A reliable production deployment requires more than uploading code. Use a repeatable checklist covering security, observability, backups, and performance.
Before deployment
- Review environment variables and secret storage.
- Run automated tests and database migrations safely.
- Enable HTTPS, security headers, and least-privilege access.
- Prepare logs, health checks, alerts, and rollback steps.
After release
Monitor the first requests, verify critical user journeys, and document the release so the team can reproduce or roll it back confidently.