Indie Product Launch Checklist for Developers

What this checklist is

A practical checklist for developers turning a side project into a product people pay for. It covers validating the problem before building, cutting the first version down to something you can ship, a landing page that explains the product, taking payments and the basics of sales tax and income tax, privacy and terms pages, simple analytics, choosing launch channels, supporting your first users and iterating from what they do. It is practical guidance, not legal or tax advice.

It has 8 chapters and 36 checks, each with how to verify it and how much it matters. For developers launching a side project or indie product.

Chapter by chapter

1. Validate the problem first (4 checks)

Before building more, check that a specific group of people has the problem badly enough to change what they do, and ideally to pay.

2. Scope the first version (5 checks)

Ship the smallest version that solves the core problem well. Everything else waits until users ask for it.

3. Landing page and positioning (5 checks)

One page that explains who the product is for, what it does and why it is worth trying, honestly and quickly.

4. Payments and tax basics (5 checks)

Taking money brings responsibilities: sales tax or VAT on what you sell, income tax on what you earn, and handling refunds and disputes. Learn the basics before your first sale.

5. Privacy, terms and legal pages (4 checks)

Most products need a privacy notice and terms of use. Write them for your actual product, and keep them accurate as it changes.

6. Measure what matters (4 checks)

You need a few numbers to learn from your launch: where people come from, whether they reach the core job, and whether they come back or pay.

7. Choose launch channels (4 checks)

Launch where your users already are. A focused launch in the right places beats a broad announcement nobody relevant sees.

8. Support users and iterate (5 checks)

After launch, your job is to help early users succeed, learn from what they do, and improve the product in small steps.

How it works on Sefism

The checklist is one page: each check has a severity (must, should or nice to have) and a concrete way to verify it, and members can tick checks off as they go. The opening chapters are open to everyone. Adding it to your account uses credits, opens every chapter and keeps your progress.

Every claim is checked against the sources listed on the page (8 cited).