Publish your application
Previewing and publishing your application.
Until you publish your Softr application, it remains private and inaccessible to others. Publishing makes your app accessible on the web and allows others to interact with it.
Previewing your Softr app
Before publishing, you can preview and test your app to see how it will appear to users. Softr Studio provides tools for testing the app in various scenarios:
- Live preview: Click the play icon in the top-right corner of the Studio to preview your app.
- User role simulation: Use the dropdown in the preview window to simulate the experience of specific user roles, ensuring personalized functionality works as intended.
- Device testing: Test your app's responsiveness by selecting different device screen sizes.
- Shareable preview links: Use the dropdown in the preview window to simulate the experience of specific user roles, ensuring personalized functionality works as intended.
Publishing your app
Publishing your app ensures it becomes accessible to users on the web. Softr assigns a default randomized subdomain (e.g., https://<randomname>.softr.io) for initial testing. Once you’re satisfied with the app’s functionality, you can:
- Customize your subdomain: Personalize the randomized subdomain to reflect your brand better.
- Connect a custom domain: Link a professional domain to enhance credibility and brand alignment.
After publishing, any subsequent changes to your app—such as adding new pages or modifying content—will require re-publishing to update the live version.
Creating a Mobile App (PWA)
Progressive web apps (PWAs) transform your Softr app into a mobile-app-like experience for users, offering the convenience of installation on their devices. Key features include:
- Customizable appearance: Personalize the PWA’s icon, name, and splash screen to align with your brand.
- Broad compatibility: PWAs work seamlessly across major browsers and devices, providing a consistent user experience.
- Easy installation: Users can install your app directly from their browser, making it accessible from their home screen or desktop.
This feature is available for Professional, Business, and enterprise plans.
SEO
If you’re building a public-facing app (e.g. real estate management), SEO is your secret weapon for reaching a wider audience. Softr equips you with a suite of tools to ensure your app is easily discoverable by search engines and engaging for users. Whether you’re running a marketplace, business directory, or a landing page, you can:
- Optimize content: Craft compelling titles, descriptions, and URLs to enhance your pages' appearance in search results.
- Track performance: Integrate with Google Analytics or Search Console to monitor traffic and identify growth opportunities.
- Enhance functionality: Use custom code to implement advanced SEO features like structured data, which will help search engines better understand your content.
These tools enable you to turn your app into a high-performing, search-friendly destination. For a deeper dive, check out Softr’s SEO checklist and take your app to the next level.