To share a finished website prototype or landing-page preview with a client, export the browser-ready static output, make sure it includes index.html, publish it on Dropley, and send the resulting URL through your existing email, chat, or meeting workflow. Your client can open the public link without a Dropley account.

Dropley is a good fit when the client needs to see a completed static result for a short review window. The link is public and temporary: every Artifact expires after 1, 3, or 7 days, with 3 days as the default. Dropley does not add comments, annotations, approvals, private access, version history, custom domains, or a feedback inbox. Ask for feedback in the communication channel you already use with the client.

Use a Dropley Artifact when the recipient only needs to open a finished static page in a browser:

Your situation	What to do
A client needs to review a finished landing page or static prototype for a few days	Publish the completed static output and send the public URL.
The page is one self-contained `index.html`	Upload the HTML file directly.
The page uses local CSS, JavaScript, images, fonts, or data	Upload the complete folder or a ZIP so the relative paths stay together.
The project needs a server, database, login, private API, or build command	Export a static version first, or use a service that provides those capabilities.
The client needs a permanent URL, private access, a custom domain, or built-in review comments	Dropley is not the right delivery method for that requirement.

For the difference between a temporary preview and ongoing hosting, see Temporary Static Hosting vs. Permanent Hosting.

1. Finish the static output

Publish the output your client's browser should load, not the source project that still needs a development server or build step. Before uploading:

Export or build the prototype so the output contains an index.html entry page.
Open the output locally and click through the important sections, links, and states.
Remove API keys, tokens, private data, draft credentials, and anything that should not be public.
Use relative paths for local assets, such as styles/main.css or images/hero.webp.
Decide whether the output is a single file or a multi-file project.

If an AI assistant generated the prototype, review the completed browser output before publishing it. Publishing an AI-generated HTML report or dashboard covers the same static-output check, and the AI assistant guides explain assistant-specific workflows.

2. Package the files your browser needs

Choose the smallest complete package:

Prototype output	Upload	Check
One self-contained page	A loose `index.html`	CSS, JavaScript, and data are inline or intentionally loaded from public URLs.
A page with local files	The complete folder	The folder keeps `index.html` beside the paths it references.
A multi-file export	A ZIP of the finished output	The archive contains `index.html` and the required supported assets at the expected paths.

This example is a completed, self-contained landing page you can inspect as index.html, save locally, and publish as-is. It has no build step, server runtime, or external asset dependency, so it is a useful baseline for checking the workflow.

For a single HTML page, see How to Share an HTML File Online. For a multi-file site, see How to Upload a ZIP and Publish a Static Website. The Example Projects page has more structures to inspect.

3. Publish the preview

Open Dropley.
Drag your index.html, complete folder, or ZIP onto the homepage canvas. You can also click the canvas to use the file picker.
Wait for publishing to finish and copy the generated preview.dropley.app/p/{shortId} URL.
Open the URL in a browser yourself. Check the hero, navigation, images, forms or buttons, and any important responsive state before sending it.
In the manage panel below the URL, choose a 1-, 3-, or 7-day lifetime if the default 3 days is not the right review window.

The published Artifact is public to anyone who receives the URL. Your client does not need a Dropley account, and the link is not permanent: after its lifetime ends, the Artifact and its files are deleted. If the review continues beyond that window, publish the finished output again to create a new URL.

4. Send the URL through your existing review channel

Send the URL in the email thread, chat, ticket, or meeting follow-up where the client already gives feedback. Include:

What the client should review, such as the headline, call to action, or mobile layout.
The public preview URL.
The date the temporary link expires.
Where to send comments or requested changes.

The URL is the preview delivery mechanism, not a client-review workspace. Dropley does not collect approvals, annotations, comments, or versioned feedback, so keep that conversation in your existing channel.

Package and asset checklist

Before you send the URL, confirm that:

The intended entry page is named exactly index.html.
Every local stylesheet, script, image, font, or data file referenced by the page is included.
References match the uploaded structure, for example images/logo.svg points to images/logo.svg.
You are not relying on file:/// paths, a local development server, server-side code, a database, or an unreviewed private API.
The files and extensions fit the current service limits and supported types.

If you are uploading a ZIP, preserve the directory structure your HTML expects. Do not upload only index.html when it references local files.

Common failures and recovery

The upload says `index.html` is missing

Rename the intended entry page to exactly index.html and include it in the loose-file, folder, or ZIP upload. If several entry pages exist, put the page you want clients to see at the shallowest intended path. See Troubleshooting for the entry-point rules.

The page loads but its styles or images are missing

Upload the complete folder or ZIP and compare each href, src, and CSS url(...) with the uploaded tree. Use the browser Network panel on the published URL to find the missing request, then correct the relative path and publish again.

The prototype works locally but needs a server

Dropley serves finished static browser files. It does not run Node.js, PHP, Python, server-side rendering, server-side includes, a database, or a private API. Export a static version that works without those services, or choose a delivery method designed for the application.

The ZIP is rejected or a dependency is not served

Review the service limits and supported file types. Remove unused files, optimize large assets, and make sure the page does not depend on an unsupported extension.

The client opens an expired link

An expired Artifact cannot be extended and its files are permanently deleted. Publish the same completed output again and send the new URL with its new expiry date.

Publish the client preview

When the finished static output is ready, publish the prototype preview with Dropley. Open the link once, confirm the review window, and then send it through the channel your client already uses.

How to Share a Website Prototype With a Client

Is this the right way to share your prototype?