# Draft projects

Draft mode lets you validate a Redocly platform project in a production environment before you publish it for your end users.

While a project stays in draft mode:

- The platform marks the project with a **Draft** badge.
- Deployment URLs require users to log in before they can open them.
- The production deployment runs at a lower scale.

Draft mode protects deployment access while the project remains in draft mode.
If you still need restricted access after you go live, configure access controls before you remove draft protection.

## Draft deployments

Draft mode changes both access behavior and production deployment behavior.
You can see which builds are in draft mode on the **Deployments** page.

Each deployment created while the project is in draft mode is labeled with a **Draft** badge.
Because draft mode protections are embedded into the deployment artifact, these deployments maintain their draft status and access protection even after the project goes live.

### Access protection

Access to draft deployment URLs requires users to log in.

After your project goes live, earlier draft deployments existing in Redocly still retain access protection.

**RBAC settings take priority**

If you configure your own [RBAC](/docs/platform/config/access/rbac) settings in `redocly.yaml`, they take priority over the default draft mode login protection.
For example, you can explicitly grant `read` access to the `anonymous` team in your RBAC configuration.
Your draft deployments can then be publicly accessible even while the project is in draft mode.

### Production deployment behavior

The production deployment for a draft project runs as a single instance instead of using standard high-availability production scaling.
This makes draft mode useful for controlled review and internal validation before you switch the project to normal live deployment behavior.

## Before you go live

Before you click **Go live**, review the following:

- Who can view the project after you remove draft protection.
- Whether you need to review or configure [site access](/docs/platform/access) for the project.
- If your production branch and deployment settings are ready for a live deployment.
- If your content, API descriptions, and custom domain settings are ready to reach external users.

## Go live with a draft project

**Going live is irreversible**

The **Go live** action cannot be undone.
Once you publish the project, it cannot be returned to draft mode.

The **Go live** button is available only for users with the OWNER organization role, or members with the `admin` project role.

When draft protection is removed, the platform stops applying draft-mode login protection to new deployments.
The project might have to stay limited to specific users after you go live.
In that case, add [a login requirement](/docs/platform/config/access/requires-login), or configure [RBAC](/docs/platform/config/access/rbac) and review your project access settings before you continue.

To publish a draft project:

1. Open the draft project in Redocly.

1. In the editor banner, click **Go live**.

1. Confirm the action in the modal.

The platform starts a new production build for the project and removes draft mode from this and future builds.
You can then track this build on the [Deployments](/docs/platform/project/deployments) page.

The project switches to high-availability production scaling.

## Resources

- **[Deployments](/docs/platform/project/deployments)** - Track the new build after you click **Go live**
- **[Manage projects](/docs/platform/project/manage-projects)** - Create, configure, and organize projects in Redocly
- **[Branches and deployments](/docs/platform/project/branches-and-deployments)** - Configure production branches, branch deployments, and preview behavior
- **[Control site access](/docs/platform/access)** - Understand authentication, authorization, roles, teams, and how they affect who can view your project and content
- **[Roles and permissions](/docs/platform/access/roles)** - Learn how organization and project permissions affect access to project actions