Saving and Publishing
💾 Saving and Publishing
Saving and Publishing are two different actions inside the editor, and it is important to understand what each one does before making changes live.
Think of Save as your private working copy, and Publish as the live release version that your users will receive.
✍️ What Saving Does
Saving updates your draft configuration
When you click Save inside the editor, your current launcher configuration is stored as your draft version.
This means:
- Your latest changes are kept safely in your project
- You can close the editor and return later without losing your work
- Your users do not receive these changes
- The saved version remains private to you while developing and testing
A saved draft is only for you, the developer. End users will never see draft changes unless you publish them.
When to use Save
You should use Save while actively working on your launcher, especially when making iterative changes.
Common examples include:
- Adjusting layout or styling
- Changing text, buttons, or images
- Updating object settings
- Preparing a batch of changes before going live
Saving is ideal for work in progress
If you are still experimenting, testing, or refining details, Save is the correct option. It lets you keep building safely without affecting the live launcher used by your players.
🚀 What Publishing Does
Publishing pushes your launcher live
When you click Publish, your current launcher configuration is pushed live for your end users.
This means:
- Your latest published version becomes the new live version
- Your users receive those changes the next time they run their launcher
- The live launcher is updated globally
Publishing is a live action. Once published, your latest version becomes the version your users receive when they next open their launcher.
Publishing is not the same as saving
A common mistake is assuming Save also updates the launcher for users. It does not.
Save keeps your work in draft.
Publish pushes your work live.
When published changes appear for users
Published changes are not locked inside your editor. They are made available to your launchers worldwide, and users will receive them the next time they run their launcher.
In simple terms: Save updates your private editor draft. Publish updates the live launcher your users actually use.
⚖️ Save vs Publish at a Glance
| Action | What It Does | Visible To Users? |
|---|---|---|
| Save | Stores your current work as a draft configuration | No |
| Publish | Pushes your current version live to your launcher users | Yes |
🧪 Recommended Workflow
A safe way to work
- Make your changes in the editor
- Click Save regularly while working
- Use Test Launcher to check the latest draft version
- Make any final corrections
- Click Publish only when you are happy for the changes to go live
This workflow lets you experiment freely, test properly, and only push updates to users when you are ready.
⚠️ Important Things to Keep in Mind
Saving does not update live launchers
If you save changes and then open your public launcher expecting users to have them, they will not. Those changes remain in your draft until published.
Publishing affects all users of that launcher
Once published, the live version is updated for your launcher users globally. The next time they run the launcher, they receive the new published configuration.
Do not publish unfinished work
If you are unsure whether something is ready, save it as a draft first, test it, and only publish when confident.
If a change is not ready for end users, do not publish it. Save it, test it, and review it first.
❓ Common Questions
Can users see my saved draft changes?
No. Saved draft changes are private to you inside the editor workflow.
Do I need to save before publishing?
It is a good habit to save first so your latest work is stored, then publish once you are satisfied with the result.
What should I use while experimenting?
Use Save while working, then use Test Launcher to review the draft version safely.
What should I use when I want users to receive the update?
Use Publish. That is the action which pushes your changes live.
🏁 Final Rule
Save is for you.
Publish is for your users.
If you remember that one rule, you will avoid most accidental live changes.