Library / Shipping & operations / Deploy
No. 074·noun·also called deployment, publish, ship

Deploy

Putting the latest version of your app live so real people can use it.

SPECIMEN · DIAGRAM · FLOW
PersonYour changes
AppBuild
AppDeploy
ServiceLive app
swap in
Definition

What it is

To deploy is to take the version you've been building and make it the live app at your real web address. Until you deploy, changes only exist in your working copy.

Modern platforms make deploying a single step and keep previous versions, so you can roll back if something breaks. Many apps deploy small changes often rather than saving everything for one big launch.

Before deploying, it's worth checking the main flows still work on the preview or staging version.

Say it like a builder

How to ask for it

Vague

“Put it on the internet.”

Precise

“Deploy the current version to production, then confirm the sign-in, checkout, and dashboard pages load on the live URL. If anything fails, roll back to the previous release.”

Why it works

"Put it on the internet" skips verification; "deploy" with post-release checks and a rollback plan is a release process.

In the wild

You've seen this in

  • WClicking Publish in a website builder
  • WA "New version available" notice in a web app
  • PRelease notes on a product's changelog
Usage note

Often confused with

ProductionProduction is where the live app runs; deploying is the act of putting a version there.Version controlVersion control tracks changes; deploying ships one of those versions.