Website Launch Performance Checklist
Pre-launch checklist to ensure your website performs optimally from day one. Covers hosting, assets, caching, and monitoring.
Hosting
0/5Choose appropriate hosting
highSelect hosting based on your traffic needs and technology stack
Configure CDN
highSet up a CDN to serve static assets from edge locations
Enable HTTPS
highSecure your site with SSL/TLS certificate
Enable HTTP/2 or HTTP/3
mediumEnsure your server supports modern protocols
Set up redirects
mediumConfigure www/non-www and HTTP/HTTPS redirects
Assets
0/5Compress all images
highOptimize every image before uploading
Minify CSS and JavaScript
highRemove whitespace and comments from production files
Enable Gzip/Brotli compression
highConfigure server to compress text-based assets
Remove unused CSS
mediumAudit and remove CSS rules not used on any page
Remove unused JavaScript
mediumTree-shake and remove dead code from bundles
Caching
0/3Configure browser caching
highSet appropriate Cache-Control headers for static assets
Set up page caching
highEnable full-page caching for static or semi-static pages
Configure cache invalidation
mediumPlan how to purge cache when content updates
Monitoring
0/5Set up Real User Monitoring
mediumTrack actual user performance with RUM tools
Configure uptime monitoring
highSet up alerts for site downtime
Run Lighthouse audit
highTest all critical pages and fix issues before launch
Test on mobile devices
highVerify performance on actual mobile devices
Set performance budgets
mediumDefine acceptable thresholds for key metrics
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I run performance tests before launch?+
Test throughout development, but do a final comprehensive audit at least a week before launch. This gives you time to fix issues without rushing.
Do I need a CDN for a small website?+
Yes, even small websites benefit from a CDN. Many offer free tiers (Cloudflare, BunnyCDN) and provide significant performance improvements with minimal setup.
How do I test mobile performance?+
Use Chrome DevTools device emulation for quick tests, but also test on real devices. Lighthouse mobile mode throttles CPU and network to simulate mid-tier devices.
Test Your Progress
Run a speed test to see how your optimizations have improved your Core Web Vitals.