Static launch checklist

This is the checklist I use when I want a static-first site to stay fast, accessible, and easy to maintain.

Content & IA

  • One clear purpose per page (what it is + who it’s for).
  • Navigation matches audience tasks (not internal org structure).
  • Every page has a “next step” link (don’t dead-end people).

Accessibility (baseline)

  • Headings in order (H1 → H2 → H3), no jumps.
  • Contrast passes on all text, especially over images.
  • Keyboard-only navigation works (Tab/Shift+Tab/Enter/Escape).
  • Focus states are visible (don’t remove outlines without replacing them).

Performance (no tricks)

  • Images sized correctly, compressed, and lazy-loaded where appropriate.
  • Minimize third-party scripts; defer anything non-critical.
  • CSS is tokenized; avoid huge unused frameworks.

Security & privacy

  • Prefer no forms unless needed; if needed, use a narrow endpoint/service.
  • Avoid tracking you don’t need. If you must measure, use privacy-friendly analytics.
  • Set sensible security headers at the edge (CSP where feasible).

SEO & sharing

  • sitemap.xml and robots.txt exist and are correct.
  • OpenGraph/Twitter tags are present (nice share cards).
  • Canonical URLs are set when content overlaps across sites.

Operations / handoff

  • Deployment is documented in the repo (one page, step-by-step).
  • A new maintainer can change content without learning a framework.
  • Backups exist for any non-static content (if applicable).

If you want this as a one-page “go/no-go” sheet, I can generate a printable PDF version later.