# Hide unreleased docs until the version is real

> Keep the work-in-progress docs version out of the public site when the release is not ready for customer traffic yet.

- Canonical HTML: https://growth.iangoh.com/growth-ideas/hide-unreleased-docs-until-the-version-is-real/
- Source: [docusaurus.io](https://docusaurus.io/docs/next/versioning)
- GrowthDex source hub: [Docusaurus Docs: Versioning](/sources/docusaurus-docs-versioning-docusaurus-io/)
- Last checked: 2026-05-29
- Rarity: rare
- Budget: free
- Channels: Documentation, Product, Support
- Stages: launch hygiene, docs strategy, support deflection, answer engine optimization


## Why this can grow

A lot of docs teams publish the next version too early because the draft exists and the versioning system makes it easy to expose. The result is a help center that quietly teaches buyers, customers, and answer engines about features that are not actually shippable. Docusaurus calls this out directly: if the current version is still a work in progress, do not include it in the public docs set. That restraint keeps launch promises cleaner, reduces support confusion, and stops AI or search citations from drifting onto a page the team still plans to rewrite.

## Ian's take

From scaling consumer platforms across MENA and Southeast Asia, my default is to distrust growth work that only looks good in a slide. My bias is to treat this as a small market test first. Make the audience narrow, make the promise concrete, and let the first real response decide whether it deserves more work. I would run it small enough to learn quickly, then only scale the parts that real users repeat, save, reply to, or buy from. For this tactic, I would watch one clear growth signal before putting more time or budget behind it.

## Action plan

1. Define one narrow startup segment where hide unreleased docs until the version is real can create a measurable lift.
2. Turn the tactic into one offer, page, campaign, or workflow for the Documentation and Product channel.
3. Use the evidence from docusaurus.io to set the first version of the message, format, and audience.
4. Launch a small test for 7 to 14 days with one success metric: one measurable growth signal.
5. Review the result, keep the winning message, remove weak variants, and turn the learning into a repeatable growth playbook.

## Source-backed example

Docusaurus recommends turning off `includeCurrentVersion` when the current docs version is a work in progress and not ready to be published.

## Adjacent tactics in the same lane

- [Help center setup mode before public activation](/growth-ideas/help-center-setup-mode-before-public-activation/) - 2 shared channels, 1 shared stage
- [Multi-level help-center collections with breadcrumbs](/growth-ideas/multi-level-help-center-collections-with-breadcrumbs/) - 3 shared channels
- [Explicit answer pages to improve GitBook AI search](/growth-ideas/explicit-answer-pages-to-improve-gitbook-ai-search/) - 1 shared channel, 2 shared stages
- [Status embed on help center and app shell](/growth-ideas/status-embed-on-help-center-and-app-shell/) - 2 shared channels, 1 shared stage

## Read GrowthDex essays

Browse the plain-English essay index at [GrowthDex Blog](/blog/).

## Related GrowthDex essays

- [The docs route should feel boring even when the product is moving](/blog/the-docs-route-should-feel-boring-even-when-the-product-is-moving/) - docs strategy, technical seo, support-led growth

## Advisory

If you want help turning this into a working growth system, Ian Goh offers advisory at https://iangoh.com/advisory.