Previews and sharing

A preview is a browser URL for a web process running inside a sandbox.

Make a product previewable

The sandbox must have a web process listening on a configured port. Framework templates such as Laravel provide this setup, while imported projects can define it in .phpsandbox/setup.json.

Refresh the preview after making a change. Some frameworks also require frontend assets to be rebuilt.

Share a preview

A preview URL opens the running product without exposing the Workspace. Access depends on the sandbox's visibility and preview protection.

Use password protection for human review. SDK workflows can create short-lived sessions or handoffs when another application or agent needs temporary access. Treat those URLs as credentials and share them only with the intended recipient.

Preview or publish

A preview belongs to the sandbox and reflects its current running state. It is best suited to development, review, demonstrations, and feedback.

Publishing creates a separately managed deployment when the product needs a durable destination outside the sandbox. See Publish a sandbox when a preview is no longer the intended delivery surface.

If a preview does not open

Confirm that the sandbox is ready, the web process is running, and it is listening on the configured port. Check the process logs for startup errors before changing preview settings.

See Previews for programmatic protection, sessions, and handoffs.