Why changing things feels scary
The biggest barrier to changing your own site is not technical. It is in the mind.
Because of the fear "what if it breaks", most people open the site manager page and leave without doing anything, and phone someone else even for a small price change.
The fear is reasonable. Once you know the system, the fear goes away.
Three layers
| Layer | What it saves you from | How long |
| Versions | A wrong change | The last 20 |
| Bringing back a deleted app | Deleting by mistake | 30 days |
| An app moved out for not being changed | Being left alone for 60 days | One year |
| Your own backup file | Everything, in your own hands | As long as you keep it |
Three are for three kinds of trouble, and you need to know each one separately.
Versions: the last 20
Every time you change something and save, the earlier state is kept.
That means if you changed a price, and three days later you think the old one was better, you can pick the state from that time in the version list and go back to it.
You can also look before you go back. In the builder's "Earlier versions" list, press "View" beside each one and the preview shows that state. In the chat there is also a "Go back to this version" button under every build, which shows you first and goes back only when you are sure. And if it is only one word or a spelling mistake, you do not even need to go back: press "Edit text" above the preview, tap the text and fix it.
One subtle but important thing: the state before you go back is kept too. So if you go back and think you made a mistake, you can come back again.
This is why going back to a version is safe, and this is why you can make changes.
When you delete an app
A deleted app does not go for good at once. It can be brought back for 30 days.
And when it comes back, it is not only the code. The files, the 5 newest versions and the inbox entries come with it.
The deleted apps section is below the list of apps, and it shows the newest ones.
Beyond that there is another arrangement: on a free account, if there is no change for 60 days in a row, an app can be moved out by itself, and an app moved out that way can be brought back for up to one year. One thing to remember here: just opening it does not restart the count. You have to change something.
And on a published site, or a site that has a plan, your own domain or bought hosting, this 60-day count does not apply at all.
Your own backup
The two above are our arrangements. The third is yours.
On a site with hosting you can download a backup file of the whole site, and it holds the site's files, pages and inbox entries.
Download it once a month. This is not distrust, it is a normal habit: when a business keeps its information in one place, it is good to have a copy somewhere else.
Know two limits. The inbox CSV holds the newest one thousand entries, and the full backup file holds two thousand. If there are more, the file itself tells you that not everything came.
A copy on GitHub
For those who are comfortable with code, there is another way: sending the whole app to GitHub.
This is on every plan, and the repos it creates are private, which means only you can see them. If you want to make one public, you change it in the settings on GitHub.
The habit that works well
Before a big change, look at the version list once, so you know which state you would go back to.
Once a month, download a backup, and keep it somewhere outside this account.
Before deleting an app, think once, though if you get it wrong there are 30 days.
The rules for changing text and photos yourself are in the post on changing your site yourself.
Questions and answers
How many versions are kept? The last 20. When a new one is saved, the oldest one drops off. So if you want to go back to a very old state, it is better to look for it in a backup you downloaded than in the versions.
If I go back to a version, does the live site change too? If the site is live, it goes onto the live site as soon as you go back. So make sure which state you are going to before you go back.
Can I go back and then come back again? Yes. The state before you go back is kept too, so this is not a one-way road. This is why it is safe to touch the versions.
How long does a deleted app stay? If you delete it yourself, 30 days, and when it comes back it returns with its files, the 5 newest versions and the inbox. If it was moved out by itself because there was no change for 60 days, it can be brought back for up to one year.
If I only keep the app open, will it stay? No. The count depends on changes, not on opening. Going in once a month, making a small change and saving is enough. And if you have a plan or your own domain, this count does not apply at all.
What is in the backup file? The site's files, pages and inbox entries. The file tells you by itself whether everything came, because if there are too many entries, only up to a limit come.
What happens if I close my account? Download what you want to keep before you delete the account, because once it is deleted there is no way to bring it back. In Settings, a list of what will go is shown before you delete.
Does sending to GitHub cost money? No, it is on every plan. The repo it creates is private, so the code stays only with you.
In short
- Each save keeps the earlier state, the last 20 versions
- Before going back, press "View" and check in the preview, and in the chat there is "Go back to this version" under every build
- The state before you go back is kept too, so you can go back and come back again
- If you delete it yourself, 30 days, and if it moves out for not being changed, up to one year
- Just opening does not restart the count, you have to change something
- Download your own backup once a month and keep it outside the account
- You can keep a copy on GitHub, on every plan, and the repo is private