A Drupal project can include many different aspects during its creation, and they can vary depending on the project size. In order to make sure everything is right in place when launching a website, we have built two comprehensive checklists, one is for pre-launch, and the other is for post-launch.

Today, we're sharing with you our pre-launch and post-launch checklists that we use for our projects, cover the following:

Pre-Launch Checklist

Technical

  • Domain is correctly pointed to the hosting server

  • SSL certificate installed and HTTPS working

  • Website loads correctly on all major browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge)

  • Fully responsive on all screen sizes (mobile, tablet, desktop)

  • 404 error page is customized and functional

  • Redirects (301) from old URLs set up correctly (if applicable)

  • Favicon is uploaded and visible in browser tabs

  • No broken links or missing images

Content

  • Spelling, grammar, and formatting reviewed

  • All placeholder content and dummy text removed

  • Metadata (title tags, meta descriptions) is optimized per page

  • Images have alt tags and are compressed for web

  •  Internal linking is structured and logical

  • Copyright and privacy policies are updated

  • All forms (contact, subscribe, etc.) are working and send to the correct email addresses

SEO & Analytics

  • Google Analytics (GA4) is properly installed

  • Google Search Console account is set up

  • Sitemap.xml is generated and submitted to search engines

  • robots.txt is configured correctly

  • Pages use H1, H2, etc., hierarchically and semantically

  • Canonical URLs are correctly implemented

  • Open Graph and Twitter Cards set up for social media sharing

Security & Performance

  • Website tested with performance tools (Lighthouse, GTmetrix, PageSpeed)

  • No security vulnerabilities (tested with security tools or plugins)

  • Backup system is enabled and working

  • Admin panel access is secure (strong passwords, 2FA if needed)

Post-Launch Checklist

Final QA Testing

  • Re-check pages and features in production environment

  • Monitor uptime with a tool like UptimeRobot

  • Check form submissions, payment gateways, or e-commerce transactions

  • Conduct full crawl with SEO tools to detect errors

Marketing & Communication

  • Announce launch via email newsletters or press release

  • Update social media profiles with links to the new site

  • Submit site to industry directories or business listings

  • Enable tracking for campaigns (UTM parameters if used)

Performance & Monitoring

  • Set up performance monitoring dashboard (GA4, Search Console, etc.)

  • Check bounce rates, engagement, and conversion tracking

  • Collect user feedback on usability and performance

Maintenance & Updates

  • Set schedule for regular backups

  • Define content publishing or update calendar

  • Ensure CMS, themes, and plugins are up to date

  • Assign roles and permissions for content editors/admins

  • Content