DevOps · Feb 2026
What a production launch actually includes
"The site looks done" and "the site is live" are two different milestones. Here's the checklist we run on every Abe Inc. launch — the invisible work that keeps clients from panic-calling on day one.
- ✓Domain & DNS — apex + www, A/ALIAS or CNAME records pointed to hosting, propagation verified.
- ✓SSL / HTTPS — automatic via Vercel or Firebase; force HTTPS, no mixed content.
- ✓Business email — MX, SPF, DKIM configured so info@yourdomain.com sends and receives reliably.
- ✓Form delivery — contact and enrollment forms tested end-to-end on production domain, not localhost.
- ✓SEO basics — sitemap.xml, robots.txt, page titles, meta descriptions, Open Graph images.
- ✓Error pages — branded 404 and 500 so broken links don't look abandoned.
- ✓Handoff docs — env variables, redeploy steps, form keys, and who to call when something breaks.
Skipping any of these is how "we launched Friday" becomes "why isn't email working Monday." We bundle all of it because launch week stress shouldn't be your client's problem.