Point Vite's dev proxy at a real backend API

Calling a real backend from your dev server throws a CORS error the moment you stop pointing fetch at fake local data.

IntermediateRead 5 minDoing: 20 minutes6 steps

▶ Start

What you'll have at the end

A fetch call to the real backend that returns its own JSON data in the browser, with no CORS error blocking it.

Before you start

You need

A Vite dev server already running, and a separate backend API server already reachable on its own address with no CORS headers set up on it yet.

Not covered

Adding CORS headers to the backend itself or setting up a reverse proxy for the production build, since Vite's dev proxy only exists while the dev server is running.

Leans on

Vite Cheat Sheetthe full proxy option reference if this ever needs to grow into forwarding a WebSocket connection or a different host rule.
CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) Cheat Sheetthe full list of CORS error messages and response headers, useful the day you add real headers on the backend itself instead.

6 steps

Checked 22 Aug 2026

Part of the Vite cookbook