> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://tomee-denzell-document-editor-branch-flow.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Branching and publishing
> Create pull request-backed branches, autosave changes to Git, and manage the review and deployment workflow from the editor.
The web editor uses pull requests to keep branch work separate from your live site. When you create a branch, the editor automatically opens a draft pull request. As you edit, your changes save to the branch in Git and update the pull request automatically.
Your changes only go live when you merge the pull request into your deployment branch.
## Save changes
Changes on a branch save automatically to Mintlify and Git. You don't need to click **Publish** to commit them. Each save updates the branch's draft pull request and preview deployment.
Changes on your deployment branch also save in the editor, but don't reach Git or your live site until you click **Publish**, unless you enable [main branch autocommits](/editor/settings#main-branch-autocommits).
Automatic saving includes:
* Content edits in pages
* New or deleted pages
* Navigation structure changes
* Media uploads
* Configuration updates
## Work on a branch
Use a branch when you want to review changes before they reach your live site. Each branch you create in the editor is backed by a draft pull request.
1. Click the branch name in the editor toolbar.
2. Click **Create new branch**.
3. If you have pending changes, choose whether to bring them to the new branch or leave them on the current branch.
4. Enter a name and click **Create branch**.
The editor creates the branch and a draft pull request, then switches you to the new branch. All subsequent changes autosave to Git and appear in the pull request.
The branch selector shows your deployment branch and branches that have pull requests. Git branches without pull requests don't appear in the visual editor.
Your live site updates after Mintlify builds and deploys your changes. This typically takes 30 seconds to a few minutes. Check the deployment status on your [dashboard](https://app.mintlify.com).
Use descriptive branch names so you can identify them and other people understand what each branch is for.
### Switch branches
1. Click the branch name in the toolbar.
2. Search for or scroll to the branch you want.
3. Click the branch to switch to it.
To copy a branch name, hover over the branch in the dropdown and click the copy icon. This is useful when sharing the branch with teammates or referencing it in a pull request.
## Preview your changes
Every time the editor saves changes to a branch, Mintlify updates its preview deployment, a temporary URL where your changes render exactly as they look when published.
### Access and share a preview
1. Click **Publish** in the editor toolbar.
2. In the publish menu, click the preview URL. The URL format is `organization-branch-name.mintlify.site`.
Copy the URL and send it to reviewers. The preview updates automatically each time you save to the branch.
### Restrict access to previews
Preview URLs are publicly accessible by default. To restrict access to members of your Mintlify organization, enable preview authentication in the [Add-ons](https://app.mintlify.com/products/addons) page of your dashboard.
### Share editor links
To invite a teammate to a specific page on a branch, copy the URL from your browser's address bar and share it. Anyone with access to your Mintlify organization can open the link directly in their editor session.
The URL format is:
```text theme={null}
https://app.mintlify.com/{org}/{project}/editor/{branch}/~/{filepath}
```
For example: `https://app.mintlify.com/acme/docs/editor/main/~/guides/quickstart.mdx`
## Review and merge pull requests
Every editor-created branch starts with a draft pull request. When you're ready for feedback, mark the pull request ready for review. The publish menu shows a review panel with:
* The pull request title, description, and whether it is a draft.
* The source and target branches.
* The number of changed files.
* The approval requirement on the deployment branch: **Approval required**, **Code owner required**, or no requirement.
* The current review status: **Approved**, **Changes requested**, or **Awaiting review**.
Click the pull request link to open it in GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket.
After a reviewer approves a pull request, click **Merge and publish** to merge and deploy directly from the editor. The editor switches to your deployment branch after merging.
### Approve pull requests from the editor
For GitHub repositories, reviewers can approve open pull requests in the editor. When a pull request is open, an **Approve pull request** button appears in the review panel if your account has permission to review it. Click **Approve pull request** when the changes are ready to merge. The review status updates to **Approved** and the **Merge and publish** action becomes available.
If you use GitLab or Bitbucket, open the pull request in your Git provider to approve it.
Configure branch protection rules in your Git provider to require pull requests. See [About protected branches](https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/configuring-branches-and-merges-in-your-repository/managing-protected-branches/about-protected-branches) in the GitHub help or [Protected branches](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/project/repository/branches/protected/) in the GitLab help.
### Review changes before merging
Click any changed file in the publish menu to open it in diff view and compare your branch against the published version. In visual mode you see a visual diff. In source mode you see a text diff. Files that can't display a diff, such as images or deleted files, appear in the list but aren't clickable.
The file tree highlights changed pages so you can see at a glance which files an [automation](/automations) or teammate touched. Unlisted pages that appear in the branch diff are also openable from the publish menu, even though they don't appear in your site navigation.
### Open an automation run in the editor
When an [automation](/automations) opens a pull request, you can jump straight from the run review UI or its Slack notification into the editor on the automation's branch:
* From the **Automation Runs** page in your dashboard, click **Open in editor** on a completed run.
* From a Slack notification, click the **View changes** link.
Either entry point opens the editor on the automation's branch with the changed pages preselected in the publish menu. You can review the diff and merge or request changes without leaving the editor.
### Pull request titles and descriptions
The editor creates a title and description when it opens the draft pull request. You can edit the pull request title from the branch menu or update both fields in your Git provider.
## Resolve conflicts
Conflicts occur when your branch and the deployment branch have incompatible changes to the same files. For example, when you and a teammate edited the same lines in a file or moved a file to different locations.
The editor displays a warning when conflicts block publishing. Follow the prompts to choose which version of each conflicting section to keep.
## Collaborate in real time
When multiple people open the same page on the same branch, they edit together in real time. Each person's cursor and edits are visible to everyone, with avatars shown in the toolbar.
* Changes from all collaborators merge automatically. Two people editing the same section won't create conflicts.
* Undo only affects your own edits.
* If you lose your connection, edits save locally and sync when you reconnect.
When the [Mintlify agent](/agent) edits a page through the API or MCP, it appears in the editor like any other collaborator. You see the agent's avatar in the toolbar and a live cursor at its most recent edit location. The cursor clears automatically after the agent finishes.
## Git sync
When someone pushes changes to your repository from outside the editor, the editor incorporates those changes automatically.
Non-overlapping changes apply automatically. If a remote change and your local edit affect the same part of a page, the editor highlights the conflict so you can resolve it.
## Commit signing
Sign commits with your GitHub account by authorizing it in your [account settings](https://app.mintlify.com/settings/account). Without authorization, the Mintlify GitHub App signs commits made in the web editor.
For a reference of how editor actions map to Git operations, see [Git essentials](/editor/git-essentials#how-the-editor-maps-to-git).