Web Application Launch Checklist
This checklist ensures your web application is ready for launch, meeting standards for performance, security, compatibility, SEO, and user experience. Review and complete each item before deployment.
1. Double-Checking Design It’s easy to miss or break design elements during iterations and client feedback. Use this checklist to confirm everything is consistent and visually appealing.
Spacing:
Is spacing (margins, padding) consistent across all pages?
Do all elements have enough breathing room (no crowding)?
Colors:
Is there a consistent, harmonious color palette across the site?
Are brand colors clearly defined and correctly applied?
Are global swatches used for easy color management?
Shadows:
Is the light source direction consistent for all drop shadows?
Do shadows have uniform blur, opacity, and spread values?
Typography:
Is the font stack logical and consistent across all pages?
Are italics and bold used purposefully (e.g., for emphasis)?
Are heading sizes consistent (H1 > H2 > H3, etc.)?
Is all text readable (adequate size, contrast) and web-safe?
Imagery:
Are images high-quality with no blurriness or pixelation?
Are images correctly sized (not stretched or distorted)?
Are file sizes optimized for web without sacrificing quality?
Do all non-decorative images have descriptive alt-text?
Logo:
Is the latest logo version used consistently throughout the site?
Does the logo appear crisp and sharp on all screens?
2. Cross-Browser Appearance Different browsers render designs differently, so test across major browsers—especially Chrome and Safari—to ensure consistency and functionality.
Browsers to Test:
Google Chrome
Safari
Firefox
Opera
Microsoft Edge
Checks:
Layout, typography, navigation, and content are consistent across all browsers.
Fonts render correctly and match the design intent.
Colors and gradients display uniformly without unexpected shifts.
Images and logos load properly and appear sharp.
Interactive elements (e.g., buttons, menus) function as expected.
Note: Chrome and Safari are priorities due to their widespread use. If issues arise in one browser, fix them before moving to others to avoid alienating users.
3. Cross-Device Appearance With diverse screen sizes, ensure the site performs well on all devices. Test specific resolutions for a responsive design.
Devices and Screen Sizes to Test:
Mobile (e.g., iPhone at 375x812 or similar)
Small laptop (e.g., 1366x768 resolution)
Large screen (e.g., 1920x1080 resolution)
Tablet (e.g., iPad at 768x1024)
Checks:
Design adapts seamlessly to each screen size.
Navigation is intuitive and touch-friendly on mobile devices.
Typography remains readable without excessive zooming.
Images and media scale appropriately without distortion.
No content is cut off or misaligned on any device.
Tip: Use browser developer tools to simulate these screen sizes during testing.
4. Image Optimization Images enhance UX and SEO but must be optimized for performance across devices.
Images uploaded at twice the display size for high-resolution screens (e.g., Retina).
Images compressed for lower-resolution devices without quality loss.
File sizes are small enough to ensure fast loading times (especially on mobile).
Lazy loading implemented for images below the fold.
If using a CMS (e.g., Webflow), automatic image optimization is enabled.
Pro Tip: Aim for image file sizes under 100KB where possible, balancing quality and speed.
5. Testing Website Functionality A beautiful site is useless if it doesn’t work. Test integrations and links thoroughly.
Integration Testing:
Web forms collect and submit data correctly (e.g., contact forms).
Autoresponders send replies as expected.
RSS feeds update with new content.
Ecommerce tools (if applicable) work (e.g., cart, checkout, payments).
CRM integrations sync data properly.
CMS allows content creation and editing without errors.
Link Testing:
Top navigation links lead to the correct pages.
Footer links (e.g., privacy policy, terms) are functional.
Social media profile links direct to the right accounts.
Logo links (if clickable) return to the homepage.
Use a link crawler (e.g., W3C Link Checker, Screaming Frog) to identify broken links.
6. Editing Content Ensure content is professional, accurate, and free of errors.
All text proofread for spelling, grammar, and accuracy.
No dummy content (e.g., "Lorem Ipsum") remains.
Tone and style are consistent across all pages.
Images and media are correctly placed and captioned.
Brand name and key details are spelled correctly.
7. Assessing SEO Optimize the site for search engines to boost visibility.
Semantic Structure:
Proper HTML tags used: <h1> (one per page), <h2>, <p>, <ul>, <ol>.
Optional HTML5 tags (e.g., <article>, <aside>) enhance structure.
Meta Tags:
Meta title defined for each page (under 70 characters, with keywords).
Meta description set (135-160 characters, engaging, with keywords).
Open Graph Settings:
OG title, description, and image configured for social media sharing.
Additional Checks:
Sitemap and robots.txt files are present and correct.
All images have descriptive alt-text.
8. Testing the Site Test in phases to catch issues before, during, and after launch.
Before Launch:
Full site review conducted for bugs and design inconsistencies.
All functionalities (forms, links, integrations) tested.
Client and team have reviewed and approved.
During Launch:
Immediate post-launch check for glitches or errors.
Navigation and functionality verified on the live site.
SSL certificate installed, and HTTPS enforced.
After Launch:
Regular checks scheduled for bugs, performance, and security.
Content updates planned to keep the site relevant.
How to Use This Checklist
Work systematically through each section.
Check off tasks as they’re completed.
Document issues and resolve them before marking items done.
Conduct a final review with the team to ensure nothing is missed.
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