1What FoxPlug reads from Vercel
These are the exact things it reads, and nothing else.
| What | The details it takes |
|---|---|
| Successful production deployments | up to 100 deployments in state READY with target production since the last check (7 days on the first read): deployment id, project name, created time |
| The commit message of each deployment | from the deployment's git metadata (GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket commit message), used as the headline |
| The team you named (optional) | an optional team slug or id typed by the owner, passed as the team filter; blank means a personal account |
2Moments it finds, and what each becomes
A moment is one thing that happened in Vercel worth a second look. Each one is scored, then it becomes a post, a changelog entry, a thing to fix or an idea to email, or it is skipped.
The newest successful production deployment
The moment is titled like this: Shipped: acme-app is live (the code puts a rocket emoji in front)
Your latest production deployment of acme-app finished. FoxPlug makes one moment for that deployment, with the description 'acme-app just went live on production' plus the commit message when Vercel has one, for instance 'Fix pricing page copy'. It is made once per deployment.
One or more production deployments of a project on a day
The moment is titled like this: Deployed acme-app - Fix pricing page copy
You push three times to main on the same day and each deploy reaches production. FoxPlug makes one digest per project and day, titled with the project and the freshest commit message, and lists the distinct commit messages in the description; with no commit message it says '3 production deploys'.
A deploy lands and visits drop afterwards
The moment is titled like this: Visits are down 42 percent since you deployed. Look before you post.
With an analytics tool connected, a deploy made 2 to 6 days ago is compared with the days around it. If visits averaged at least 10 a day before and are 30 percent or more lower after, the brief puts a fix card first. The deploy marker comes from your Vercel moments.
Errors rise after a deploy (Sentry connected)
The moment is titled like this: Errors are 7.5x higher since you deployed. Fix before you post.
For a deploy from 12 hours to 5 days ago, FoxPlug counts errors in the window before and after. At least 30 errors and at least 3 times the count before raises the fix card.
3How the brain uses it
The rules below are the ones that apply to Vercel. The same rules, with worked examples, are on the brain page.
- Each deploy becomes an update and a marker in time; visits and errors are compared before and after it. How the brain decides
- A drop of 30 percent or more in visits after a deploy made 2 to 6 days ago (with enough days of data) becomes a fix line. How the brain decides
- Errors at least 30 and at least 3 times the count before a deploy become a fix line; the worst ratio wins. How the brain decides
- Vercel and Netlify deploys are the ones used as the deploy marker for the visits-down rule. How the brain decides
- Under 35 no post is written; 35 and over gets short posts. How the brain decides
4Set up Vercel in a few steps
Access: access token, scoped to the account or team and projects you pick when creating it. What to give it: access token, scoped to the account or team you pick.
- Open vercel.com/account/tokens.
- Name the token (FoxPlug).
- Open Scope, pick the Team, then the single project to watch (or All Projects for the whole team).
- Choose when it expires.
- Click Create; Vercel shows the token once (it starts with vcp_). Copy it and paste it into FoxPlug.
- If a team owns the projects, type the team slug in the optional box.
5Limits worth knowing
Where it stops, so nothing surprises you.
- One request for up to 100 production deployments, window since the last check or 7 days.
- Only successful production deployments: a failed Vercel deploy is not read, so no fix-first card comes from a failed Vercel build.
- On the first read only the single newest moment is kept.
- A deployment already seen is not added twice.
- A token tied to one project sees only that project.
6What it never reads
Read only means read only, and the list below is what the code leaves alone.
- Environment variables, build logs or source code (only the deployment list is requested)
- Failed, building or preview deployments (the request asks for state READY and target production only)
- Anything it could change: it makes one read request per press
7Questions
Can I give FoxPlug a read-only Vercel token?
No. The connect panel says Vercel tokens cannot be made read-only. Choosing a single project when creating the token keeps it as narrow as Vercel allows. FoxPlug itself only makes read requests.
Does it see failed deployments?
No. The read asks Vercel only for successful production deployments, so failed builds do not appear in your brief.
Does it read my environment variables or logs?
No. It asks for the list of production deployments and takes the project name, time and commit message.
What about Vercel Web Analytics?
That is a separate analytics provider in FoxPlug that reuses this Vercel connection. This page covers deploys only.
FoxPlug reads this tool only when you press Check for what's new, and only to read. Plans and limits are on the pricing page. Questions: support.