Introduction

Launching an app is an exciting milestone, but it can be very stressful so you have to make sure everything is in place for a smooth release. Here's our checklist to help you prepare your app for launch, covering all important aspects like notifications, security, and analytics. This guide will help your app stay robust, secure, and ready to provide an excellent user experience.

The 11 essential steps before launch

1. Notifications

2. Dynamic links

3. Mandatory updates

4. Security Rules / RLS rules

5. Storage security

6. Crashlytics

7. Remove unnecessary junk

8. UI consistency

9. Secure API calls

10. Add analytics tracking

11. Move processes to the backend 

Now, let's dive deeper into each of these steps.

1. Notifications

Ensure your notification system is fully functional. This includes push notifications for user engagement and critical updates. Imagine your user Michelle, who might forget about items in her cart. A timely push notification can remind her to complete her purchase, increasing your conversion rates.

We have a guide on advanced notifications inside FlutterFlow with a Firebase backend here.

2. Dynamic links

Implement dynamic links for deep linking within your app. These links enable you to have a decent user experience by directing users to specific content or features directly, even if they don't have the app installed. Think of dynamic links as giving your users a VIP pass straight to the content they care about. Also, they help you lead your user to the correct store or website.

3. Mandatory updates

Use this trick so that your app can handle mandatory updates to keep users on the latest version. If you've just rolled out a critical feature or security patch, you want to make sure everyone is using it. Check out our blog on creating mandatory updates to learn how to implement this feature effectively.

4. Security Rules / RLS rules

Set up comprehensive security rules for your database. For Firestore, check that read and write rules are in place. If using Supabase, configure Row-Level Security (RLS) to protect your data. Picture a safe deposit box – only authorized users should have the key to access the data. We made a guide on how to configure you Firebase Security Rules so you can check that out here.

5. Storage security

Secure your storage solutions. You must guarantee that user-uploaded files are only accessible to authorized users and that sensitive data is encrypted. Just like you wouldn't leave your valuables out in the open, don't leave your data unprotected. 

6. Crashlytics

Make sure Crashlytics is integrated and monitoring your app for errors. Ensure that Crashlytics shows zero errors during testing to catch and fix issues before launch. It's like having a mechanic check your car before along road trip ‚Äì you want everything running smoothly. 

7. Remove unnecessary code and components

Clean up your codebase by removing any unnecessary code, components, and pages. This reduces app size, improves performance, and helps with maintainability. Think of it as decluttering your home – it makes everything more efficient and pleasant to use.

8. UI consistency

Always make sure all UI elements follow your design guidelines. Consistency in design improves user experience. If you need a UI kit, check out our Professional UI Kit in the marketplace. A consistent UI is like a well-coordinated outfit ‚Äì it just looks and feels better. 

9. Secure API calls

Make sure all API calls are secure (even the ones you don't think need to be secure). Do this by going to your API calls inside FlutterFlow and pressing on Advanced Settings and toggling on the Make Private property. This prevents unauthorized access and protects data integrity. It's like putting a lock on your front door! 

10. Add analytics tracking

Integrate analytics to track user behavior and app performance. Use the following:

• Google analytics: track events and user interactions. Use the Google Analytics Event action inside FlutterFlow to track the user journey as much as possible.

• META SDK or AppsFlyer: for tracking your marketing spend. If you plan to market on META, definitely integrate their SDK to help you track what posts users react to most, how much your marketing spend is actually generating you, etc.

• Additional collections/tables: set up collections/tables in your database to track specific user actions. You can have multiple of these and constantly load them with data so you can track user journeys manually. 

Imagine you notice a lot of users dropping off at the payment page. With proper analytics, you can identify this issue and make necessary adjustments, ensuring more users complete their purchases.

11. Move processes to the backend

Move as many processes to the backend as possible. This includes data processing, notification management, email management and any other critical operations. Backend processing helps with reliability, security and speed. 

Conclusion

By following this checklist, you can lower the pre-launch stress as much as possible. If you check off all these items, your app is ready for launch and ready to provide a smooth, secure, and engaging experience for your users. Pay attention to each aspect to avoid common pitfalls and make your app stand out.