skills/firebase-hosting-basics/references/deploying.md

# Deploying to Firebase Hosting

## Standard Deployment

To deploy your Hosting content and configuration to your live site:

```bash
npx -y firebase-tools@latest deploy --only hosting
```

This deploys to your default sites (`PROJECT_ID.web.app` and
`PROJECT_ID.firebaseapp.com`).

## Preview Channels

Preview channels allow you to test changes on a temporary URL before going live.

### Deploy to a Preview Channel

```bash
npx -y firebase-tools@latest hosting:channel:deploy CHANNEL_ID
```

Replace `CHANNEL_ID` with a name (e.g., `feature-beta`). This returns a preview
URL like `PROJECT_ID--CHANNEL_ID-RANDOM_HASH.web.app`.

### Expiration

Channels expire after 7 days by default. To set a different expiration:

```bash
npx -y firebase-tools@latest hosting:channel:deploy CHANNEL_ID --expires 1d
```

## Cloning to Live

You can promote a version from a preview channel to your live channel without
rebuilding.

```bash
npx -y firebase-tools@latest hosting:clone SOURCE_SITE_ID:SOURCE_CHANNEL_ID TARGET_SITE_ID:live
```

**Example:** Clone the `feature-beta` channel on your default site to live:

```bash
npx -y firebase-tools@latest hosting:clone my-project:feature-beta my-project:live
```