Website Deployment Process

A general website deployment checklist. This check list should cover the deployment of most website classes.

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Assumptions
3. Preflight Checks
4. Deployment
   • Method 1. Git Deployment
   • Method 2. FTP Deployment
5. Post Deployment
6. End.

1. Introduction

2. Assumptions

1. You are using git as version control for all projects.

3. Preflight Checks

This section walks through the steps we take before deploying any website.

1. [___] Get client hosting information
2. [___] Go through QA Checklist
3. [___] Git Merge to Staging
4. [___] Note all URLS/paths that will need changing when live ( the odd static url )
5. [___] Backup everything
6. [___] Backup local/dev DB
7. [___] Backup local/dev site
8. [___] Backup Remote/existing DB
9. [___] Backup Remote/existing site
10. [___] Develop Deployment Plan.
11. [___] Develop Production QA Plan.
12. [___] Discuss Deployment Plan with key stakeholders.
13. [___] If possible, set live site to maintenance mode.
14. [___] Notify key stakeholders that deployment is in process.

4. Deployment

This section walks through the steps we take to deploy a website. We describe two main methods of deploying to a production server. Always strive for Method 1.

1. [___] Import DB
2. [___] git branch to a release (release/name)
3. [___] git merge to master branch

Method 1. Git Deployment

TODO

Method 2. FTP Deployment (with SSH)

1. [___] Remove any gulp/grunt assets (node_modules, .sass-cache, bower assets)
2. [___] zip/archive local site.
3. [___] ftp zipped archive to remote.
4. [___] SSH into remote location.
5. [___] unpack/extract archive.
6. [___] Set permissions.
7. [___] Update configuration (if applicable).
8. [___] Check if its working.
9. [___] Update paths/URLs where applicable.

5. Post Deployment

This section walks through the steps we take once the website has been deployed successfully.

1. [___] execute Production QA Plan.
2. [___] Add Google Analytics.
3. [___] Add new property on google analytics site.
4. [___] Add universal analytics tracking code to template pages.
5. [___] Add Webmaster Tools.
6. [___] Add site to webmaster tools.
7. [___] Verify site with google analytics.
8. [___] Verify sitemap.xml.
9. [___] Add sitemap.xml.

6. End.

1. [___] Get client sign off.
2. [___] Have a cold beer.
3. [___] Smoke cigar.
4. [___] Repeat 6.2 & 6.3 until you love yourself again.