# Exporting instead of publishing

Export runs exactly the same build and gives you an archive instead of deploying it. Nothing about staging or production changes.

It is the route for archiving a site, handing it to somebody else to host, or keeping a point-in-time copy.

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## What it does

* Builds the whole site, as Update would.
* Produces a downloadable archive.
* Leaves both staging and production untouched.

⚠️

**Two limits apply.** An export counts against the 12-per-hour publish cap, and the download link can only be created for 24 hours after the export finishes.

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## A few things worth knowing

* An export is a full site, so it is subject to the same 1 GB and per-attachment limits as a deploy.
* There is no partial or single-space export.
* The exported site is static, so it works from any web host or a local folder.

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## Related

[Update and promoteThe normal route.](https://help.gocapable.com/sites/update-and-promote.html)

[What gets publishedWhat is in the archive.](https://help.gocapable.com/sites/what-gets-published.html)

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_Same build. Zip instead of a deploy._