# Preview URLs

> How members-only preview links work and how to share them.
> URL: https://artor.app/docs/preview

Every published version gets a live URL your team can open and share. Previews are
for **organization members with access to the prototype**. Use a public link to share
with someone outside the organization.

## Sharing a preview

The dashboard shows the link for every version. After [installing the CLI](https://artor.app/docs/install-cli),
you can also open it from your linked project folder:

```bash
artor open             # opens the latest version in your browser
artor open --version 3 # opens a specific version
```

Links come in two forms:

- **Alias links** like `…/demo/latest` always show the newest published version. Use these
  when you want the link to stay current.
- **Version links** like `…/demo/7` open a specific version. Use them for feedback on a
  particular publish. Reusing a named link in [overwrite mode](https://artor.app/docs/deployments#honest-limits)
  can replace that version, so use plain `artor publish` to keep each round.

## Members-only access

The first time someone opens a preview, Artor checks they're a member of the org. If
they're not signed in, they're sent to the login page first. People without access cannot open the prototype.

Need to show a prototype to someone outside the org? That's what a
[public link](https://artor.app/docs/sharing) is for — a separate, time-limited URL for using the prototype. Its settings determine whether
visitors can leave [guest comments](https://artor.app/docs/sharing#guest-commenting). Preview URLs themselves
remain restricted.

**Note:** 
A `latest` link follows new publishes. A version number selects one particular publish.

## Waking and staying warm

A prototype with a backend doesn't run around the clock. The first open after a quiet spell
takes a moment while it starts. It then **stays warm for a
few minutes past the last visit** before going back to sleep. Every visit resets that clock, so
active use keeps it awake.

A prototype's **newest version is kept warm longer** than its older versions, since that's the
one people usually open. Static sites never sleep at all — there's nothing to start.

**Note:** 
  Worth knowing before a live demo: open the link yourself a minute beforehand. The prototype
  has time to start before your audience arrives.

## Related

- [Deployments & versions](https://artor.app/docs/deployments): how versions and aliases work
- [Public sharing](https://artor.app/docs/sharing): time-limited links for people outside the org
- [Access control](https://artor.app/docs/access): disabling a project or a specific version
- [Comments](https://artor.app/docs/comments): pinning review feedback to a version