CMS pages, filters and slugs
Here are the key things to get right. None of them are complicated on their own, but skipping one tends to undermine the rest.
- Check the record has a valid unique slug.
- Confirm the field is connected to the correct collection.
- Preview more than one record, including an empty optional field.
- Check filters use consistent values and pagination has stable sorting.
Forms and emails
A successful form animation does not prove delivery. Confirm the submission appears in the configured destination, inspect the email address and spam folder, then test webhook or automation logs. Never expose private API keys in custom code.
Domains, redirects and publishing
Work through these steps in order. Each one builds on the last, so resist skipping ahead even if a step feels familiar.
- Confirm DNS records point to the intended project and allow propagation time.
- Open the HTTPS domain and check the certificate and canonical host.
- Test old URLs individually and confirm redirects do not loop.
- Publish a small change and verify the live response, not just the editor status.
Fonts and performance
Use one reliable font loading strategy, check that the live page requests the expected files and remove oversized or unused assets. If an animation causes jank, reduce simultaneous movement before removing the whole interaction.
Pre-launch checklist for CMS and forms
The list below breaks this down into the parts that matter most. Read through each one and note anything that applies to your own setup.
- Every CMS collection has at least one published, non-draft record used in a live test.
- Every form has a confirmed successful test submission received at its real destination.
- Redirects for every retired URL are mapped and tested individually.
- The domain shows a valid certificate on both the root and www version.
- 404 and error pages are set and tested rather than left as defaults.
Warning signs before a client handover
Before making changes, work through the points below. Each one covers a different part of the picture, so treat them as a set rather than picking favourites.
- A CMS field renders empty on any record, which usually means a mismatched field type.
- A form submits without any visible confirmation, which risks users submitting twice.
- A redirect chain has more than one hop, which slows the page and can break SEO signals.
- Fonts flash or swap visibly on load, which points to an unoptimised loading strategy.