Zero Downtime # Deploy Without Any Downtime. Ever. Prepare all changes in a staging environment and launch them live instantly. No inconsistencies, no interruptions, no downtime. [Start Free Trial](/signup?cta=Start+Free+Trial) Atomic symlink switching Instant rollback support Free plan available Last updated on 22nd February 2026 Deployment Status Current Version v2.1.0 New Version v2.2.0 Symlink Switch ✓ Complete Status Live — zero downtime Zero-downtime deployments use atomic symlink switching to keep your site live during every deploy. DeployHQ prepares new files in a separate release directory, then instantly switches the symlink to point to the new release — ensuring users never see errors or inconsistencies during deployment. ## The Problem with Traditional Deployments When files are uploaded one by one, your site enters an inconsistent state during deployment. YOUR SERVERindex.html✓ NEWapp.js✓ NEWstyle.css⟳ UPLOADINGconfig.json✗ OLDapi.js✗ OLDUploading files one by one...⚠Inconsistent State!New JS references old CSSAPI mismatches with configUsers see broken pagest=0t=completeDOWNTIME WINDOW During a traditional deployment, files are replaced one at a time. Users visiting your site during this window see a mix of old and new code — leading to errors, broken layouts, and a poor experience. ## The Solution: Atomic Deployments All changes are prepared in a staging directory and switched live in one instant operation. LIVE (current/)index.htmlapp.jsstyle.cssconfig.jsonapi.js👤Serving UsersSTAGING (release-new/)index.html (v2)app.js (v2)style.css (v2)config.json (v2)api.js (v2)Changes Applied HerecloneLIVE (current → new/)index.html (v2) ✓app.js (v2) ✓style.css (v2) ✓config.json (v2) ✓api.js (v2) ✓SWAPInstant!✓ Zero Downtime With atomic deployments, all changes are prepared in a staging directory. Once ready, a single symlink swap makes everything live at once — your users never see an inconsistent state. ## How It Works We handle everything for you. Here's what happens behind the scenes. 1 ![Folder icon](/assets/icons/folder-5a1d3bb6e916338b24a45559a43b4bcb9317612584e508032c4648d970e77511.svg) ### Clone Live Directory A new release directory is created as a copy of your current live files. 2 ![Text icon](/assets/icons/text-4e556c28179c8aa2c87cbad966a3805f4b07a7d82b1a71b129247d19c3c6d5e0.svg) ### Apply Changes All deployment changes are uploaded and applied to this new staging directory. 3 ![Zap icon](/assets/icons/zap-17eaa1be55c76d539c8ab6b4c667d86fc6478529af6fc62d282cf996beda3fe0.svg) ### Symlink Swap The symlink is updated to point to the new directory, making all changes live instantly. 4 ![Check icon](/assets/icons/check-a44bf1dbe680e7b7d11c6ba4f27febd17fde07a1f0bab9f93608e0e1d9acee9b.svg) ### You're Live! All changes go live simultaneously with zero downtime or inconsistencies. ## Why Zero-Downtime Deployments? Every deployment is seamless, consistent, and risk-free. ![Zap icon](/assets/icons/zap-17eaa1be55c76d539c8ab6b4c667d86fc6478529af6fc62d282cf996beda3fe0.svg) ### Zero Downtime Your site stays live and fully functional throughout the entire deployment process. Users never see an error page or loading spinner. ![Clock icon](/assets/icons/clock-5161bdb7effeff6cd40545b036b93ebf015409b48c80f17552ad072932a4bb5e.svg) ### Instant Rollback If anything goes wrong, revert to the previous version instantly by switching the symlink back. Recovery takes seconds, not minutes. ![Shield icon](/assets/icons/shield-check-a41a13fb7948321ec9c27cc6c623578153c9caa1fc75851bcd93afbe7dbe79f1.svg) ### Consistent State All files update simultaneously. No more broken pages from mismatched assets, outdated API calls, or partially updated code. ![Check icon](/assets/icons/check-a44bf1dbe680e7b7d11c6ba4f27febd17fde07a1f0bab9f93608e0e1d9acee9b.svg) ### Simple Setup Enable zero-downtime deployments with a single toggle in your server settings. No complex configuration — we handle the rest. Getting Started ## Set up zero-downtime deployments in minutes ![Check mark](/assets/icons/tick-01ba7f4740d492a18fbdf4424bf7446c87ddfccbc0157214ad536b11512e914d.svg) ### Enable in Server Settings Toggle zero-downtime deployments on in your server configuration panel. ![Check mark](/assets/icons/tick-01ba7f4740d492a18fbdf4424bf7446c87ddfccbc0157214ad536b11512e914d.svg) ### Set Your Document Root Point your web server to the symlink path instead of the release directory. ![Check mark](/assets/icons/tick-01ba7f4740d492a18fbdf4424bf7446c87ddfccbc0157214ad536b11512e914d.svg) ### Deploy as Normal Every deployment now uses atomic switching automatically. No workflow changes needed. [Read the full documentation →](https://www.deployhq.com/support/deployments/setting-up-zero-downtime-deployments) DIRECTORY STRUCTURE📁 /var/www/myapp/📁 releases/📁 release-001/📁 release-002/📁 release-003/ ★📁 shared/🔗 currentsymlink✓ Swap is instant — just update the symlink ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What does zero downtime deployment mean? Zero downtime deployment means your site remains fully available to visitors during the entire deployment process. DeployHQ uploads all changed files first and then makes them live simultaneously, so users never see a partially updated site. ### Which server types support zero downtime deployments? Zero downtime deployments work with all server types supported by DeployHQ, including FTP, SFTP, SSH, Amazon S3, and more. The atomic deployment process ensures all files are transferred before switching to the new version. ### Do I need to configure anything for zero downtime? No special configuration is required. DeployHQ handles zero downtime deployments automatically by staging all file changes and applying them at once. Just deploy as normal and your users will never experience interruption. ## Ready for zero-downtime deployments? Start deploying without any downtime today. No credit card required. [Start Free Trial](/signup?cta=Start+Free+Trial) 10-day free trial • No setup fees • Cancel anytime ## Explore More Features Discover all the tools that make DeployHQ the easiest way to deploy your code. 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