# What does deploying an app mean? URL: https://antideploy.com/blog/what-does-deploying-an-app-mean Deploying means moving your app from your computer to a computer that stays on and has a public address. ## At a glance - **Your computer**: Only you can open the app - **A server**: A computer that stays on - **An address**: Anyone can open the link - **That is deploying**: Your app, available to everyone Published 7 October 2026. Facts checked 7 October 2026. 3 min read. ## The short answer Deploying means putting your app on a computer that is always on and reachable from the internet. Right now your app runs on your own computer, so only you can open it. After you deploy it, anyone with the link can. That computer is called a server. Deploying also gives the app an address, sets its secrets, and connects its database. A host, also called a platform, does the heavy parts for you. ## What happens when you deploy ### 1. Your code is packaged Your project folder is collected. Folders such as `node_modules` and `.git` are skipped, because the server installs those itself. ### 2. The app is built The server installs your dependencies and runs your build step, if you have one. A build turns your source code into something that can run. ### 3. The app is started The server runs your start command. Your app begins to listen on a port, which is a numbered door that requests arrive at. ### 4. It gets an address The app is given a web address and a certificate, so the link starts with `https://`. ### 5. It is checked The platform checks that the app answers. If it does not, the deploy fails and says why. ## The words you will meet - **Server.** A computer that stays on and answers requests from the internet. - **Build.** The step that installs your dependencies and prepares your code to run. - **Start command.** The command that runs your app, such as `npm run start`. - **Port.** The numbered door your app listens on. The platform tells your app which one in an environment variable named `PORT`. - **Environment variable.** A named setting, such as an API key, that you give the app from outside the code. - **Database.** Where your app keeps data that must last, such as users and orders. - **Domain and address.** The name people type. You start with an address on the platform, and later you can add your own. - **HTTPS.** The padlock. It keeps traffic private. It needs a certificate, which the platform issues for you. - **Logs.** What your app printed while it ran. They are how you find out why something broke. ## What changes between your computer and a server Your computer has your files, your `.env`, your database and your installed tools. A server starts clean. That is why an app that works on your computer can fail online, and why [a short list of causes](https://antideploy.com/blog/why-does-my-app-work-on-localhost-but-not-online) explains most failures. ## Three kinds of app A site made only of files, such as HTML, CSS and images, is a **static site**. An app with code that runs on the server, such as an Express or Flask app, is a **server app**. Many tools make both. [Static site, server or function](https://antideploy.com/blog/static-site-server-or-function-which-is-my-app) explains how to tell which one you have. ## Here's where it stops. A platform that only tells you what it is good at is one you find the edges of in production. These are the ones to know before your first deploy. ### Apps sleep when idle On every plan, an app nobody is using goes to sleep and the next visit wakes it. The first request took 2.9 to 13.9 seconds in our measurements, depending on the stack. There are no always-on workers, so use a cron job or a webhook for background work. ### One region Everything runs in Singapore, with the database beside the app. Users far from Asia will see slower responses. ## Deploying questions, answered. Anything else? Write to us and a person answers. [support@antideploy.com](mailto:support@antideploy.com) ### Do I need to buy a server? No. A platform such as Antideploy runs the server for you. You never log in to it. ### What is the difference between hosting and deploying? Hosting is the place your app lives. Deploying is the act of putting a version of your app there. You deploy many times and host once. ### How long does a deploy take? It depends on the app. A static site takes about 36 seconds from push to live. An app with a server takes longer, because it installs and builds first. ### Can I deploy again after I change something? Yes. Deploy again and the new version replaces the old one. With Antideploy you ask your agent to deploy, or connect GitHub so that every push deploys. ## More guides, and the platform. Each platform page covers one part of Antideploy: what it does, where it stops and the questions people ask. [See the whole platform](https://antideploy.com/platform), or [all the guides](https://antideploy.com/blog). - [Why does my app work on localhost but not online?](https://antideploy.com/blog/why-does-my-app-work-on-localhost-but-not-online): Nine common reasons, how to check each one, and how to fix it. - [Is my app a static site, a server or a function?](https://antideploy.com/blog/static-site-server-or-function-which-is-my-app): How to tell which one you have, and how each is treated, including what it costs. - [How Antideploy works, from one sentence to a live link](https://antideploy.com/blog/how-antideploy-works): What happens between your agent's first request and your live link, step by step. - [Hosting](https://antideploy.com/platform/hosting) - [Deployments](https://antideploy.com/platform/deployments) - [Environment variables](https://antideploy.com/platform/environment-variables) - [Database](https://antideploy.com/platform/database) - [Logs and monitoring](https://antideploy.com/platform/logs-and-monitoring) Facts on this page were checked against the live platform on 7 October 2026. ## Deploy something. Start with one sentence. Paste one sentence into your coding agent, click Approve once, and get a live link. No card, no trial clock. To set this up, give your coding agent this sentence: ```text Set this project up to deploy on Antideploy. Fetch https://antideploy.com/agent.md and follow it. ```