Launch checklist

Table of Contents

Template for a launch checklist; add this as a new issue for all new projects in their issue queue and modify.

Launch Checklist

If the new site is a migration, include:

Create a back up of site files and database
Give client access to the archive site
Migrate redirects
If possible, keep IDs for entities, especially those that did not have path aliases (check users, taxonomy terms)
Run automated checker to see if all paths on old site are reachable (not 404) on new site: gitlab.com/agaric/resources/website-checkers

For all sites:

Ensure content staging plan is in place
Get control of DNS and domain name registration
Discuss and put in place a monthly site maintenance plan with client
Ensure server ip is not blacklisted (https://www.apivoid.com/tools/ip-reputation-check/)
Are basic usability improvements in place? (TODO move to its own checklist)
- Allow login by e-mail as well as username (if normal people will be logging into the site)
Begin regular accessibility review of site and its content. If on Drupal, install Editoria11y module.
Check default RSS feed (rss.xml) which will be showing the same as /node even if that view is disabled and set 'Promoted to Front page` defaults for each content type so this main RSS feed makes sense.
- Create other RSS feeds for key views (news, events)
- Make links to RSS feeds accessible via "Want my RSS" style finders at least, and ideally with links / pages on the site that explain RSS

Ensure live server is ready
Increase the PHP maximum post and file upload sizes as appropriate (for example to allow 6MB files, rather than default 2MB)
Run header analysis and correct issues, https://dri.es/headers
HTTP redirects to HTTPS
Configure cron
Upload favicon
Backups configured and can be retrieved
Choose, set up if needed, and set sitewide e-mail address at /admin/config/system/site-information and /admin/config/people/accounts
E-mail test to ensure sending from server works
Check DKAN, DMARC, SPF rules for if needed for new server
Obtain access to applicable analytics platforms (for example have ben.agaric and other team members added to Google Analytics)
Revisit goals and KPIs, ensure everything is in place to measure those (eg: analytics, survey drafted)
Check in on client about content staging
Implement plan for training and remaining documentation

Prepare for instant domain switchover (same server, Cloudflare, or decrease TTL)
Ensure new domain is in trusted_host_patterns
Check in on client and content staging
Document anything remaining
Train client
Send client any documentation they will need to maintain site
Enable/configure analytics
Enable CSS and JS aggregation
Check that syslog is enabled and working, disable dblog

Check DKIM, DMARC, SPF rules for if needed for new server using select SPF on https://mxtoolbox.com/SuperTool.aspx
Ensure article photos are appearing correctly on social media.
Ensure all redirects are functioning as expected. Nothing should fall through to an archive instance, unless it is explicitly legacy content that was not/will not be migrated
Ensure sitemap.xml is being processed by search engines, if present. Also ensure no prior sitemap.xml is being sourced from the archive site via 404 redirect, etc.
Modify redirects as appropriate (once verified working) to ensure 301's are used as needed.
Review the site's status report at /admin/reports/status