/mvp-launch

name: mvp-launch
description: Web app MVP launch checklist knowledge. Auto-triggered when conversation involves "launch readiness", "MVP checklist", "production ready", "go live", or pre-launch verification. Provides the 10-point criteria for what counts as "done" in each area. Based on "Realistic MVP Launch Checklist (from building 30+ apps)".

MVP Launch Checklist

A battle-tested 10-point checklist for web app MVP launches. Based on building 30+ apps.

**Philosophy:** "Don't overbuild. Just make it stable, usable, and something people can trust."

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The 10-Point Checklist

1. Stripe Setup (Payment Infrastructure)

**What counts as DONE:**

• Trials configured with appropriate period
• Plan switching works (upgrade/downgrade)
• Failed payment handling with retry logic
• Webhook endpoint registered in Stripe Dashboard
• Live keys tested (not just test mode)

**Required Webhook Events:**

• `customer.subscription.trial_will_end`
• `customer.subscription.created`
• `customer.subscription.updated`
• `customer.subscription.deleted`
• `invoice.payment_succeeded`
• `invoice.payment_failed`
• `invoice.created`
• `checkout.session.completed`

**Verification:** See `references/stripe-testing.md`

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2. Mobile-First Design

**What counts as DONE:**

• Tested on real phones (not just browser resize)
• Touch targets appropriately sized (44x44px minimum)
• Forms work on mobile keyboards
• No horizontal scroll on mobile

**Key insight:** Browser resize mode lies. Real device testing is mandatory.

**Bonus (not required):**

• PWA manifest for installability
• Offline capability for core features

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3. Smooth Onboarding

**What counts as DONE:**

• Steps kept minimal (3-5 max)
• Users guided to a fast first win
• Progress indicator if multi-step
• Can be skipped/completed later

**Anti-pattern:** Don't require 10 fields before users see value.

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4. AI & Automation Stability

**What counts as DONE:**

• API errors handled gracefully
• Retry logic with exponential backoff
• Edge cases don't crash the app
• Timeouts configured appropriately
• Fallback behavior when AI fails

**Good defaults:**

• 3 retry attempts
• 30-60s timeout for complex operations
• User-friendly error messages

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5. Critical Emails

**What counts as DONE:**

• Welcome email (immediate after signup)
• Trial-ending email (before trial expires)
• Failed payment email (when charge fails)
• Password reset (if not using external auth)

**Nice to have (don't overbuild):**

• Support acknowledgment email
• Usage milestone emails

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6. Error Logging

**What counts as DONE:**

• Error tracking service configured (Sentry, Bugsnag, etc.)
• PII scrubbed from logs
• Critical errors trigger alerts
• Enough context to debug issues

**Goal:** Catch bugs before users notice them.

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7. User Feedback Loop

**What counts as DONE:**

• Simple form or tool to collect feedback
• Screenshots/context capture (optional but helpful)
• Feedback reaches the team (email, Slack, GitHub Issues)

**Examples:** Typeform, in-app widget, email link, GitHub Issues integration.

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8. Authentication & Roles

**What counts as DONE:**

• Secure page protection (no unauthorized access)
• Password reset works (or external auth handles it)
• Basic roles defined (admin vs user minimum)
• Session management (logout, expiry)

**If using external auth (Clerk, Auth0):** Most of this is handled for you.

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9. Custom Domain with SSL

**What counts as DONE:**

• Own domain configured (no `.vercel.app`, `.replit.app`)
• HTTPS enabled (auto or manual SSL)
• DNS properly configured

**Why it matters:** Trust. Users won't pay for `myapp.replit.app`.

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10. Real Database & Backups

**What counts as DONE:**

• Production database (not dev/local DB)
• Automated backups configured
• Point-in-time recovery possible

**Good choices:** Supabase, Neon, PlanetScale, Convex, AWS RDS.

**Anti-pattern:** Replit DB, SQLite in production, no backups.

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Scoring

| Score | Meaning | |-------|---------| | 10/10 | Fully implemented, production-ready | | 7-9/10 | Mostly complete, minor gaps | | 4-6/10 | Partial implementation, needs work | | 1-3/10 | Minimal/broken implementation | | 0/10 | Not implemented |

**Overall (sum of 10 areas):**

• 85-100: Launch Ready
• 70-84: Nearly Ready
• 50-69: Needs Work
• <50: Not Ready

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References

• `references/search-patterns.md` - Grep patterns for discovery
• `references/stripe-testing.md` - Stripe CLI verification commands