Live Deploy turns a prototype into a real web app with its own address, like https://pawsome-walks.phluffle.app. You keep editing in Phluffle, and the live app only changes when you choose to update it.
Pro Live Deploy is part of Pro, and Pro Enterprise members get it too. Each Pro member can have 2 live apps at once.
What you get
- A real address at
https://{name}.phluffle.app, with HTTPS on by default. - A snapshot of one version, published exactly as it is. Your edits stay private until you update.
- One-click updates whenever a newer version is ready.
- A custom domain, your own or one you buy in Phluffle. See Custom domains.
- Real data: forms, member sign-ins and uploads save for real. See Forms, sign-ins and uploads.
- Automatic SEO: each screen gets its own address, title and description. See SEO Optimizer.
Publish a prototype
You need edit access to the prototype, and the current version needs to be finished building.
- Open the prototype and click Publish in the top bar (the rocket icon on smaller screens).
- Check the Address. It's filled in from your prototype's name; change it if you like.
- Click Publish vN (for example Publish v4).
The dialog lists exactly what happens: it publishes vN, exactly as it is now, you keep editing here and update the live app whenever you're ready, and HTTPS is on by default. Publishing uses no credits.
Once it's live, the top bar shows a green Live button instead of Publish. Click it any time to open the Live dialog again.
Choosing an address
Your app's name goes in front of .phluffle.app. Names:
- Use 2–63 lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens.
- Can't start or end with a hyphen.
- Must be free. If someone has it, you'll see "{name}.phluffle.app is taken." Try another.
- Can't be one of a few reserved words, such as
www,app,apioradmin.
Tip Want your own name, like
pawsomewalks.com? Publish first, then add a domain in the same dialog. See Custom domains.
See your live app
The Live dialog shows your app's address with Copy and Open buttons, and a line like "v4 · published 2 hours ago · 128 visits".
The live app works like the prototype, with a few extras:
- Each screen has its own address, such as
/pricing, so people can bookmark and share a page. The browser's back and forward buttons work. - Data saves for real if your app has forms, sign-ins or uploads.
- A small "Made with Phluffle" badge sits in the corner. You can hide it (see below).
Update the live app
The live app is a snapshot. Prompts, hand edits and restores in Phluffle don't change it until you update.
When the current version is newer than the live one, the Live dialog says "vN has changes that aren't live yet." Click Update to vN, and the live app switches to it right away. Your address, domain, data and SEO settings stay as they are.
You can also update from the Live apps page.
Roll back to an earlier version
To put an older version back online, restore it in the editor so it becomes the current version, then click Update to vN.
Manage your live apps
Click Live apps in the top navigation to see everything you've published. It shows how many you've used ("1 of 2 live apps"), and each app has a card with:
- Its address, with a copy button.
- Its custom domain and status (Connected, Waiting for DNS or DNS changed), if it has one.
- Visits and which version is live.
- Update to vN, or Up to date.
- SEO with the app's score, which opens the SEO Optimizer.
- Data, which opens the app's records, members and files.
- Manage, which opens the prototype with the Live dialog.
In a team workspace, Live apps lists the apps the team has published, with who published each one. Each app counts toward the 2-app limit of the person who published it.
Hide the "Made with Phluffle" badge
The badge is a small link in the corner of your live app, on by default. In the Live dialog, next to "Made with Phluffle" badge, click Hide. Click Show to bring it back.
Take an app offline
- Open the Live dialog and click Unpublish.
- Confirm "Take this app offline? Its address stops working right away."
Heads up Unpublishing deletes the app's saved data for good: its records, members and uploaded files. The confirmation tells you how many there are. If you need them, use Export CSV on the app's Data page first.
Your prototype and all its versions stay in Phluffle, and you can publish it again any time. The live address may be taken by someone else once you let it go, and unpublishing frees up one of your 2 live apps.
Common questions
Does publishing cost credits? No. Publishing and updating use no credits. Building the prototype and changing it with prompts use credits as usual.
Can people see my prompts or other versions? No. Visitors see only the version you published.
Who can publish? Pro members (and Pro Enterprise members) with edit access to the prototype. Without Pro, the Live dialog says "Live Deploy is part of Pro."
I've used all my live apps. Unpublish one you no longer need, then publish the new one.
Who's responsible for what my app says and collects? You are. If your app collects visitor data, see Forms, sign-ins and uploads.