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 Stack 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.
- ✓AI agent checklist (if applicable) — LLM keys in Secret Manager, staging agent runs, human approval flow tested, audit logs verified, rollback switch documented. Agent launch guide →
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.