Tip: Bookmark the preview URL during development. It provides a quick way to verify changes after each save.

2. Publishing – Making Your App Live

When you’re satisfied with the preview, publishing puts your app on the internet with a unique, shareable URL.

Step‑by‑Step Publishing Process

1. In the builder, click the Publish button located next to the preview icon.
2. A dialog confirms the action and shows the new live URL (e.g., https://appname.qod.io).
3. Click Confirm. Qödiak instantly generates the live site; no additional deployment steps are required.
4. Share the live URL with users, embed it, or add it to marketing materials.

Unpublishing – Taking an App Offline

If you need to remove the app from public view, simply return to the builder and click Unpublish. The live URL becomes inactive, but your app remains in the dashboard for future edits or republishing.

3. Custom Domains (Pro Tier)

For a professional look, you can map your own domain (e.g., www.mycompany.com) to a Qödiak app. This feature is available exclusively to Pro tier subscribers ($29/month).

Benefits of a Custom Domain

• Brand consistency: Users see your own domain instead of a Qödiak sub‑domain.
• Automatic SSL: Qödiak provisions a free TLS certificate, ensuring HTTPS without extra cost.
• SEO advantage: Search engines index your branded domain, improving visibility.

Setting Up a Custom Domain

1. Upgrade to the Pro tier if you haven’t already.
2. Navigate to Settings > Custom Domain for the app you wish to map.
3. Enter the domain you own (e.g., app.mycompany.com) and click Save.
4. Qödiak will display DNS records you need to add at your domain registrar:
   • CNAME record pointing app.mycompany.com to cname.qod.io
   • Optional TXT record for verification (if prompted).
5. Log in to your registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.) and add the records.
6. Return to Qödiak and click Verify. Once verification succeeds, Qödiak automatically issues an SSL certificate.
7. After propagation (usually within minutes), your app is reachable at the custom domain.

Important: DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate worldwide. During this window, both the Qödiak sub‑domain and your custom domain may work.

4. Embedding – Use Your App Inside Other Websites

Qödiak apps can be embedded via an <iframe>, allowing you to add forms, calculators, or interactive tools to existing sites without rebuilding them.

Responsive Embedding

Qödiak automatically adjusts the iframe height based on content, ensuring a seamless experience on mobile and desktop.

Embedding Steps

1. Publish the app (or use the preview URL if you only need a test embed).
2. Copy the live URL (e.g., https://appname.qod.io).
3. Insert the following HTML snippet where you want the app to appear:

   <iframe src="https://appname.qod.io"
           width="100%" height="800"
           style="border:none; overflow:hidden;"
           allowfullscreen></iframe>
       

4. Adjust height as needed; the width set to 100% makes it fluid.
5. Publish or update the host page. The Qödiak app will now render inside the iframe.

5. SEO – Making Your App Search‑Engine Friendly

Even though Qödiak is a no‑code platform, it provides essential SEO controls to help your app rank.

Meta Titles & Descriptions

For each page in your app, you can set a meta title and description in the page settings. These values appear in search results and influence click‑through rates.

Open Graph (OG) Images

Upload an OG image for each page to control how the app looks when shared on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter. The image should be at least 1200 × 630 px for optimal display.

Clean URLs & Custom Slugs

Qödiak generates human‑readable URLs (e.g., https://appname.qod.io/contact-us). You can edit the slug to match keywords or branding.

Sitemap Generation

When you publish, Qödiak automatically creates a sitemap.xml file at the root of your live site. Submit this sitemap to Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools to accelerate indexing.

SEO Checklist

• Write concise, keyword‑rich meta titles (< 60 characters).
• Craft compelling meta descriptions (< 160 characters) that summarize page value.
• Upload a high‑resolution OG image for each shareable page.
• Use descriptive slugs (e.g., /pricing-plans instead of /page3).
• Verify that the automatically generated sitemap.xml is reachable (e.g., https://appname.qod.io/sitemap.xml).

6. Branding – Control How Qödiak Appears on Your App

Qödiak offers tier‑based branding options, letting you decide how much of the platform’s identity is visible to end users.

Tier Overview

• Free tier: Qödiak logo appears in the footer of every published app.
• Starter tier: Upload your own logo and choose brand colors; Qödiak branding is reduced to a small badge.
• Pro tier: All Qödiak branding can be removed, giving you a completely white‑label experience.

Changing Branding Settings

1. Open the app in the builder and go to Settings > Branding.
2. Upload your logo (PNG or SVG, max 200 KB) and select primary/secondary colors.
3. Toggle the “Show Qödiak badge” option off (available on Starter and Pro).
4. Save changes – the new branding appears instantly in preview and after publishing.

7. Sharing – Get Your App in Front of Users Quickly

Once your app is live, Qödiak provides several ways to distribute it.

Direct URL Sharing

Copy the live URL from the publish dialog and paste it into emails, chat, or documentation.

QR Code Generation

Use the built‑in QRCode component to display a scannable code on any page. This is handy for printed materials, event booths, or in‑store displays.

Social Media Sharing

When users click a social share button (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) on your app, the OG title, description, and image you configured are used, ensuring a polished preview on each platform.

8. Best Practices & Common Pitfalls

• Test on multiple devices: Even though preview works on any browser, verify the responsive layout on smartphones and tablets before publishing.
• Check SSL after custom domain setup: Open the custom domain in an incognito window; the padlock icon should appear without warnings.
• Keep SEO metadata up to date: Whenever you modify page content, revisit the meta title and description to reflect the new focus.
• Monitor branding compliance: If you’re on the Starter tier, ensure the Qödiak badge is still visible where required by the license.
• Use QR codes sparingly: Large QR codes can dominate a page; place them in a dedicated “Share” section or on a landing page.

9. Quick Reference Checklist

1. Preview the app via /preview/[appId] – confirm functionality.
2. Publish the app – note the shareable URL.
3. If needed, upgrade to Pro and configure a custom domain (DNS + SSL).
4. Embed with an <iframe> if you want the app inside another site.
5. Set meta titles, descriptions, OG images, and clean slugs for SEO.
6. Adjust branding according to your subscription tier.
7. Generate QR codes with the QRCode component for offline sharing.
8. Share the live URL directly or via social media buttons.

By following these steps, you’ll move smoothly from a sandboxed prototype to a fully branded, searchable, and shareable web app—all without writing a single line of code.