Pre-Launch Website Checklist: 50 Items Every Developer Should Verify

You've spent weeks or months building the perfect website. The design looks flawless, the functionality works smoothly in development, and your client is eager to go live. But before you hit that deploy button, there's one crucial step that separates professional developers from the rest: a comprehensive pre-launch audit.

A single overlooked detail can tank your SEO rankings, frustrate users, or worse—damage your professional reputation. This comprehensive 50-item checklist ensures you catch every potential issue before your users do.

Why Pre-Launch Audits Matter More Than Ever

In today's digital landscape, users expect perfection from the moment they land on your site. Google's algorithms are more sophisticated than ever, penalizing sites with technical issues. A 2024 study found that 88% of online consumers are less likely to return to a site after a bad experience, and 40% will abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load.

The cost of fixing issues post-launch is exponentially higher than catching them beforehand. A pre-launch audit isn't just about quality assurance—it's about protecting your reputation and ensuring your hard work pays off.

The Complete Pre-Launch Checklist

SEO & Search Engine Optimization (10 Items)

1. Meta Titles and Descriptions

All pages have unique, descriptive meta titles (50-60 characters)
Meta descriptions are compelling and within 150-160 characters
No duplicate meta tags across pages

2. Header Structure

Proper H1-H6 hierarchy implemented
Each page has exactly one H1 tag
Headers accurately describe content sections

3. URL Structure

Clean, descriptive URLs without unnecessary parameters
Consistent URL naming conventions
No broken internal links

4. XML Sitemap

XML sitemap generated and submitted to search engines
All important pages included in sitemap
Sitemap accessible at /sitemap.xml

5. Robots.txt

Robots.txt file properly configured
No accidental blocking of important pages or resources
Sitemap referenced in robots.txt

6. Canonical URLs

Canonical tags implemented to prevent duplicate content
Self-referencing canonicals on main pages
Proper canonicals for paginated content

7. Schema Markup

Structured data implemented for relevant content types
Schema markup validated using Google's testing tool
Organization and website schema added

8. Mobile-First Indexing Readiness

Site optimized for mobile-first indexing
Mobile and desktop content parity verified
Mobile usability issues resolved

Learn more about optimizing for mobile-first indexing in our detailed guide: Mobile-First Indexing: What You Need to Know

9. Internal Linking

Strategic internal linking structure implemented
Anchor text optimized and descriptive
No orphaned pages (pages with no internal links)

10. SEO-Friendly Images

All images have descriptive alt text
Image file names are descriptive and SEO-friendly
Large images optimized for web

Performance & Speed Optimization (8 Items)

11. Page Load Speed

Pages load in under 3 seconds on mobile
Core Web Vitals scores are in the "Good" range
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) under 2.5 seconds

12. Image Optimization

Images compressed and properly sized
Modern image formats (WebP, AVIF) implemented where supported
Lazy loading enabled for below-the-fold images

13. CSS and JavaScript Optimization

CSS and JS files minified
Unused CSS and JavaScript removed
Critical CSS inlined for above-the-fold content

14. Caching Configuration

Browser caching headers configured
CDN implemented for static assets
Server-side caching enabled

15. Database Optimization

Database queries optimized
Unnecessary plugins and themes removed
Database cleanup performed

16. Third-Party Scripts

Third-party scripts audited for performance impact
Non-essential scripts loaded asynchronously
Google Analytics and tracking codes properly implemented

17. Server Response Time

Server response time under 200ms
Hosting environment optimized for your tech stack
Error monitoring and logging configured

18. Resource Loading

Font loading optimized (font-display: swap)
Critical resources preloaded
Resource hints (dns-prefetch, preconnect) implemented

Security & Technical Health (8 Items)

19. SSL Certificate

Valid SSL certificate installed
All HTTP traffic redirected to HTTPS
No mixed content warnings

20. Security Headers

Content Security Policy (CSP) implemented
X-Frame-Options header configured
X-Content-Type-Options header set

21. Error Handling

Custom 404 error page created and functional
500 error page configured
Error logging and monitoring set up

Create an effective 404 page that retains visitors: Why Your Website Needs a Great 404 Page

22. Backup Systems

Automated backup system configured
Backup restoration process tested
Database backups scheduled

23. Form Security

CAPTCHA or spam protection on contact forms
Form validation (client and server-side)
Sensitive data properly encrypted

24. Software Updates

CMS and plugins updated to latest versions
Security patches applied
Dependency vulnerabilities checked

25. Access Controls

Admin areas properly secured
Default passwords changed
User permissions configured correctly

26. Monitoring Setup

Uptime monitoring configured
Performance monitoring tools installed
Security monitoring enabled

User Experience & Accessibility (8 Items)

27. Cross-Browser Testing

Site tested on major browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
Functionality verified across different browser versions
Progressive enhancement implemented

28. Responsive Design

Site works perfectly on all device sizes
Touch targets are appropriately sized (minimum 44px)
Text remains readable without zooming

29. Navigation

Navigation is intuitive and consistent
Breadcrumbs implemented where appropriate
Search functionality (if applicable) works properly

30. Accessibility Compliance

WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines followed
Color contrast ratios meet standards
Keyboard navigation fully functional

31. Font and Typography

Web fonts load properly across all devices
Text remains readable if web fonts fail to load
Appropriate font sizes for readability

32. Interactive Elements

All buttons and links functional
Hover states and focus indicators implemented
Loading states for dynamic content

33. Content Validation

All content is final and approved
Placeholder text and images replaced
Contact information and links verified

34. User Testing

Basic user flow testing completed
Conversion funnels tested end-to-end
Feedback collection mechanism in place

Social Media & Marketing (6 Items)

35. Open Graph Tags

Open Graph meta tags implemented for social sharing
Custom og:image for each important page
Twitter Card meta tags configured

Optimize your social media presence: What is Open Graph and Why Your Website Needs It

36. Social Media Integration

Social media links functional and current
Social sharing buttons (if applicable) working
Social media feed integration tested

37. Analytics Setup

Google Analytics 4 properly configured
Conversion tracking set up
Privacy policy and cookie consent implemented

38. Email Marketing

Newsletter signup forms functional
Email automation triggers tested
Unsubscribe process working

39. Local SEO (if applicable)

Google My Business listing claimed and optimized
NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency across the web
Local schema markup implemented

40. Content Marketing

Blog or content section properly configured
RSS feed functional
Content sharing capabilities enabled

Final Quality Assurance (10 Items)

41. Content Review

Spelling and grammar check completed
All images have proper attribution
Copyright notices and legal pages updated

42. Contact Information

All contact forms submit successfully
Phone numbers and email addresses verified
Physical address (if applicable) is accurate

43. Legal Compliance

Privacy policy updated and accessible
Terms of service current
Cookie policy and GDPR compliance (if applicable)

44. Domain and Hosting

Domain name points to correct servers
DNS settings properly configured
Email routing functional

45. Redirects and URL Changes

301 redirects implemented for changed URLs
Old URLs properly redirected to new structure
Redirect chains eliminated

46. Testing in Production Environment

Staging site matches production configuration
Environment-specific settings verified
Production database properly configured

47. Performance Benchmarks

Baseline performance metrics recorded
Comparison with competitor sites completed
Performance goals met or documented

48. Search Console Setup

Google Search Console property verified
Bing Webmaster Tools configured
Initial crawl and indexing status checked

49. Emergency Preparedness

Rollback plan documented
Emergency contact list prepared
Issue escalation process defined

50. Launch Day Coordination

Stakeholders notified of launch timeline
Post-launch monitoring schedule prepared
Success metrics and KPIs defined

Automated Testing Tools and Scripts

While manual testing is crucial, automation can help you catch issues faster and more consistently. Here are essential tools and scripts every developer should use:

Performance Testing Tools

Lighthouse CI

# Install Lighthouse CI
npm install -g @lhci/cli

# Run automated audits
lhci autorun --upload.target=temporary-public-storage

WebPageTest API

// Automated performance testing script
const WebPageTest = require('webpagetest');
const wpt = new WebPageTest('www.webpagetest.org', 'YOUR_API_KEY');

wpt.runTest('https://yoursite.com', {
  location: 'Dulles:Chrome',
  connectivity: '3G',
  runs: 3
}, function(err, data) {
  console.log(data);
});

SEO Testing Scripts

Meta Tag Checker

import requests
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
import csv

def check_meta_tags(url):
    response = requests.get(url)
    soup = BeautifulSoup(response.content, 'html.parser')
    
    title = soup.find('title')
    description = soup.find('meta', attrs={'name': 'description'})
    
    return {
        'url': url,
        'title': title.text if title else 'Missing',
        'title_length': len(title.text) if title else 0,
        'description': description['content'] if description else 'Missing',
        'description_length': len(description['content']) if description else 0
    }

# Check multiple pages
urls = ['https://yoursite.com', 'https://yoursite.com/about', ...]
results = [check_meta_tags(url) for url in urls]

Accessibility Testing

axe-core Integration

// Automated accessibility testing with Playwright
const { chromium } = require('playwright');
const AxeBuilder = require('@axe-core/playwright');

(async () => {
  const browser = await chromium.launch();
  const page = await browser.newPage();
  await page.goto('https://yoursite.com');
  
  const accessibilityScanResults = await new AxeBuilder({ page }).analyze();
  
  console.log(accessibilityScanResults.violations);
  await browser.close();
})();

Security Testing

Security Headers Check

#!/bin/bash
# Security headers testing script

URL="https://yoursite.com"
HEADERS=("Strict-Transport-Security" "Content-Security-Policy" "X-Frame-Options" "X-Content-Type-Options")

for header in "${HEADERS[@]}"; do
    result=$(curl -s -I "$URL" | grep -i "$header")
    if [ -z "$result" ]; then
        echo "❌ Missing: $header"
    else
        echo "✅ Found: $result"
    fi
done

Link Checking

Broken Link Detector

// Check for broken links using Puppeteer
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');

async function checkLinks(url) {
  const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
  const page = await browser.newPage();
  await page.goto(url);
  
  const links = await page.evaluate(() => {
    return Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('a[href]')).map(a => a.href);
  });
  
  for (let link of links) {
    try {
      const response = await page.goto(link);
      if (response.status() >= 400) {
        console.log(`❌ Broken link: ${link} (${response.status()})`);
      }
    } catch (error) {
      console.log(`❌ Error loading: ${link}`);
    }
  }
  
  await browser.close();
}

Using CHEEECK for Comprehensive Pre-Launch Analysis

While manual checklists and custom scripts are essential, comprehensive website analysis tools can significantly streamline your pre-launch process. CHEEECK is specifically designed to catch the issues that matter most before launch.

CHEEECK automatically scans your entire website across 30+ critical parameters, including:

SEO Health: Meta tags, header structure, canonical URLs, and technical SEO issues
Performance Metrics: Page speed, Core Web Vitals, and optimization opportunities
Social Media Readiness: Open Graph tags, Twitter Cards, and social preview testing
Accessibility Compliance: Color contrast, alt text, and WCAG violations
Security Concerns: SSL certificates, security headers, and vulnerability detection
UX Issues: Missing 404 pages, broken links, and mobile responsiveness

Instead of running multiple tools and scripts, CHEEECK provides a unified dashboard with actionable insights and step-by-step fixing instructions. It's like having an experienced developer review your site before launch.

Pre-Launch Testing Workflow

Here's a proven workflow that combines manual testing with automated tools:

Phase 1: Automated Scanning (Day -7)

Run CHEEECK comprehensive analysis
Execute performance testing scripts
Run accessibility audits
Check security headers and SSL

Phase 2: Manual Review (Day -5)

Cross-browser testing
Mobile device testing
Content and copy review
User journey testing

Phase 3: Stakeholder Review (Day -3)

Client/team review and approval
Final content updates
Analytics and tracking verification
Backup and rollback preparation

Phase 4: Final Checks (Day -1)

Production environment verification
DNS and domain configuration
Search console setup
Launch day coordination

Common Pre-Launch Mistakes to Avoid

Even with comprehensive checklists, developers often overlook these critical issues:

The "It Works on My Machine" Trap Testing only in your development environment can hide production-specific issues. Always test on staging servers that mirror production.

Ignoring Third-Party Dependencies External scripts, APIs, and services can fail in production. Test all integrations thoroughly and have fallback plans.

Forgetting About Real User Conditions Your high-speed office connection doesn't represent real user experiences. Test on mobile networks and slower connections.

Overlooking Legal Requirements Privacy policies, cookie consent, and accessibility compliance aren't just nice-to-haves—they're legal requirements in many jurisdictions.

Skipping Performance Budgets Set specific performance targets and stick to them. A beautiful site that loads slowly is a failed site.

Post-Launch Monitoring Setup

Your pre-launch work isn't complete without setting up proper monitoring:

Essential Monitoring Tools

Uptime Monitoring: Pingdom, UptimeRobot, or StatusCake
Performance Monitoring: Google PageSpeed Insights API, WebPageTest
Error Monitoring: Sentry, Rollbar, or LogRocket
Analytics: Google Analytics 4, Hotjar for user behavior

Create Automated Alerts

Set up notifications for:

Site downtime (immediate alert)
Performance degradation (daily reports)
404 errors spike (weekly reports)
Security incidents (immediate alert)

Conclusion

A comprehensive pre-launch checklist isn't just about avoiding embarrassing mistakes—it's about delivering professional results that drive business success. Every item on this 50-point checklist represents a potential point of failure that could impact user experience, search rankings, or conversion rates.

The investment in thorough pre-launch testing pays dividends in:

Higher search engine rankings from technical SEO optimization
Better user experience leading to higher conversion rates
Reduced support requests from fewer post-launch issues
Enhanced professional reputation from delivering polished results
Lower maintenance costs from catching issues early

Remember, launching a website is not the end of your responsibility—it's the beginning of its lifecycle. The habits you build around thorough pre-launch testing will serve you throughout your development career.

Use this checklist for every project, adapt it to your specific needs, and don't skip steps even when deadlines are tight. Your users, clients, and future self will thank you for the extra diligence.

Ready to ensure your next website launch is flawless? Start with automated analysis using tools like CHEEECK, then work through this comprehensive checklist systematically. Your reputation as a developer depends on the quality you deliver—make every launch count.