What to check before taking over an app business

Before a software handover, verify the code, accounts, operating costs and release process you will depend on. Turn missing access and unanswered technical questions into a written handover plan.

A working app is one part of a software business. To operate and develop it, you also need the source, connected services, accounts, data and knowledge required to keep it running.

Use a technical review to establish what exists, what is included in the transfer and what still needs resolving. The same checks apply to a mobile app with a backend, a web product or a business portal.

Build and run it from the repository

Ask a developer to follow the documented setup from a clean checkout and produce a working test version. Record the required configuration and access, with sensitive values handled through an agreed private process.

Compare that version with the product users receive. Investigate missing features, uncommitted changes or manual steps before accepting the handover. Keep a record of the exact version that was checked.

List the accounts and services you will need

Include the source repository, hosting, domain registration, app distribution, payments, email and other integrations the product uses. Record the account owner, required access and planned transfer for each item.

Confirm each provider’s current transfer process and restrictions. Moving a repository is a separate task from transferring a domain, a payment account or an app listing. Assign a person and a completion check to every required transfer.

Establish the source and rights of the included assets

Ask for an inventory of libraries, fonts, images, other licensed assets and contractor contributions. Collect the licences and agreements available for review, and identify missing records.

Have the relevant adviser confirm the rights and contractual arrangements needed for the transfer. The technical review should identify what the product contains and where the supporting documents are held.

Understand the data and operating costs

List the databases, uploaded files and external systems that hold information the product needs. Confirm how that information will remain available through the handover and how access responsibilities will change.

Check actual service bills and usage records with the seller. Record recurring services, usage-based charges and any limits relevant to the planned operation. Identify subscriptions held in personal accounts and the steps needed to replace or transfer them.

Demonstrate release and recovery

Ask someone to follow the release instructions and explain how a failed release would be handled. Verify a suitable restore in an isolated environment using the agreed data and access controls.

Review current defects, recent releases and planned dependency work. Record what was checked directly, what the seller supplied and what remains unknown. Use those findings to define the technical work needed after handover.

Define completion in writing

Your handover list should name each deliverable, responsible person and acceptance check. Include source access, transferred accounts, verified builds, documentation and any agreed support period.

Keep unresolved items visible until they are completed or explicitly dealt with in the agreement. A technical review gives you evidence for that discussion and a plan for operating the software.

I can help with a software review before the handover.

You can also ask me to take over continued development once the scope and access are agreed.

Discuss the handover if you need help checking the current setup or planning the next stage.