Deployments · 7 min read · Updated August 2026
Deploy a Bolt app with a real release pipeline
Short answer
Do not treat the Bolt preview as the only copy of the project. Export or connect the code to GitHub, establish a production environment outside the editor, and deploy through a Git-based pipeline that the customer owns.
Choose the right path
| First asset | A complete source-code export or GitHub repository under the customer’s account. |
|---|---|
| Hosting choice | Use Bolt or Netlify hosting when their managed model fits. Use your own infrastructure when the project needs more runtime, database, cost, or operational control. |
| Production requirement | Secrets, database access, and deployment behavior must be documented outside the AI builder. |
Walkthrough
- 01
Export the code or connect GitHub
Bolt documents downloading a project as a zip file and restoring from GitHub. Put the durable source in a customer-owned repository before changing the production setup.
- 02
Run the app from a clean checkout
Install dependencies, identify the build command, and collect all environment variables and external services. Fix build and runtime assumptions before provisioning the server.
- 03
Create the release path
Build on a test or preview environment, run the smoke test, then promote the verified release. The pipeline should make rollback possible without editing a live server by hand.
- 04
Document the handover
Record where the repository, server, secrets, domain, database, backups, logs, and rollback procedure live. The customer should be able to change providers later.
Before calling it production-ready
- Customer-owned code repository
- Production secrets outside source code
- Test deployment before production
- Database and storage ownership verified
- Rollback and handover documented
Questions founders ask
Can Bolt publish directly?
Yes. Bolt documents its own hosting and an optional Netlify connection. This guide applies when the team needs a broader production setup.
Can I restore a Bolt project later?
Bolt documents restoring from a downloaded project copy or a GitHub repository.
Why use Git?
It gives the team a durable code history and lets deployment be a repeatable process instead of a one-time editor action.
Where RepoAssistant fits
We help startup teams turn the right path into a working setup: review the current infrastructure, use available Azure credits deliberately, deploy the app, and leave the team with ownership and handover notes.