Publishing a Template
Built something good on HeroMate? You can turn it into a template anyone can deploy as their own. Share it for free to grow your reputation, or charge for it — authors keep the revenue.
What gets published
When you publish a project as a template, HeroMate packages:
- Frontend source code — the full repo connected to your project
- Database schema — tables, columns, indexes, and relations (no data)
- Endpoints and workflows — every workflow you've built, with node configuration
- Auth setup — enabled providers, verification settings, JWT config
- Storage buckets — bucket names and settings (no files)
Not included:
- Your data (users, content, rows in your tables)
- Your credentials (API keys, secrets) — new installs provide their own
- Your custom domains
- Your deploy history
This means a template install is a perfectly clean copy — the author's data never leaks.
Before publishing
A good template is useful the moment someone deploys it. Things to check:
Tidy up your code
Remove commented-out code, debug logs, and dead endpoints. Readers will look at it.
Remove hardcoded secrets
Any API keys or tokens in your code should already be env vars or backend credentials, but double-check.
Write a clear README
Explain what the app does, which integrations it needs, and any manual setup (e.g. "add your Stripe key in Credentials").
Add sample data optional
If the UI looks empty without data, include a seed endpoint or button that creates demo content.
Test a fresh install
Deploy your own template in a new project and walk through it as if you were a new user.
Publishing flow
Publishing is rolling out
The per-project "share as template" entry is in active rollout. The in-dashboard share route currently redirects while the flow is finalized — for now, publishing happens through the Marketplace process below. The fields and review steps are stable; the entry point is what's still being polished.
Start the share flow
From your project dashboard, choose Share as template when it's available for your account. (Some accounts are still gated while this rolls out — if the option redirects, check back soon.)
Fill in the listing
Upload images, write the description, pick a category and tags, set a price. See the field reference below.
Submit for review
Click Publish. Your template enters the review queue with status review.
Wait for approval
A HeroMate admin reviews the template for quality, safety, and metadata accuracy. You'll be notified when it's approved or rejected (with feedback to fix).
Live in the marketplace
Approved templates appear in the public marketplace immediately. Installs, ratings, and reviews start accumulating.
Field reference
Basics
| Field | What it is | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Display name | Keep it clear and specific — "Appointment Booking for Clinics", not "My App" |
| Slug | URL identifier (heromate.ai/marketplace/your-slug) | Auto-derived from name; must be unique |
| Short description | One-line summary shown in cards | Aim for 80-120 characters |
| Long description | Full overview on the detail page | Markdown supported. Cover what it does, who it's for, key features |
| Category | One of the 10 categories | Pick the most specific fit — templates tagged "Other" get less traffic |
| Tags | Free-form keywords | 3–8 tags. Used for search and discoverability |
Media (cover & gallery)
- First image becomes the card thumbnail. Make it eye-catching.
- Gallery supports multiple images and one short video (up to 2 min).
- Reorder freely. The cover can be swapped later.
- Recommended: screenshots of the UI, architecture diagrams, quick demo video.
Features
Bulleted list of what the template does, each with title, optional description, and an icon. These appear as highlights on the listing page.
Example:
- Multi-user auth — Email, Google, and magic-link sign-in out of the box
- Stripe subscriptions — Monthly/yearly plans with customer portal
- Admin dashboard — User management, revenue charts, activity log
Pricing
- Free — Anyone can deploy it. Good for building reputation and reach.
- Paid — Set a one-time price you choose as the author. Users pay before they can install.
Template pricing is author-set and separate from HeroMate's own plan pricing (the public plans — Free $0 and Pro $25/mo — are in USD).
Payouts are not live yet
The embedded payments rail for paid templates is backend-ready, but the author-facing payout UI hasn't shipped. Don't count on monthly payouts yet — list paid templates if you want, but treat author revenue as coming soon until payouts are announced. Free templates work fully today.
Demo URL
Optional but strongly recommended. Link to a hosted preview so potential users can click around before installing. This dramatically improves conversion.
Review criteria
HeroMate reviews every submission. We approve templates that are:
- Functional — A fresh install works without errors
- Clearly described — Listing matches what the template actually does
- Safe — No malicious code, no credential harvesting, no privacy violations
- Not duplicative — If near-identical templates already exist, we may ask you to differentiate
- Free of IP violations — You own the code, images, and descriptions you submit
If rejected, you'll get written feedback explaining what to change. Fix it and resubmit.
After approval
Install metrics
Your template's page shows install count, rating average, and individual reviews. Use this to improve the listing over time.
Updating the listing
You can edit the description, gallery, tags, features, and price anytime after approval — minor updates go live instantly.
Updating the code
When you push changes to the underlying project, you can republish to push a new version:
- Existing installs are not affected
- New installs get the latest version
- The listing drops back to
reviewstatus for re-approval if the update is substantial
Unpublish
You can unpublish your template anytime. Existing installs keep working — unpublishing only removes the template from the marketplace and prevents new installs.
Delete
Deletion is permanent and removes the marketplace listing entirely. Existing user clones are not deleted (they're separate projects now), but the listing, media, and metadata are gone.
Publishing with the MCP
Your AI assistant can help prepare and submit a template. Try:
"Review my project and suggest improvements before I publish it as a template."
"Write a compelling short and long description for publishing my clinic app as a template."
It won't submit for you (the review flow needs your explicit confirmation), but it can draft the listing and check your code.
Limits
| Templates per user | No hard limit |
| Review turnaround | Usually 1–3 business days |
| Max media items | 10 images + 1 video |
| Max video length | 2 minutes |
| Price range | 0 € (free) to 999 € |