So you've vibe coded an app. It looks great in the preview. The AI generated exactly what you asked for.
Now what?
Here's the uncomfortable truth: about 70% of vibe coded projects never ship. They get stuck in that awkward limbo between "demo-worthy" and "production-ready." And with 45% of AI-generated code containing security vulnerabilities (that's not a typo), skipping the pre-launch checklist isn't brave—it's reckless.
I've shipped 30+ vibe coded apps over the past year. The ones that failed? They all skipped the same boring-but-critical steps. The ones that succeeded? They ran through a checklist like this one.
Key Takeaways:
- Use this 30-point vibe coding production checklist before every launch
- Code quality and security checks are non-negotiable for AI-generated code
- Post-launch monitoring catches the bugs your tests missed
In This Article
- The 30-Point Pre-Launch Checklist
- Code Quality Checks
- Performance Audit
- SEO & Social Ready
- Security Scan
- Accessibility Pass
- Deployment Readiness
- Launch Day Routine
- Post-Launch Monitoring
- FAQ
The 30-Point Pre-Launch Checklist (Overview)
This isn't a "nice to have" list. It's the minimum viable checklist for shipping AI-generated code that won't embarrass you.
Here's the full breakdown:
| Section | Items | Priority | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Code Quality | 7 | Critical | 20 min |
| Performance | 5 | High | 15 min |
| SEO & Social | 5 | High | 10 min |
| Security | 5 | Critical | 25 min |
| Accessibility | 4 | High | 15 min |
| Deployment | 4 | Critical | 20 min |
Total time: about 2 hours. That's nothing compared to debugging production issues at 3am.
Let's go section by section.
Section 1: Code Quality (7 Items)
AI-generated code has a consistency problem. It works—until it doesn't. These checks catch the silent failures.
1. Run ESLint/Prettier
Your AI doesn't care about formatting consistency. You should.
npm run lint npm run format
Fix everything. No exceptions. If you're seeing hundreds of warnings, that's a red flag about your prompt quality.
2. Remove Dead Code
AI loves to generate utility functions "just in case." Delete anything unused:
npx depcheck
I've seen vibe coded projects ship with 40% dead code. Don't be that person.
3. Check for Console Statements
Every console.log("test") that ships to production is a confession. Find them:
grep -r "console.log" src/
4. Verify Type Safety
If you're using TypeScript (and you should be), make sure there are no any types lurking:
npx tsc --noEmit
AI loves to use any when it gets confused. That's where your bugs hide.
5. Test All Imports
AI sometimes imports from packages you don't have installed, or references files that don't exist:
npm run build
If it fails, you have missing imports. Fix them now, not in production.
6. Validate Environment Variables
AI-generated code often references .env variables that don't exist in production. Check your config.
7. Review Generated Dependencies
Look at your package.json. See any packages you don't recognize? That's AI being "helpful." Remove what you don't need.
If you're running into recurring code issues, check out the vibe debugging workflow for a systematic fix.
Section 2: Performance (5 Items)
Your app can be feature-complete and still unusable if it loads like it's 2010.
1. Run Lighthouse Audit
Open Chrome DevTools → Lighthouse → Generate Report.
| Metric | Minimum | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 70 | 90+ |
| First Contentful Paint | <2.5s | <1.8s |
| Largest Contentful Paint | <4s | <2.5s |
| Cumulative Layout Shift | <0.25 | <0.1 |
Anything below 70 performance? Don't ship it.
2. Optimize Images
AI loves to use massive placeholder images. Replace them:
- Use WebP or AVIF format
- Add
loading="lazy"to images below the fold - Set explicit
widthandheightattributes
3. Check Bundle Size
npm run build npx vite-bundle-analyzer
If your bundle is over 500KB, something's wrong. AI often imports entire libraries for one function.
4. Test on Real Devices
The emulator lies. Test on an actual phone. Preferably the cheapest Android you can find—if it runs there, it runs everywhere.
5. Verify Mobile Responsiveness
AI-generated layouts often break on mobile. Test at:
- 375px (iPhone SE)
- 414px (iPhone 14)
- 390px (iPhone 12/13)
If your layout breaks, revisit your prompts with the mobile-first prompt workflow.
Section 3: SEO & Social (5 Items)
Your beautiful vibe coded app is invisible to Google by default. Fix that.
1. Add Meta Tags
Every page needs these minimum tags:
<title>Your Page Title | Brand</title> <meta name="description" content="150 characters max..." /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://yourdomain.com/page" />
2. Configure Open Graph
When someone shares your link, make it look good:
<meta property="og:title" content="Your Title" /> <meta property="og:description" content="Your description" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://yourdomain.com/og-image.png" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://yourdomain.com" />
3. Add Twitter Cards
<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Your Title" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Your description" /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://yourdomain.com/twitter-image.png" />
4. Generate Sitemap
Your hosting platform probably handles this, but verify it exists at yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml.
5. Test Share Previews
Use opengraph.xyz to preview how your links look on social platforms before you ship.
For the complete SEO workflow, see SEO-ready landing pages with AI.
Section 4: Security (5 Items)
This is the section people skip. It's also the section that gets you in the news for the wrong reasons.
Here's the uncomfortable stat: 45% of AI-generated code contains security vulnerabilities. That's not a bug—that's a pattern. AI optimizes for "works" not "secure."
1. Audit Dependencies
npm audit
Fix everything marked "high" or "critical." No exceptions.
2. Scan for Secrets
AI sometimes generates code with placeholder API keys, or worse—copies keys from its training data:
npx secretlint "**/*"
Check for hardcoded credentials, API keys, or tokens. If you find any, rotate them immediately.
3. Verify Authentication Flows
If your app has auth:
- Test password reset flow
- Verify session expiration works
- Confirm logout actually invalidates sessions
4. Check Input Validation
AI-generated forms often skip validation. Test every input field with:
- SQL injection attempts
- XSS payloads
- Oversized inputs
5. Review CORS Configuration
If you're calling APIs, make sure your CORS setup isn't * (allow everything). That's AI's default, and it's a security hole.
For the deep dive, use the vibe coding security checklist—it covers 15 additional checks you'll want for production apps.
Section 5: Accessibility (4 Items)
96% of AI-generated UIs fail accessibility audits. Here's the minimum to not be part of that statistic.
1. Run axe DevTools
Install the browser extension. Run it. Fix every "critical" and "serious" issue.
2. Test Keyboard Navigation
Unplug your mouse. Can you:
- Tab through all interactive elements?
- See focus indicators?
- Use Enter/Space to activate buttons?
- Escape to close modals?
If not, fix it.
3. Check Color Contrast
Use WebAIM's contrast checker. You need:
- 4.5:1 ratio for normal text
- 3:1 ratio for large text
AI loves low-contrast designs. Your users' eyes don't.
4. Add Alt Text
Every <img> needs meaningful alt text. "image" is not meaningful.
For comprehensive accessibility, check the WCAG accessibility prompts guide.
Section 6: Deployment (4 Items)
The last mile. This is where most vibe coded projects die—not from bad code, but from bad deployment.
1. Configure Environment Variables
Create a checklist of every env variable your app needs:
- API endpoints
- Public keys
- Feature flags
- Analytics IDs
Verify each one is set in your production environment.
2. Set Up Error Tracking
Before something breaks in production, you need visibility:
- Sentry, LogRocket, or similar
- Test that errors actually get reported
- Set up alerts for critical errors
3. Test the Build
Run the production build locally before deploying:
npm run build && npm run preview
If it breaks here, it'll break in production.
4. Configure Caching
Set appropriate cache headers for:
- Static assets (long cache)
- HTML files (short/no cache)
- API responses (varies)
If you've been stuck at 70% complete, the 70% wall guide covers how to push through to actual shipping.
The Launch Day Routine
It's launch day. Here's your 10-item final check:
- ✅ Clear browser cache and test the live URL
- ✅ Test the critical user path (signup → main action → result)
- ✅ Verify analytics is tracking
- ✅ Verify error tracking is working
- ✅ Test on mobile (real device)
- ✅ Check load time on slow connection (Chrome DevTools → Network → Slow 3G)
- ✅ Test all external integrations (payments, auth, APIs)
- ✅ Verify SSL certificate is valid
- ✅ Test share links on social platforms
- ✅ Take a screenshot—you'll want to remember this moment
Post-Launch: First 48 Hours
Shipping is not the end. It's the beginning of learning what actually works.
Hour 1-4: Active Monitoring
- Watch error logs in real-time
- Monitor server performance
- Check for 500 errors or slow responses
Hour 4-24: Passive Monitoring
- Review user behavior in analytics
- Note any patterns in error reports
- Document issues for the next iteration
Hour 24-48: Iteration Planning
- Prioritize bugs by impact
- Identify UX friction points
- Plan your first post-launch update
The goal isn't perfection at launch—it's shipping something good enough to learn from.
The Printable Checklist
Copy this. Print it. Use it for every launch.
PRE-LAUNCH CHECKLIST: VIBE CODED APPS CODE QUALITY [ ] ESLint/Prettier: All warnings fixed [ ] Dead code removed (depcheck passed) [ ] Console statements removed [ ] TypeScript: No errors, no any types [ ] Build succeeds without errors [ ] Environment variables documented [ ] Dependencies reviewed PERFORMANCE [ ] Lighthouse score > 70 [ ] Images optimized (WebP, lazy loading) [ ] Bundle size < 500KB [ ] Tested on real mobile device [ ] Responsive at 375px, 414px, 390px SEO & SOCIAL [ ] Meta title & description on all pages [ ] Open Graph tags configured [ ] Twitter cards configured [ ] Sitemap exists [ ] Share previews tested SECURITY [ ] npm audit: No high/critical issues [ ] No secrets in code [ ] Auth flows tested [ ] Input validation working [ ] CORS properly configured ACCESSIBILITY [ ] axe DevTools: No critical/serious issues [ ] Keyboard navigation works [ ] Color contrast passes [ ] All images have alt text DEPLOYMENT [ ] All env variables set in production [ ] Error tracking configured [ ] Production build tested locally [ ] Cache headers configured LAUNCH [ ] Live URL tested [ ] Critical path verified [ ] Analytics tracking confirmed [ ] Mobile tested [ ] SSL valid
You Might Also Like
- Vibe Debugging: 5-Step Workflow That Fixes Any AI UI - When your checklist reveals problems, here's how to fix them
- Test AI-Generated Code: Stop Shipping Bugs - The testing workflow that catches bugs before users do
- The 70% Wall: Why Your Vibe Project Is Stuck - If pre-launch feels impossible, start here
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I spend on the pre-launch checklist?
Plan for 2 hours minimum. If you're finding lots of issues, it might take 4-6 hours. That's still faster than debugging production issues.
Can I skip some items if I'm just launching an MVP?
Security and error tracking are non-negotiable. You can be lighter on SEO and accessibility for a true MVP, but add them to your v2 checklist.
What's the most commonly skipped item that causes problems?
Environment variables. Every single time. Your app works locally because .env exists. It breaks in production because nobody set the variables there.
Should I use a staging environment?
Yes, if you have one. But don't let "setting up staging" become a reason to never ship. A production checklist is more valuable than a perfect staging setup you never use.
How do I know if my vibe coded app is actually production-ready?
If you can run through this entire checklist without finding critical issues, you're ready. If you're finding problems at every step, take that as feedback about your prompt quality and go back to fundamentals.
Written by the Fardino Team. We build AI tools for frontend developers. Try Fardino free →
