Launching an MVP is exciting, and it is also when small oversights become embarrassing. This is the checklist I run before putting a product in front of real users.
Accounts and security
- Passwords are hashed, sessions expire, and password reset works end to end
- Every API endpoint checks permissions on the server, not only in the UI
- Secrets live in environment variables, never in the repository
- Admin routes are protected and not linked publicly
Payments
- A real test purchase works from checkout to access
- Webhooks are verified and retried safely without double-charging or double-granting
- Refunds and failed payments leave the account in a sensible state
- Receipts or confirmation emails are sent
Data
- Automated database backups are on, and a restore has been tested once
- Migrations run cleanly on a fresh database
- Personal data is limited to what the product needs
Performance
- Pages load quickly on a mid-range phone on mobile data
- Images are compressed and sized correctly
- Slow work runs in the background, not in the request
Analytics and errors
- Analytics records the few events that define success (sign-up, activation, payment)
- Error tracking is on, so you hear about crashes before users email you
SEO and sharing
- Every public page has a unique title and description
- Social preview images work when the link is shared
- A sitemap is generated and submitted to Google Search Console
- robots.txt does not block the site
Support
- There is a visible way to contact you
- Terms and privacy pages exist if you take payments or personal data
After launch
Watch the first users closely. Their confusion is your roadmap. I cover the build side in MVP development, and you can read about what drives MVP cost.