Plays
Plays are the core unit of distribution on Playbooks. They can range from a small primitive like a component to a complex, multi-service application.
How It Works
Every play is connected directly to a GitHub repository or a subdirectory within one. When you submit a play, we automatically fetch, format, categorize, and store the code on our servers. We then prepare the code for deployment within a secure, isolated sandbox. As the owner, you retain full control and can edit any detail of your play at any time.
Requirements
To keep the experience premium and reliable, plays must meet a few core criteria.
- Visual: Every play should include a cover image or an interactive video demo.
- File Size: The total file size for your play must remain under 100MB.
- Deployment: Your play must successfully deploy and run on our cloud infrastructure.
- Respectful: All plays should be respectful of the broader community and are subject to takedown requests.
- Distribution: You must have the legal right to share, monetize, and distribute the code you are publishing.
Variants
When adding a play, you'll need to select an appropriate variant. This allows us to properly categorize your project and accurately track the credits required per download.
Variant | Credits | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Starters | 1 | Basic, unopinionated building blocks needed to launch a new project. |
| Partials | 3 | Specific, modular functionality designed to be dropped into an existing project. |
| Templates | 5 | Advanced, pre-configured building blocks tailored for specific use cases. |
| Stacks | 10 | Layered, stateful solutions that often encompass multiple services or containers. |
| Apps | 20 | Comprehensive, plug-and-play solutions that are nearly ready for production. |
Connections
Plays should maintain a connection to a host GitHub repository or subdirectory at all times. Syncing your play will automatically pull in the latest commits and changes from the host repository. If a sync breaks deployment, the play is temporarily removed from the marketplace until it is successfully re-deployed.
Demos
Every play is provisioned with a live demo on Playbooks infrastructure so users can evaluate working software rather than a static listing. A functional, running demo is required to publish your play to the public marketplace.
For more on configuration, debugging, and runtime behavior, see Demos.
Code Explorer
Each play features a built-in code explorer that provides a familiar, intuitive viewing experience similar to the GitHub UI. Before committing credits, users can freely preview the project's high-level file tree and read the accompanying documentation. To view the actual source code within the explorer, users must unlock the play, which deducts credits as a download. Once a play is downloaded, the user enjoys unlimited, lifetime access to explore and utilize the underlying code.
Downloads
Each play includes a variety of built-in tools to easily download, clone, or add the underlying code directly to an existing project. Download activity also serves as a key input in how usage and creator earnings are tracked across the platform.
For delivery options and access methods, see Downloads.
Visibility
Plays can be explicitly toggled as either public or private. Private plays are hidden from the marketplace and are only accessible to the outside world via a direct, shareable URL. However, as the owner, you will always be able to view and manage all of your plays directly from your private profile.