same-origin policy or other restrictions.
4. Verify Edge Function configuration: Double-check your `vercel.json` file and Edge Function code to ensure everything is set up correctly.

Conclusion

Cookies not available in request headers in Vercel deployment? No problem! By using Edge Functions or a custom API route, you can access and manipulate cookies on the edge or server-side. Remember to troubleshoot any issues that may arise, and you’ll be enjoying those sweet, sweet cookies in no time!

Solution	Description
Edge Functions	Run code on the edge to access and manipulate cookies before they reach your application.
Custom API Route	Create a custom API route to handle cookies and make API requests from the client-side.

Now, go forth and cookie-ify your Vercel deployment!

Frequently Asked Question

Get the scoop on why cookies are MIA in request headers when deploying on Vercel!