Company
Date Published
Author
Lee Robinson
Word count
401
Language
English
Hacker News points
None

Summary

When inspiration struck, Benjamin Td created a Next.js application on Vercel to visualize train routes across Europe, which surprisingly generated over a million views and went viral. He was able to enjoy his vacation while the site received attention from politicians, newspapers, and sparked debates about infrastructure and public policy. Using Next.js API Routes deployed as Vercel Functions, Benjamin cached data using Vercel's Edge Network for optimal response times, ensuring a seamless experience. The project uses Incremental Static Regeneration to reduce load on the Postgres database, allowing it to scale even with thousands of visitors. The code is now open source, and Benjamin credits Vercel for making it easy to start and scale new projects quickly.