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Project Checklist

Project Checklist

Section titled “Project Checklist”

Introduction

Section titled “Introduction”

This checklist brings together everything from this phase into a practical reference. Use it when starting a new project, reviewing an existing one, or preparing for a production launch. Not every item applies to every project — adapt it to your needs.

🏗️ Project Structure

Section titled “🏗️ Project Structure”
  • Project root has a clear, descriptive README.md
  • src/ directory is used for application code
  • Feature-based folders for routes and components
  • Shared components are in a components/ or components/ui/ directory
  • Utility functions are organized by domain (lib/auth.ts, lib/db.ts, etc.)
  • Configuration files are at the root level (next.config.ts, tailwind.config.ts)
  • Types are defined close to where they’re used or in a shared types/ directory
  • Environment variables use .env.local (local) and .env.example (template)

🧩 Components

Section titled “🧩 Components”
  • Components use Server Components by default
  • Client Components have a clear 'use client' directive
  • Reusable UI components accept consistent props
  • Components are small (under 200 lines)
  • Large components are split into smaller pieces
  • No inline styles — use Tailwind, CSS Modules, or CSS-in-JS
  • Loading states (loading.tsx) for pages with data fetching
  • Error boundaries (error.tsx) for page-level error handling

🔐 Security

Section titled “🔐 Security”
  • Environment variables use the correct prefix (NEXT_PUBLIC_ for client)
  • API routes validate input (Zod, Yup, or similar)
  • No sensitive data exposed in client components
  • Rate limiting on public API routes
  • Authentication checks on protected routes (middleware)
  • Authorization checks on API routes (ownership/role verification)
  • CORS configured if API is accessed from external domains

📡 Data Fetching

Section titled “📡 Data Fetching”
  • Server Components used for initial data fetching
  • Appropriate caching strategy for each data source
  • Error handling for failed fetches
  • Loading states for slow data
  • Revalidation strategy (ISR, revalidatePath, revalidateTag)
  • No duplicate fetches (deduplication via caching)

📝 Code Quality

Section titled “📝 Code Quality”
  • TypeScript enabled with strict mode
  • ESLint configured and running
  • Prettier configured for consistent formatting
  • No any types (except for truly dynamic data)
  • No console.log in production-ready code (use a proper logger)
  • Dead code and unused imports removed
  • Meaningful variable and function names

🧪 Testing

Section titled “🧪 Testing”
  • Critical utility functions have unit tests
  • API routes have integration tests
  • Key user flows have E2E tests
  • Tests run in CI/CD pipeline
  • Tests are reliable (no flaky tests)

🚀 Performance

Section titled “🚀 Performance”
  • Images use next/image with proper sizing
  • Fonts use next/font for optimized loading
  • Third-party scripts use next/script with appropriate strategy
  • Large components are lazy-loaded with next/dynamic
  • Bundle size is monitored with @next/bundle-analyzer
  • Core Web Vitals are within acceptable ranges
  • API responses are paginated for large datasets

📦 Deployment

Section titled “📦 Deployment”
  • Environment variables configured in Vercel/dashboard
  • Production build passes without errors
  • Database migrations run before deployment
  • Static assets are cached (CDN)
  • Error monitoring is configured (Sentry, etc.)
  • Analytics is configured
  • Deployment checklist verified

📋 Maintenance

Section titled “📋 Maintenance”
  • Dependencies are regularly updated
  • Deprecated packages are replaced
  • Security vulnerabilities are addressed promptly
  • Codebase is regularly refactored in small increments
  • Documentation is kept up to date
  • Team has a defined code review process

Continuous Improvement

Section titled “Continuous Improvement”

Use this checklist:

  • At project start — Set up good habits from day one
  • Before major releases — Catch issues before they reach production
  • During code review — Reference specific items in your feedback
  • Quarterly — Review and improve your project’s health

Summary

Section titled “Summary”

This checklist is a living document. Add items that are specific to your project, remove ones that don’t apply, and revisit it regularly. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s continuous improvement.

Section titled “Related Topics”