Previews

YWT has two preview flows for static sites:

• Workspace previews show the current editable workspace before publishing.
• Deployment previews show one published deployment version.

They are useful for different jobs and have different privacy and lifetime rules.

Workspace previews

Workspace previews are opened from the site editor. They show the current workspace files, including changes that have not been published yet.

Use a workspace preview when you want to:

• check local edits before publishing
• test uploaded files before creating a deployment
• view the current workspace in a full browser tab

Workspace preview URLs use the form:

https://{siteId}--workspace.ywt.app/?token=...

The token is created by YWT for the site owner. When the router accepts the token, it sets a short-lived preview cookie so additional workspace paths can be loaded during that preview session.

Workspace previews:

• serve files from the workspace, not from the active deployment
• are marked noindex
• use no-store caching
• stop working if the site is deleted
• may differ from the live site until you publish

How preview URLs work

Every time you deploy your site, YWT also generates a deployment preview URL. Deployment preview URLs let you test a specific version of your site and share it with others without changing which version is live.

When you publish a deployment, two things happen:

1. Your live URL (e.g., https://mysite.ywt.app or your custom domain) is updated to serve the new version.
2. A preview URL is created for that specific deployment.

The key difference is:

• The live URL shows the currently active deployment.
• A preview URL is permanent and always shows the exact version it was created for, even after you publish newer versions.

This makes preview URLs useful for reviewing, testing, and sharing specific versions of your work.

Finding your preview URL

After publishing, you can find the preview URL from the deployment details:

• Versions page — Open the site, then open Versions to see deployment history.
• Version detail page — Open a deployment to view its permanent preview URL and preview button.

Use cases

Reviewing current workspace edits

Use the editor's Preview button before publishing. This is the safest way to check files that are still in the workspace.

Testing a deployed version

After publishing, use the deployment preview URL to review the exact version that was created. If something is wrong, activate a previous version while you fix the workspace.

1. Make your changes in the editor.
2. Use a workspace preview to check the current workspace.
3. Publish to create a deployment.
4. Review the deployment preview URL.
5. If needed, activate a previous version while you fix the issue.

Sharing with collaborators

Send a deployment preview URL to a client, colleague, or friend so they can review a specific version of your site. The deployment preview URL works for anyone - no YWT account is required.

Comparing versions

Since every deployment has its own preview URL, you can open two preview URLs side by side in your browser to compare how your site has changed between versions.

Preview lifetime

Deployment preview URLs remain active as long as your site exists. They are not deleted when you create new deployments. If you delete the site entirely, all of its preview URLs stop working.

Workspace previews are session-oriented editor previews. They should be regenerated from the editor when needed.

Preview types compared

Next steps

• Deploy your site to generate your first preview URL.
• Connect a custom domain for a professional live URL.
• Use the editor to save changes and open a workspace preview before publishing.