Developer Checklists

Initialize a Git repository and make an initial commit

Add a .gitignore for your stackExclude node_modules/, .env, build output, and editor files.

Write a README with setup stepsInstall, run, test, and any required environment variables.

Add a .env.example with placeholder valuesNever commit the real .env file.

Choose a license if the project is public

Create the remote repository and pushgit remote add origin <url>, then git push -u origin main.

Turn on branch protection for mainRequire pull requests and passing checks before merge, for shared projects.

Set up a linter and formattere.g. ESLint + Prettier, or Ruff/Black for Python.

Add a basic CI workflowAt minimum: install dependencies and run tests on every push.

Commit the lockfilepackage-lock.json / yarn.lock / poetry.lock — ensures reproducible installs.

Set up secret management for the environmentNever hardcode API keys or credentials in source.

Set up an issue tracker or project board if working with others

New Project Setup