MVP to Production: The Complete Checklist for Vibe Coded Apps

Your vibe coded app works on your screen. But production means real users with real data and real expectations. It means someone will try to break it, enter unexpected data, use it on a slow connection, and find every edge case your AI tool didn't consider. This checklist covers the gaps that separate a working demo from a production-ready app.

Move all API keys and secrets to environment variables. Enable authentication on all private routes. Add input validation on every form and API endpoint. Enable Supabase Row-Level Security if using Supabase. Remove any hardcoded credentials from source code. Set up CORS to only allow your domain. Add rate limiting to login and signup endpoints. Review which data is exposed to the client - check Network tab in DevTools.

Add error boundaries so the whole app doesn't crash when one component fails. Show user-friendly error messages instead of technical stack traces. Handle empty states (what does the page look like with no data?). Handle loading states (show skeletons or spinners during data fetches). Handle offline/slow network gracefully. Test with different screen sizes.

Replace all mock/seed data with real data handling. Add database indexes on columns you query frequently. Set up database backups. Add pagination for lists that could grow large. Validate data on write (don't trust the client). Set up a staging database separate from production so testing doesn't affect real users.

Run Lighthouse and fix critical issues. Optimize images (use next/image or similar). Add lazy loading for below-the-fold content. Remove unused dependencies (check bundle size). Add caching headers for static assets. Test with throttled network in DevTools to simulate real-world conditions.

Set up CI/CD so changes deploy automatically from git. Configure custom domain with SSL. Set up error monitoring (Sentry, LogRocket, or similar). Set up uptime monitoring. Add analytics to understand user behavior. Create a staging environment for testing changes before they go live. Document environment variables so you can set up new environments.

Test the complete user journey end-to-end. Have someone who hasn't seen the app try to use it. Test payment flows with Stripe test mode. Verify emails are sending and not going to spam. Check all links work. Verify SEO basics (title tags, descriptions, OG images). Make sure your terms of service and privacy policy are in place if you handle user data.