> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hiveku.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Check Changes on Development or Staging Before They Go Live

> Deploy changes to your site's Development copy, open it to check them, show a branch there for a client, and use Staging as a second check before Production

Your site has up to three copies, called environments:

* **Development**: a copy for checking changes before visitors see them.
* **Staging**: an optional second copy, for a final check or for showing a client.
* **Production**: your live site, the one visitors see.

Deploying to Development or Staging never changes the live site. This guide shows where each one is on Northwind's Pearl District site and how to check a change there.

## See what each environment shows

In the builder, click the branch menu at the top of the chat (it shows **Your site**), then **Manage branches**. The strip at the top shows each environment:

![Development, outlined, with Deploy, Shows Your site (editing here), Deployed 18h ago and the version it runs; Staging is off for this project, with Turn on staging outlined; and Production, Always shows your published site, Not published yet](https://mintcdn.com/locusdigital/20Pozfm4W28Egj0J/images/how-tos/site-builder/st-01-strip-closeup.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=20Pozfm4W28Egj0J\&q=85\&s=1f1add9aa633e5fa379cec181dbcfac5)

Development, Staging and Production

**Shows** says what Development is built from: **Your site** as you edit it, or one of your branches. **Deployed** says when it was last updated.

## Put your changes on Development

**1. Deploy to Development**

Click **Deploy** on the Development card (or **Deploy** at the top right of the builder, then **Deploy** on the Development row). It takes a few minutes.

**2. Open it**

Click **Websites** in the left rail, then **⋮** on the site's card, then **Hosting**. On the **Development** tab, click **Open**. Your site opens at its Development address. Check the pages you changed, on your phone too.

![Hosting: the Development tab, outlined; Development Environment, Status Active, Last Deployed 10/22/2026 8:16 PM; and Open, outlined](https://mintcdn.com/locusdigital/20Pozfm4W28Egj0J/images/how-tos/site-builder/st-02-development-closeup.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=20Pozfm4W28Egj0J\&q=85\&s=8424e0cd50c1e34d6181d18cbb2e9b73)

Open, on the Development tab

Happy with it? [Publish your changes](https://docs.hiveku.com/how-tos/site-builder/publish.md) to put them on Production.

## Show a branch on Development

Working on a bigger change in a branch (see [Try a Change on a Branch First](https://docs.hiveku.com/how-tos/site-builder/try-on-a-branch.md))? Under **Shows** on the Development card, pick the branch, then click **Deploy**. Development now shows the branch, while Your site and the live site stay as they are. Set **Shows** back to **Your site** when you're done.

## Add Staging for a second check

Staging is off until you switch it on. Click **Turn on staging** on the strip, or open **Hosting**, click the **Staging** tab, and click **Enable**. It then gets its own **Shows** and **Deploy**, just like Development.

![Hosting: the Staging tab, Disabled, outlined; Staging Environment with Open and Enable, outlined](https://mintcdn.com/locusdigital/20Pozfm4W28Egj0J/images/how-tos/site-builder/st-03-staging-closeup.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=20Pozfm4W28Egj0J\&q=85\&s=de858a1529c5d50209b5d1e5addce73a)

Switching on Staging

A common setup: Development shows your branch for your own checks, and Staging shows it for your client to approve.

## Good to know

* **Who can see them?** Search engines don't list Development or Staging, but anyone with the address can open them. Share it only with people who should see unfinished work.
* **Production can't show a branch.** It always shows your published site; merge the branch into Your site and publish to change it.


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