---
title: "Template lifecycle: eject & upgrade"
description: "Upgrade a managed template to newer versions, or eject to fully own and customize the code."
url: https://evonx.ai/docs/build/eject-and-upgrade
locale: en
updated: 2026-09-04
---

# Template lifecycle: eject & upgrade

Upgrade a managed template to newer versions, or eject to fully own and customize the code.

Template apps sit on a managed backend that Evonx keeps current for you. This page
explains the two lifecycle moves that matter: taking upgrades as the template
improves, and ejecting when you want full ownership of the code.

## Upgrades: staying current

Templates evolve — new features, fixes, and schema improvements ship as new
template versions. When your app is behind, Evonx offers an upgrade that migrates
your data to the new schema version.

1. When an upgrade is available, review what's changing before accepting.

2. Run the upgrade. Your customizations made through Evolution Threads are
   preserved; the managed schema and platform pieces move to the new version.

3. Verify in a [preview](/docs/preview-and-debug/preview-hub) before your team
   returns to the app.

## Ejecting: taking full ownership

Ejecting converts your template app into a standalone project: the code becomes
fully yours to change without template constraints, like a
[greenfield custom project](/docs/build/start-from-an-idea).

**Eject when** you need structural changes the managed template can't express, or
you want to take the codebase outside Evonx's managed backend entirely.

**Stay managed when** your customizations fit within the template's shape — you
keep automatic upgrades and the managed database/user infrastructure for free.

> **Warning**
> Ejecting is one-way: an ejected app no longer receives template upgrades, and you
> take on the evolution of the whole codebase (with the AI's help). Take a moment to
> confirm the trade before you eject.

## Related

- [Start from a template](/docs/build/start-from-a-template) — the managed path
  this page builds on.
- [App users](/docs/launch/app-users) — how end-user accounts work on managed
  template apps.