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

# App Visibility

> Choose whether your published Fabricate app is public or private — and learn how the Discover gallery and sharing work.

When you publish an app, you decide how visible it is. Visibility controls who can open your app and whether it can appear in Fabricate's public gallery. You set this in the [Publish wizard](/deploy/overview) and can change it any time from your app's settings.

## Public vs Private

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Public" icon="globe">
    Anyone with the link can open your app. Public apps are also eligible to appear in the Discover gallery.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Private" icon="lock">
    Access to your app is restricted. Private apps don't appear in the Discover gallery.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Public apps

A **public** app is open to the world — anyone who has the URL can visit it, and it's eligible to be featured in the Discover gallery. This is the right choice for production apps, portfolio pieces, and anything you want to share widely.

Public refers to whether the app's page can be reached, not whether your app skips authentication. If your app has [authentication](/build/authentication), visitors still need to sign in to see protected pages and data — making the app public just means the app itself loads for anyone with the link.

### Private apps

A **private** app is restricted and stays out of the Discover gallery. Choose private for apps that aren't ready to share, internal tools, or work-in-progress builds you want to keep to yourself for now.

<Tip>
  Not ready to launch? Publish as private first so you can test the live deployment, then switch to public when you're ready.
</Tip>

## The Discover Gallery

Discover is Fabricate's public gallery of apps built on the platform. When your app is public, it's eligible to be shown there, giving it a chance to be seen by people browsing what others have created.

If you'd rather your app not be listed, keep it private. Switching an app from public to private removes it from Discover.

## Sharing Your App

Sharing a published app is as simple as sending its URL:

* Share your `yourapp.fabricate.build` subdomain, or your [custom domain](/deploy/custom-domains) if you've connected one.
* Public apps open for anyone with the link — drop it in a message, an email, or social media.
* For private apps, share with the people who should have access.

<Note>
  Changing visibility takes effect when you save it — you don't need to redeploy. To push code changes live, redeploy from the [Publish wizard](/deploy/overview).
</Note>

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I change visibility after publishing?">
    Yes. Switch between public and private any time from your app's settings — no redeploy required.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does making my app public expose my data?">
    Public controls whether your app's pages load for visitors. If your app uses authentication, protected pages and data still require signing in.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I keep my app out of the Discover gallery?">
    Set it to private. Only public apps are eligible to appear in Discover.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I make a private app public later?">
    Yes. Publish privately while you build, then switch to public when you're ready to share.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Deploying Your App" icon="rocket" href="/deploy/overview">
    Walk through the Publish wizard step by step.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Custom Domains" icon="globe" href="/deploy/custom-domains">
    Put your app on your own domain.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>