What Is Netlify? Git-Driven Web Deployment
Netlify is a web deployment platform that builds and hosts front-end sites and serverless functions from your Git repository, with deploy previews and a global CDN.
Netlify popularized the Jamstack approach: build the front end into static assets, serve them from a CDN, and add dynamic behavior with serverless functions. Like Vercel, it connects to your repo and deploys on push, generating preview URLs and handling HTTPS and global distribution automatically.
How Netlify deploys
You link a Git repo and configure a build command and publish directory (often in a netlify.toml file). On each push, Netlify runs the build, deploys the output to its CDN, and gives you a URL. Production deploys come from your main branch.
Deploy previews and rollbacks
- A preview deploy for every pull request.
- Atomic deploys so a release is all-or-nothing.
- Instant rollback to any previous deploy.
Dynamic features
Netlify Functions (serverless) and edge functions add backend logic, while features like forms, redirects, and identity cover common needs without a separate server. This keeps a mostly static site capable of dynamic behavior.
Netlify vs Vercel
The two are close competitors with similar Git-driven workflows and preview deploys. Vercel is tied closely to Next.js; Netlify is framework-agnostic and Jamstack-oriented. The right choice usually comes down to framework fit and specific platform features.
Role in CI/CD
Netlify can be the whole pipeline: build, preview, deploy on push. For more control, teams run tests in GitHub Actions and trigger Netlify via its CLI or Git integration, gating the merge with required status checks before production deploys.
Key takeaways
- Netlify builds and hosts front-end sites and functions from Git, on a CDN.
- It offers deploy previews, atomic deploys, and one-click rollbacks.
- It can serve as CI/CD on its own or pair with GitHub Actions for checks.