launch-checklist
Generates a comprehensive software launch checklist covering technical readiness, customer communications, support, and go-live steps. Use when preparing for a product launch or when the user mentions launch checklist or go-live readiness.
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/tranhieutt/software_development_department /tmp/launch-checklist && cp -r /tmp/launch-checklist/.claude/skills/launch-checklist ~/.claude/skills/launch-checklistSKILL.md
When this skill is invoked:
> **Explicit invocation only**: This skill should only run when the user explicitly requests it with `/launch-checklist`. Do not auto-invoke based on context matching.
1. **Read the argument** for the launch date or `dry-run` mode. Dry-run mode
generates the checklist without creating sign-off entries.
2. **Gather project context**:
- Read `CLAUDE.md` for tech stack, release surfaces, and team structure
- Read the latest milestone in `production/milestones/`
- Read any existing release checklist in `production/releases/`
- Read any launch, support, or communications notes in `docs/launch/`,
`docs/runbooks/`, or `production/releases/` if they exist
3. **Scan codebase health**:
- Count `TODO`, `FIXME`, `HACK` comments and their locations
- Check for any `console.log`, `print()`, or debug output left in production code
- Check for placeholder assets or copy (search for `placeholder`, `temp_`, `WIP_`)
- Check for hardcoded test/dev values (localhost, test credentials, debug flags)
4. **Generate the launch checklist**:
```markdown
# Launch Checklist: [Product Title]
Target Launch: [Date or DRY RUN]
Generated: [Date]
---
## 1. Code Readiness
### Build Health
- [ ] Clean build or release artifact generated for all target surfaces
- [ ] Zero release-blocking compiler or linter errors
- [ ] All unit tests passing
- [ ] All integration tests passing
- [ ] End-to-end or smoke tests passing for critical user journeys
- [ ] Schema migrations tested with rollback or recovery plan
- [ ] Release version correctly set and tagged in source control
- [ ] Performance and reliability benchmarks within agreed targets
### Code Quality
- [ ] TODO count: [N] (zero required for launch, or documented exceptions)
- [ ] FIXME count: [N] (zero required)
- [ ] HACK count: [N] (each must have documented justification)
- [ ] No unintended debug output in production code
- [ ] No hardcoded dev/test values
- [ ] All feature flags reviewed for launch defaults
- [ ] Error handling covers all critical paths
- [ ] Crash reporting and structured logging integrated and verified
- [ ] Dependency vulnerabilities triaged and accepted risk documented
### Security and Privacy
- [ ] No exposed API keys or credentials in source or build artifacts
- [ ] Authentication, authorization, and input validation verified on public endpoints
- [ ] Network communication secured (TLS, signed webhooks, secret rotation as applicable)
- [ ] Abuse protection, rate limiting, or bot controls enabled where required
- [ ] Privacy policy and data handling compliance verified
- [ ] Backup and restore path validated for stateful systems
---
## 2. Product Readiness
### Functional Scope
- [ ] All launch-scope features implemented or explicitly deferred
- [ ] Critical user journeys tested end-to-end
- [ ] Admin, support, and internal operational workflows verified
- [ ] Billing, notifications, integrations, and webhooks tested if applicable
- [ ] Data import/export, retention, or deletion flows verified if applicable
- [ ] Release notes and known issues drafted
### UX, Content, and Localization
- [ ] All placeholder copy and visuals replaced
- [ ] All user-facing text proofread
- [ ] No hardcoded strings (all externalized for localization)
- [ ] All supported languages translated and verified
- [ ] Text fits UI in all supported languages
- [ ] Help content, onboarding, and empty states reviewed
- [ ] Customer-facing documentation links are current
---
## 3. Quality Assurance
### Testing
- [ ] Full regression test suite passed
- [ ] Zero Sev1 (Critical) bugs open
- [ ] Zero Sev2 (High/Major) bugs open, or documented exceptions with owner approval
- [ ] Smoke test passed in staging or release candidate environment
- [ ] User acceptance or stakeholder sign-off captured
- [ ] Edge cases tested (no network, expired session, low storage, rate limits, retries)
- [ ] Backup/restore or disaster recovery drill completed if applicable
### Accessibility and Compliance
- [ ] Accessibility basics covered for target surfaces
- [ ] Consent, privacy, and legal notices reviewed
- [ ] Audit logging or regulated workflow checks verified if required
- [ ] App store or platform policy requirements met, if applicable
### Performance and Reliability
- [ ] Response time or startup time within budget
- [ ] Memory and CPU usage within budget
- [ ] Queue lag, background jobs, and async workflows within targets
- [ ] No sustained error-rate spikes during release candidate soak window
- [ ] Capacity and scaling assumptions reviewed for launch traffic
---
## 4. Distribution and Customer-Facing Assets
### Release Assets
- [ ] Changelog complete and proofread
- [ ] Release notes complete and customer-appropriate
- [ ] Version numbers aligned across app, API, docs, and packaging
- [ ] Download links, package names, or deployment targets finalized
### Launch Communications
- [ ] Status page messaging prepared
- [ ] Customer announcement drafted
- [ ] In-app banner, modal, or changelog entry prepared if needed
- [ ] Support macros / FAQ updated
- [ ] Sales, customer success, and internal stakeholders briefed
### Public Metadata
- [ ] Marketing site or product page copy updated
- [ ] Screenshots or release visuals current
- [ ] Pricing, packaging, and plan entitlements verified
- [ ] App store listing metadata current, if applicable
---
## 5. Infrastructure
### Production Readiness
- [ ] Production infrastructure provisioned and sized for launch
- [ ] Database backups configured and restore tested
- [ ] CDN, cache invalidation, and asset delivery configured where applicable
- [ ] Feature flag rollout strategy documented
- [ ] Secrets and access reviews completed
- [ ] Deployment and rollback runbooks current
### Analytics and Monitoring
- [ ] Analytics pipeline verified and receiving expected events
- [ ] Crash reporting active and dashboard accessible
- [ ] Monitoring dashboards live for core technical andThe Accessibility Specialist ensures the software is accessible to the widest possible audience. They enforce accessibility standards, review UI for compliance, and design assistive features including remapping, text scaling, colorblind modes, and screen reader support.
The AI Programmer implements intelligent system features: recommendation engines, classification pipelines, LLM integrations, decision logic, and autonomous agent behavior. Use this agent for AI/ML feature implementation, model integration, intelligent automation, or AI system debugging.
The Analytics Engineer designs telemetry systems, user behavior tracking, A/B test frameworks, and data analysis pipelines. Use this agent for event tracking design, dashboard specification, A/B test design, or user behavior analysis methodology.
The Backend Developer builds and maintains server-side logic, APIs, databases, authentication, and integrations. Use this agent for REST/GraphQL API implementation, database operations, authentication systems, background jobs, microservices, server performance, and backend testing. Works from API design contracts and PRDs.
The Community Manager handles user-facing communications, feedback synthesis, support escalation, and community engagement. Use this agent for drafting release announcements, synthesizing user feedback into actionable insights, writing support documentation, or coordinating community-facing communication around releases and incidents.
The CTO (Chief Technical Officer) owns the high-level technical vision, architecture decisions, technology choices, and technical strategy. Use this agent for architecture-level decisions, technology evaluations, cross-system conflicts, and when a technical choice will constrain or enable product possibilities. This is the highest technical authority in the department.
The Data Engineer designs database schemas, builds data pipelines, manages migrations, and owns the data infrastructure. Use this agent for schema design, complex migrations, data modeling, ETL/ELT pipelines, database performance optimization, analytics infrastructure, and data integrity strategies.
The DevOps Engineer maintains build pipelines, CI/CD configuration, version control workflow, and deployment infrastructure. Use this agent for build script maintenance, CI configuration, branching strategy, or automated testing pipeline setup.