Learn · Deployment & hosting
Typically: a developer commits code to version control, that triggers an automated pipeline which runs tests and builds the site, and if everything passes, the pipeline deploys it to the host, often first to staging and then to production. Modern setups make this near-instant and repeatable.
This automation (CI/CD) replaces the old error-prone practice of manually uploading files. Because every step is scripted, deployments are consistent, and a failed test stops a broken change before it reaches users.
The result is that shipping a change can take minutes and happen many times a day, safely. Combined with staging for testing and rollbacks for safety, this pipeline is what lets teams improve a live product continuously.
Updated July 2026
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Deployment is the process of taking code from a developer's computer and putting it live on a server so real users can access it. It covers moving the files, configuring the environment, and switching the site over, ideally with no downtime. "Shipping" a change means deploying it.
A staging environment is a private copy of your live site used to test changes safely before they go public. You deploy new work to staging first, check it there, and only then release it to production (the live site). It's the rehearsal space that keeps experiments away from real users.
A rollback is reverting to the previous working version when a new deployment causes a problem. Instead of scrambling to fix a live issue, you switch back to the last good version in seconds, restoring service while you investigate calmly. The ability to roll back fast is a core safety net.