The pre-launch QA checklist

Shipping a website, app or online store is the moment everything gets tested at once - by real users, in public. This is the pass an experienced QA specialist runs before that happens, grouped so you can work through it in an afternoon. It applies to marketing sites, SaaS apps and e-commerce stores alike - skip the sections that don't apply to you.

1. Core user journeys

Start with the flows that make or break the launch. For each one, complete it end to end as a real user would, on a real device:

• Sign-up and log-in, including password reset and social/SSO login
• The primary conversion path (checkout, booking, demo request, subscribe)
• Navigation: every header, footer and in-content link resolves - no 404s
• Search and filtering return sensible results, including for no-match queries
• Any account or dashboard area loads with real data, not placeholders

2. Forms and data

Forms are where launches quietly fail. Test each form for both success and failure:

• Required-field validation fires with a clear message, not a silent no-op
• Invalid input (bad email, wrong format) is caught and explained
• Submissions actually arrive - check the inbox, CRM or database, not just the thank-you screen
• Confirmation email or message is sent and reads correctly
• Double-submit and slow-network states don't create duplicates

3. Checkout and payments (e-commerce)

• A full purchase with a real (test) card completes and is recorded
• Discount codes, gift cards and free-shipping thresholds apply correctly
• Taxes and shipping calculate for domestic and international addresses
• A declined card shows a helpful error, not a dead end
• Order confirmation email contains the right items, totals and address

4. Mobile and responsive

• Every key page works on a real phone, not just a resized browser
• Tap targets are big enough and nothing overlaps or gets cut off
• Menus, modals and forms are usable on a small screen
• No horizontal scroll or text that overflows its container

5. Cross-browser

Check the main flows in the browsers your audience actually uses - typically Chrome, Safari (desktop and iOS), Firefox and Edge. Safari is where most surprises hide.

6. Accessibility basics

• Every interactive element is reachable and operable with the keyboard alone
• Visible focus states are present so keyboard users can see where they are
• Images have meaningful alt text; form fields have real labels
• Colour contrast passes for body text and buttons
• A screen reader announces headings, links and form errors sensibly

7. Performance and technical SEO

• Pages load fast on a mid-range phone and a throttled connection
• No console errors or failed network requests on load
• Each page has a unique title and meta description
• robots.txt, sitemap.xml and canonical tags are correct
• Social preview (Open Graph) image and text render when the link is shared

8. Content and trust

• No lorem ipsum, broken images or placeholder copy left in
• Legal pages (privacy, terms) exist and links work
• Contact details and business information are correct
• Analytics is installed and actually recording visits

After you fix: re-check

A fix in one place can break another. Before you call it done, re-run the flows you changed and the ones that touch them. A short second pass catches the regressions that a first pass creates.