How are changes deployed in Zoho Creator?
In Zoho Creator, deploying changes is designed to be safe, structured, and non-disruptive. One of the core advantages of the platform is its development and live mode architecture, which allows you to build, test, and update applications without interfering with the live, user-facing version of your app.
Development Mode vs. Live Mode:
When you make edits to an application, those changes are saved in development mode. This means that the changes are only visible to users with development access (like admins or developers). Regular users continue to use the live mode, ensuring that your changes don’t interrupt ongoing business processes.
Steps in the Deployment Process:
Edit in Development Mode:
You can add or modify forms, workflows, reports, pages, and scripts.
You can simulate user interactions, test logic, and debug errors.
Test Thoroughly:
Make sure to test workflows, validate field logic, and preview mobile and web views.
Use test data to see how real-world use cases perform.
Publish Changes:
Once satisfied, you simply click "Publish" to push all modifications to the live environment.
You can choose to publish all or only selected components (like specific forms or reports).
Rollback if Needed:
If any issues are discovered after deployment, Zoho Creator allows rolling back to a previously published version.
Benefits of Controlled Deployment:
Zero Downtime: Live users are not affected during editing or testing.
Safe Iteration: You can make multiple rounds of improvements before publishing.
Selective Updates: Only push what’s ready. For example, publish a new form but keep an unfinished report in development.
Version History: Track previous changes and maintain backups for quick recovery.
Example Use Case:
Suppose you're building a Leave Management module:
You add a new field for “Leave Category” and a rule to auto-assign HR approvers.
You test the form, run workflows, and preview the approval process.
After confirming everything works as expected, you publish the changes.
The new functionality instantly becomes available to end-users without disrupting those who are mid-process in the app.
Tools that Assist Deployment:
Sandbox testing
Conditional publishing of scripts
Deployment logs and summaries
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