> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://gitbook.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://gitbook.com/docs/publish/publish-a-docs-site.md).

# Publish a docs site

When you finish writing, editing, or importing your content, publish it for your selected audience.

A docs site's content lives in its [sections](/docs/manage-your-site/site-structure.md). The structure you edit is the structure visitors get. New sections start as drafts, so you control what appears on your published site.

<figure><img src="/files/PV6bHTaqdQhANGNqFTNw" alt="A GitBook screenshot showing the organization Home"><figcaption><p>Your organization Home.</p></figcaption></figure>

### Create a docs site

To create a docs site:

1. From your organization **Home**, click the **+** icon next to **Sites**.
2. Enter a name that visitors will recognize.
3. Click **Create**.
4. Select a starting point: a documentation template, an import, an OpenAPI specification, a blank section, or Git Sync.

For a complete setup walkthrough, see the [Quickstart](/docs/getting-started/quickstart.md).

{% hint style="info" %}
You can manage site permissions in **Settings** → **Members**. This lets you control who can view or edit each site independently of organization settings. See [Roles](/docs/collaborate/member-management/roles.md) for details.
{% endhint %}

### Publish a docs site

To publish your site:

1. From your organization **Home**, open your site.
2. Click **Publish** in the site header.

Sites are public by default. Change your site's visibility in **Settings** → **Audience**. See [Site settings](/docs/manage-your-site/site-settings.md).

Choose one of these audience options:

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-cover data-type="image">Cover image</th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th><th data-hidden data-type="image">Cover image (dark)</th><th data-hidden data-type="image">Cover image (dark)</th><th data-hidden data-card-cover-dark data-type="image">Cover image (dark)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Public</strong></td><td>Publish your docs publicly to the web.</td><td></td><td><a href="/files/47vaeglRmjg9U9XaHhvE">/files/47vaeglRmjg9U9XaHhvE</a></td><td><a href="/pages/vNPy4P2eYrZWKuUu8zFz">/pages/vNPy4P2eYrZWKuUu8zFz</a></td><td><a href="/files/iHKxWZZLBnk7N1CSSbdl">/files/iHKxWZZLBnk7N1CSSbdl</a></td><td></td><td><a href="/files/iHKxWZZLBnk7N1CSSbdl">/files/iHKxWZZLBnk7N1CSSbdl</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Privately with share links</strong></td><td>Publish your docs with private share links.</td><td></td><td><a href="/files/qK0AXRwT4Lq7gbRZ8yiF">/files/qK0AXRwT4Lq7gbRZ8yiF</a></td><td><a href="/pages/g5jAmnNJPWR6JjBFis2I">/pages/g5jAmnNJPWR6JjBFis2I</a></td><td></td><td><a href="/files/dY3MZAa1zAI2NbIE90Pn">/files/dY3MZAa1zAI2NbIE90Pn</a></td><td><a href="/files/mgBprbZYBZ6nW42ewzHx">/files/mgBprbZYBZ6nW42ewzHx</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Authenticated Access</strong></td><td>Protect your published docs behind an OAuth sign in.</td><td></td><td><a href="/files/j20Zpf48GM8QbfO86jQX">/files/j20Zpf48GM8QbfO86jQX</a></td><td><a href="/pages/Yn7gzayRYsbHAIeByLZu">/pages/Yn7gzayRYsbHAIeByLZu</a></td><td></td><td></td><td><a href="/files/5oN43u01wtVPnHfvq2ko">/files/5oN43u01wtVPnHfvq2ko</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

### Preview your site

Click **Preview** in the site header to see your content as visitors will — before you publish the site, or while you're working on changes. Review your content and customizations, then publish when everything looks right.

### Delete or unpublish a docs site

To unpublish your site, open **Settings** → **General** and select **Unpublish site**. Once confirmed, the site is no longer accessible to visitors.

Unpublishing doesn't change your billing. To adjust the number of sites you pay for, update your plan in your organization's billing settings.

#### My site is still accessible after unpublishing or deleting

If you can still open the URL, the old version is usually cached — in your browser, a CDN, or a search engine result. To confirm the site is no longer live, open the URL in a private window, or clear your browser cache for that site and reload.

#### My site still appears in search engines

Search engines take time to update their indexes, so an unpublished site can appear in results for a while. How long depends on factors like crawl frequency and how many other sites link to the page.

To speed it up, request a re-crawl from Google Search Console: open the **URL Inspection** tab, enter the URL, and click **Request indexing**. Google reviews the request and removes the page from its index if it's no longer published.

You can check whether your site is still indexed by searching Google for `site:` followed by your site's URL.

To delete a docs site:

1. Open **Settings** → **General**.
2. Select [**Delete site**](/docs/manage-your-site/site-settings.md#delete-site).

Deleting a site permanently removes its settings and customizations. Your content remains in your organization — find it in [All content](/docs/create-content/content-structure/all-content.md).


---

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## Querying This Documentation
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Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
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```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
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