[Support Request]: Saving drafts / unpublished content #2493

New Issue

OVERLORD · 2026-02-05T04:19:41+03:00

OVERLORD commented

2026-02-05 04:19:41 +03:00

Originally created by @sarah-arrrgh on GitHub (Nov 19, 2021).

Attempted Debugging

I have read the debugging page

Searched GitHub Issues

I have searched GitHub for the issue.

Describe the Scenario

I am building out help docs using BookStack, and want to be able to use drafts to get content proofed / updated / edited before publishing for public viewing.

e.g.
Some published content needs updating - the current content is no longer relevant. I want to be able to

Unpublish that page but keep its page id and place in the book.
Remove reference to the page from the book on the public site, but allow it to be viewable via the url for others to view and give feedback on.
(dreamy dream) be alerted where that page or its content is being referenced on other pages, so I can update them too
Once it's ready to go live again, publish the page back to its existing position in the book

Is there a way to do this? It seems that if I go to an existing published page and click "Save draft", it remains visible to the public.

Exact BookStack Version

v21.05.3

Log Content

No response

PHP Version

No response

Hosting Environment

Unsure and likely irrelevant for this question

Originally created by @sarah-arrrgh on GitHub (Nov 19, 2021). ### Attempted Debugging - [X] I have read the debugging page ### Searched GitHub Issues - [x] I have searched GitHub for the issue. ### Describe the Scenario I am building out help docs using BookStack, and want to be able to use drafts to get content proofed / updated / edited before publishing for public viewing. e.g. Some published content needs updating - the current content is no longer relevant. I want to be able to 1) Unpublish that page but keep its page id and place in the book. 2) Remove reference to the page from the book on the public site, but allow it to be viewable via the url for others to view and give feedback on. 3) (dreamy dream) be alerted where that page or its content is being referenced on other pages, so I can update them too 4) Once it's ready to go live again, publish the page back to its existing position in the book Is there a way to do this? It seems that if I go to an existing published page and click "Save draft", it remains visible to the public. ### Exact BookStack Version v21.05.3 ### Log Content _No response_ ### PHP Version _No response_ ### Hosting Environment Unsure and likely irrelevant for this question

OVERLORD added the 🐕 Support label 2026-02-05 04:19:41 +03:00

OVERLORD closed this issue

2026-02-05 04:19:42 +03:00

OVERLORD commented

2026-02-05 04:19:45 +03:00

@ssddanbrown commented on GitHub (Nov 19, 2021):

Hi @sarah-arrrgh,
We don't really follow a publish/unpublish model so much in BookStack. The initial draft state is really just to keep the content private to the creator up until that initial point of saving.

You could emulate something via the permission system. So in this case set permissions on the specific page so that the public role does not have visibility but those needing to review/edit to keep visibility. Upon this, you could utilise the organisation structure to make this a bit smoother, Where you'd maybe have a "Pending Review" book that you could move pages in/out of, where that book has the correct permission set upon it already.

@ssddanbrown commented on GitHub (Nov 19, 2021): Hi @sarah-arrrgh, We don't really follow a publish/unpublish model so much in BookStack. The initial draft state is really just to keep the content private to the creator up until that initial point of saving. You could emulate something via the permission system. So in this case set permissions on the specific page so that the public role does not have visibility but those needing to review/edit to keep visibility. Upon this, you could utilise the organisation structure to make this a bit smoother, Where you'd maybe have a "Pending Review" book that you could move pages in/out of, where that book has the correct permission set upon it already.

OVERLORD commented

2026-02-05 04:19:48 +03:00

@ssddanbrown commented on GitHub (Dec 17, 2021):

Since this was answered and since there has not since been a response I'll close this off.

@ssddanbrown commented on GitHub (Dec 17, 2021): Since this was answered and since there has not since been a response I'll close this off.

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Reference: starred/BookStack#2493