> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.apiosk.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Publisher Lifecycle

> What happens to a listing from creation through Apiosk review, activation, and ongoing updates.

# Publisher Lifecycle

## 1. Register the listing

Create the listing with:

* slug
* endpoint URL
* price
* description
* owner wallet
* public listing metadata

## 2. Initial validation

The gateway performs a public-facing health check against the configured HTTPS endpoint.

## 3. Review states

A new listing is saved as `pending`, never as `active`. Publishing is gated on
operator review: any transition into `active` that is not an admin approval is
rewritten to `pending` at the database level and `submitted_for_review_at` is
stamped, so a publisher cannot self-approve a listing.

The states are:

* `pending`: submitted and queued for Apiosk review. Hidden from the public
  catalog and discovery documents, and it serves no traffic.
* `active`: approved by an Apiosk admin. Surfaced in the catalog and usable.
* `inactive`: not in public use. A listing lands here either because a review
  declined it or because it was later taken down.

## 4. Operator review

An Apiosk admin approves or declines the pending listing. Approval sets the
listing to `active` and stamps `approved_at`; declining sets it to `inactive`
with the reviewer's decision recorded. Only that approval moves a listing to
`active`, and only from that moment does the route serve paid traffic and
appear in `https://gateway.apiosk.com/.well-known/x402`.

## 5. Attach endpoint docs

Add request and response hints to improve:

* public detail pages
* agent understanding
* marketplace quality

## 6. Update pricing and metadata

After publishing, update:

* price
* description
* endpoint URL
* activation state
* listing metadata

## 7. Deactivate when needed

If the listing should no longer be live, deactivate it instead of relying on stale public routes.

## Good operator habit

Treat the listing lifecycle as continuous maintenance:

* keep endpoint docs current
* keep listing metadata agent-usable
* deactivate broken routes instead of leaving them publicly discoverable