Manual launch checklist (customization and go-live)

Use this before you call the site “ready.” It covers replacing dummy content, branding, security, and infrastructure decisions only you can make.

1. Gallery content and media (replace all dummy data)

Create or edit your gallery manifest — Run npm run init:custom once, then edit the gitignored src/data/gallery.json (copied from src/data/gallery.defaults.json). If you skip that, the app uses the committed defaults file only. Every entry must match GalleryAsset in src/types/gallery.ts (ids, scrubbedUrl, dimensions, blurDataUrl, collection, tags, copy fields, alt).
Swap SVG illustrations for real scrubbed images
Default scrubbedUrl values point at public/gallery/*.svg. Replace with paths to your real files (e.g. /gallery/my-photo.webp, /gallery/user/photo.webp, or a CDN URL). You can delete unused SVGs from public/gallery/ when nothing references them. Optional local-only assets: public/gallery/user/ (gitignored contents; keep .gitkeep).
Set accurate width and height for each asset (layout and aspect ratio depend on them).
Regenerate blurDataUrl for each image (tiny LQIP/blur-up). The current values are simple inline SVG data URLs sized to match each dummy asset.
Optional: add scrubbedSrcSet and sizes on entries that use responsive variants (e.g. Cloudflare Images). Omit if you use a single URL per asset.
Write honest alt text for accessibility and SEO (not generic “photo”).
Align tags and dates with how you want filtering and captions to read; tags drive the filter chips in the UI.

Decide final collection names
Allowed values today are fixed in src/types/gallery.ts (Collection type) and mirrored in src/components/GalleryFilterBar.vue. If you rename or add collections, update both plus every collection field in gallery.json.
Document your tag vocabulary (even informally) so future imports stay consistent with the chip UI.

index.html — Update <title>, meta description, and theme-color if you change palette.
src/components/AppHeader.vue — Site title in the header.
src/views/GalleryView.vue — Main gallery heading and subtitle (“The Infinite Sanctuary” / Encinitas line).
src/App.vue — Footer line (“Seaside Sanctuary - Encinitas coast” or equivalent).
package.json — name field still says seaside-sanctuary; align with your npm/project identity if it matters to you.
README.md — Project title and description for contributors or future you.

tailwind.config.js — moonlight, meyer, succulent, seafoam and font stacks (Playfair Display, Source Sans 3). Swap fonts in index.html Google Fonts link and here if you change typography.
public/favicon.svg — Replace with your mark.
OG / social preview — Not present today; add meta tags in index.html (or a small plugin) if you care about link previews.

Production admin access — Set VITE_ADMIN_ACCESS_KEY in your real env (see .env.example). In production builds, /admin redirects away unless ?key= matches. Pick a long random value; never commit it.
Prefer edge/network controls — Treat the query key as a thin gate only; typical secure-gallery PRDs assume Tunnel / IP / Worker rules for real protection. Decide and implement those outside this repo.
Implementation notes — Template: docs/IMPLEMENTATION_DECISIONS.example.md. After npm run init:custom, edit gitignored docs/IMPLEMENTATION_DECISIONS.md with your real hosting, storage, privacy, and AI provider choices.
Replace mock vision — src/features/admin/vision.ts and the admin store only expose a mock provider today. When you add Gemini/OpenAI/Ollama, wire keys server-side for production; do not ship real API keys in the client bundle.
Admin copy — src/views/AdminWorkbenchView.vue intro text still describes a scaffold; align with your real workflow.

Real pipeline — src/features/admin/ingestion.ts drafts are illustrative (object URLs, placeholder dimensions). Replace with server-side upload, EXIF handling, scrubbing, and storage per BACKLOG.md.
“Preserve metadata” toggle — Decide policy; today it is UI state only until a backend enforces it.

Host — Cloudflare Pages, Vercel, or other; connect repo, set build command (npm run build), output directory dist, Node version (see .nvmrc).
Domain and HTTPS — Point DNS; confirm TLS and redirects (www vs apex).
Environment variables — Set VITE_ADMIN_ACCESS_KEY (and any future VITE_*) in the host’s dashboard for production builds only as appropriate.
CI — .github/workflows/ci.yml runs on PRs; enable branch protection if you want required checks.

Privacy policy / terms — Add pages or external links if you collect data or use third-party AI.
Analytics — Add only if you want them; not in the app today.
Contact or about — Add if visitors need a way to reach you.

E2E smoke test — tests/e2e/gallery-smoke.spec.ts asserts the exact gallery heading text. If you rename it, update the test.
Run locally before deploy

npm run check
npx playwright install chromium   # once per machine
npm run test:e2e

What you change	Primary files
All photos and metadata	`src/data/gallery.json` (local override) or `src/data/gallery.defaults.json`; files under `public/` (e.g. `public/gallery/user/`) or your CDN
Collection list	`src/types/gallery.ts`, `src/components/GalleryFilterBar.vue`, every asset in your active manifest
Site name / hero copy	`index.html`, `AppHeader.vue`, `GalleryView.vue`, `App.vue`
Colors / fonts	`tailwind.config.js`, `index.html` (fonts), `src/assets/main.css` if used
Admin gate secret	`.env` (local), host env vars (prod), `.env.example` (placeholder name only)

When every item you care about is checked off for your launch bar, you are in good shape to ship.