Production Release Checklist

Releasing a build to production is a critical process that requires careful planning, coordination, and execution. This comprehensive checklist ensures you don't miss any crucial steps during your production release process.

Use this checklist to track your progress through each phase of the release cycle. Check off items as you complete them to maintain accountability and ensure nothing is overlooked.

Pre-Deployment Checklist

Checklist Item	Responsibility	Description
Code Review & Freeze Completed	Project Lead	Verify that all code changes have been reviewed, merged into the target branch, and code freeze has been implemented to ensure stability and preparation for release.
Security Vulnerability Assessment	Project Lead	Scrutinize the latest code changes to identify any susceptibilities that could compromise the security of the application.
All Testing Completed	QA	Ensure that all testing types including regression testing, responsive testing, performance testing, and any other specified testing methodologies have been thoroughly conducted with no major bugs remaining.
Third-Party Applications Verified	Project Lead	Make sure all third-party application credentials and Environment Variables are configured for production while making the final production build.
Client Approval Received	Project Lead	Get approval from the client for the production deployment via email/Slack or any written communication. Inform the client about the commencement of production deployment.
Maintenance Page Published	Developer	Verify that the downtime and maintenance page has been published on the web platform to inform users during scheduled maintenance.
Rollback Plan Prepared	Developer	Must have a contingency plan to roll back modifications if they cause system instability or failure, including steps to revert to the previous state.
Git Tag & GitHub Release Created	Developer	All dev members will ensure we create a proper semantic version of the release and a GitHub release using the Git tag.
Database Changes Identified	Developer	Assess whether any modifications or updates have been made to the database structure, schema, or data since the last review.
Data Migration Files Ready	Developer	Make sure the Data Migration script is available if any schema changes have been introduced.
Database Backup Completed	Developer	Validate that the database backup is ready to safeguard data integrity and enable swift recovery in the event of unexpected complications.
Release Notes Prepared	Project Lead	Ensure that the release notes about the release are created and documented.

During Deployment Checklist

Checklist Item	Responsibility	Description
Code Deployed to Production	Project Lead	The latest code should be deployed to the production environment so that the new changes could go live.
Database Migration Executed	Project Lead	Ensure that the database migration script has been run to accommodate the changes in the database schema while maintaining data integrity.
Application Configuration Updated	Project Lead	Ensure that application configuration files (.env files) are updated correctly after integrating new services or systems, including environment variables, API keys, and endpoints.
Third-Party Packages Installed	Project Lead	Ensure that all essential software packages and dependencies are correctly installed and configured to support third-party integrations in the system.
Mobile Apps Submitted to Stores	Project Lead	Ensure that the latest builds of the app are submitted to the Play Store/App Store for approval (Mobile only).
Cron Jobs Updated	Project Lead	Ensure that any cron jobs that need to be added, removed, or have frequency changes are properly updated.

Post-Deployment Checklist

Checklist Item	Responsibility	Description
Maintenance Page Removed	Developer	The team to ensure that maintenance page is removed after successful deployment.
Smoke Testing Completed	QA	Ensure that Smoke testing is conducted immediately after changes are deployed to the production environment to quickly verify critical functionalities.
Test Data Cleaned Up	Developer	Verify that the test data created during smoke testing is removed from the production environment.
Team Vigilance Maintained	Project Lead	Post-release, all stakeholders should be vigilant for the next 24 hours. In case the client reports any issues, the Project Lead should inform all stakeholders.
Client Notification & Release Notes Shared	Project Lead	Ensure that the client has been informed about the production deployment and that the release notes are shared with them.
Documentation Updated	Developer	Finalize user guides, API docs, and changelogs. Update GitHub branches and tags, and update JIRA statuses or roadmap views.
Post-Release Review Conducted	Project Lead	Conduct a release retrospective. Document lessons learned and update your checklist to improve next time.
Long-term Performance Monitoring	Developer	Keep tracking app usage, error rates, and feedback. Look out for performance regressions, slow queries, or API failures.