Release readiness checklist

Use this before a release, deploy, or go/no-go meeting.

What is in the release

List every change in the release: pull request, owner, and a one-line summary. Flag database migrations, config changes, new dependencies, feature flags, and anything that changes a public API or stored data.

Evidence of testing

For each change record what was tested, where, and the link to the run or note. Mark each as tested, partly tested, or not tested. List open bugs that ship with the release and who accepted them. Only count a check as passed if you saw the result.

Rollback and sign-off

• How to roll back each risky change, and how long it takes.
• Whether a migration can be reversed, and what happens to new data.
• What to watch after the release: metrics, logs, and alerts.
• Who is on call.
• Who signs off, and the go/no-go call with its reasons.

Return the checklist with every gap listed first.

Never mark a check passed or a release ready without evidence. Do not deploy, tag, merge, or skip a check; the release owner makes the call.