Launching an app is like opening a restaurant—you only get one chance to make a great first impression. A rushed launch with missing requirements, security vulnerabilities, or poor performance can destroy months of development work and damage your brand reputation.
We've seen countless apps get rejected from app stores or receive devastating reviews because founders skipped critical pre-launch steps. The good news? Most launch failures are completely preventable with proper preparation.
This comprehensive checklist covers everything you need to verify before submitting your app. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth launch, positive reviews, and sustainable growth from day one.
1
STORE REQUIREMENTS & COMPLIANCE
App Store Metadata Requirements
📱 iOS App Store
- • App name (30 characters max)
- • Subtitle (30 characters max)
- • Keywords (100 characters max)
- • Description (4000 characters max)
- • Screenshots (6.5", 6.7", 12.9" sizes)
- • App preview video (optional)
- • App icon (1024x1024px)
🤖 Google Play Store
- • App title (50 characters max)
- • Short description (80 characters max)
- • Full description (4000 characters max)
- • Screenshots (phone, tablet, TV)
- • Feature graphic (1024x500px)
- • App icon (512x512px)
- • Content rating questionnaire
Legal Documents Checklist
Privacy Policy: Required for all apps, must be accessible via URL
Terms of Service: Legal agreement outlining app usage terms
Data Deletion Policy: Required for GDPR compliance and app store guidelines
Age Rating & Content Guidelines
⚠️ Important: Complete age rating questionnaires accurately. Incorrect ratings can lead to app removal or restricted distribution.
2
TECHNICAL READINESS
App Signing & Certificates
# iOS Certificate Setup
# 1. Create App ID in Apple Developer Console
# 2. Generate Distribution Certificate
# 3. Create Provisioning Profile for App Store
# Flutter iOS build configuration
flutter build ios --release --no-codesign
# Then sign in Xcode with proper certificates
# Android Signing Setup
# 1. Generate keystore file
keytool -genkey -v -keystore ~/key.jks -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000 -alias key
# 2. Configure android/key.properties
storePassword=your_store_password
keyPassword=your_key_password
keyAlias=key
storeFile=../key.jks
# 3. Update android/app/build.gradle
signingConfigs {
release {
keyAlias keystoreProperties['keyAlias']
keyPassword keystoreProperties['keyPassword']
storeFile file(keystoreProperties['storeFile'])
storePassword keystoreProperties['storePassword']
}
}
buildTypes {
release {
signingConfig signingConfigs.release
}
}Backend Configuration
Environment Variables: Separate development, staging, and production configs
API Endpoints: Verify all endpoints point to production servers
Database Migrations: Run and test all production database migrations
API Security Checklist
HTTPS enabled for all API endpoints
API rate limiting implemented
Authentication tokens properly secured
Input validation and sanitization enabled
3
PERFORMANCE & SECURITY
Performance Benchmarking
⚡ Performance Targets
- • App launch time: <3 seconds
- • Screen transitions: <300ms
- • Memory usage: <100MB
- • Battery drain: Minimal impact
- • Network requests: <5 seconds
🔒 Security Audit
- • Data encryption at rest
- • Secure data transmission
- • Authentication security
- • API vulnerability scan
- • Code obfuscation enabled
Error Handling & Monitoring
// Flutter error handling setup
import 'package:firebase_crashlytics/firebase_crashlytics.dart';
void main() async {
WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
// Initialize Firebase Crashlytics
await Firebase.initializeApp();
// Catch Flutter framework errors
FlutterError.onError = (errorDetails) {
FirebaseCrashlytics.instance.recordFlutterFatalError(errorDetails);
};
// Catch async errors
PlatformDispatcher.instance.onError = (error, stack) {
FirebaseCrashlytics.instance.recordError(error, stack, fatal: true);
return true;
};
runApp(MyApp());
}
// Global error boundary
class ErrorBoundary extends StatelessWidget {
final Widget child;
const ErrorBoundary({required this.child});
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
builder: (context, widget) {
ErrorWidget.builder = (FlutterErrorDetails errorDetails) {
return CustomErrorWidget(errorDetails: errorDetails);
};
return widget!;
},
home: child,
);
}
}4
TESTING & QUALITY ASSURANCE
Cross-Device Testing Matrix
📱 iOS Testing
- • iPhone SE (small screen)
- • iPhone 15 (standard)
- • iPhone 15 Pro Max (large)
- • iPad (tablet layout)
- • iPad Pro (large tablet)
- • iOS 16, 17, 18 versions
🤖 Android Testing
- • Samsung Galaxy S series
- • Google Pixel devices
- • OnePlus flagship models
- • Budget Android devices
- • Tablet form factors
- • Android 12, 13, 14 versions
Network & Edge Case Testing
Network Conditions: Test on WiFi, 4G, 3G, and offline scenarios
Orientation Changes: Verify portrait and landscape modes work correctly
Background/Foreground: Test app behavior when backgrounded and restored
User Acceptance Testing
💡 Pro Tip: Recruit 10-20 beta testers who match your target audience. Fresh eyes often catch issues developers miss after months of development.
5
ANALYTICS & MONITORING
Essential Analytics Setup
// Firebase Analytics setup
import 'package:firebase_analytics/firebase_analytics.dart';
class AnalyticsService {
static FirebaseAnalytics analytics = FirebaseAnalytics.instance;
// Track key user events
static Future<void> trackAppOpen() async {
await analytics.logAppOpen();
}
static Future<void> trackScreenView(String screenName) async {
await analytics.logScreenView(screenName: screenName);
}
static Future<void> trackUserAction(String action, Map<String, dynamic> parameters) async {
await analytics.logEvent(name: action, parameters: parameters);
}
static Future<void> trackPurchase(double value, String currency, String itemId) async {
await analytics.logPurchase(
currency: currency,
value: value,
parameters: {'item_id': itemId},
);
}
static Future<void> setUserProperties(String userId, Map<String, String> properties) async {
await analytics.setUserId(id: userId);
for (var entry in properties.entries) {
await analytics.setUserProperty(name: entry.key, value: entry.value);
}
}
}
// Usage in app
class HomeScreen extends StatefulWidget {
@override
_HomeScreenState createState() => _HomeScreenState();
}
class _HomeScreenState extends State<HomeScreen> {
@override
void initState() {
super.initState();
AnalyticsService.trackScreenView('home_screen');
}
void _onButtonPressed() {
AnalyticsService.trackUserAction('button_pressed', {
'button_name': 'get_started',
'screen': 'home',
});
}
}Push Notification Testing
Test notification delivery on both platforms
Verify deep linking from notifications works
Test notification permissions flow
Payment Flow Verification
Test successful payment scenarios
Test failed payment handling
Verify receipt validation works
COMMON PITFALLS TO AVOID
Missing Metadata: Incomplete app store listings delay approval
Inadequate Testing: Testing only on flagship devices misses issues
Backend Scaling: Development servers can't handle launch traffic
Privacy Oversights: Missing privacy policies cause immediate rejection
No Error Monitoring: Can't fix issues you can't see
Rushed Timeline: Allow 2-7 days for app store review
YOUR FINAL PRE-LAUNCH CHECKLIST
📋 Store Submission
- All metadata completed
- Screenshots optimized
- Privacy policy published
- Age rating completed
- App signed correctly
🔧 Technical Verification
- Production backend ready
- Security audit passed
- Cross-device testing done
- Analytics implemented
- Error monitoring active
HOW ONON TECHNOLOGY ENSURES SUCCESSFUL LAUNCHES
We've launched over 50 apps successfully. Our comprehensive pre-launch process ensures your app meets all requirements and launches without issues.
Complete Compliance Review
Security & Performance Audits
Comprehensive Device Testing
Analytics & Monitoring Setup
Production Environment Setup
Launch Day Support
