PhotoSwipe Pro - Deployment Readiness Checklist

Executive Summary

Current Status: 🟡 NOT READY for production deployment
Completion: ~40% (core functionality built, monetization incomplete)

📋 Deployment Readiness Assessment

✅ What's Ready (Built & Tested)

Core Pro Features

✅ AI captioning engine (OpenRouter integration)
✅ Local license validation with 14-day offline grace
✅ Remote license validation (server-side)
✅ ImageObject schema generation for SEO
✅ Provider-agnostic architecture (SOLID principles)
✅ 29 unit/integration tests (100% passing)
✅ Mock mode for development/demos
✅ API server with license & AI endpoints
✅ Demo website with live AI captioning showcase
✅ License panel UI component

Documentation

✅ Architecture documentation
✅ Testing summary
✅ Development commands guide
✅ Lemon Squeezy integration proposal

❌ What's Missing (Blockers for Launch)

🔴 CRITICAL - Payment & License Delivery System

1. Lemon Squeezy Product Setup

Status: ❌ Not configured
What's needed:

Create Lemon Squeezy account
Set up product(s):
- PhotoSwipe Pro - Site License ($99/year)
- PhotoSwipe Pro - Agency License ($299/year)
- PhotoSwipe Pro - Enterprise License ($999/year)
Configure license key generation in LS dashboard
Set up webhook endpoint for license activation
Add LEMON_SQUEEZY_API_KEY to production environment
Add LEMON_SQUEEZY_STORE_ID and LEMON_SQUEEZY_PRODUCT_ID

Current state: Backend code exists but no real LS product configured

2. Checkout Page Integration

Status: ❌ Incomplete
Location: demo-docs-website/src/pages/checkout.mdx

What's missing:

Lemon Squeezy checkout embed/button
Product selection UI (Site/Agency/Enterprise)
Pricing table with feature comparison
Payment form integration
Success/failure redirect handling
VAT/tax calculation for EU customers

Current state: Static page exists, no payment integration

3. License Delivery Workflow

Status: ❌ Not built

What's needed:

User pays → LS generates license key → Email sent → User activates → Pro features unlock

Missing pieces:

Email template with license key + installation instructions
Webhook handler to process successful payments
Customer portal for license management
License key lookup/recovery system
Activation tracking (how many sites using this key?)

Current state: No automated delivery system

4. Private NPM Registry or Distribution

Status: ❌ Not set up

Options: A. Private NPM Registry (recommended for commercial)

Set up private npm scope (@photoswipe-pro)
Configure authentication via license key
Publish photoswipe-pro package
Add installation docs

B. GitHub Releases + ZIP (simpler, less professional)

Create private GitHub repo
Grant access to paying customers
Automate release builds
Provide download instructions

C. CDN with License-Gated Access (for hosted version)

Set up CDN (Cloudflare, AWS CloudFront)
Implement license key validation on CDN edge
Provide <script> tag for customers

Current state: Code exists in /src/pro/ but no distribution method

🟡 IMPORTANT - User Experience Gaps

5. Installation Documentation

Status: ❌ Incomplete
Location: docs/how-to-use-pro.md (needs expansion)

What customers need to know:

How to install the Pro package

# Option A: NPM (if we set up private registry)
npm install @photoswipe-pro/photoswipe-pro --registry=https://registry.photoswipe.pro

# Option B: Manual download
# Download from customer portal, extract, import

How to initialize with license key

import PhotoSwipe from '@photoswipe-pro/photoswipe-pro';
import { enableAiCaptions } from '@photoswipe-pro/ai-seo';

const pswp = new PhotoSwipe({
  licenseKey: 'pswp_prod_abc123...',
  // ... other options
});

// Enable AI captions
enableAiCaptions(pswp, {
  licenseKey: 'pswp_prod_abc123...',
  provider: 'openrouter', // or 'openai', 'anthropic'
  apiKey: 'your-ai-api-key'
});

Where to store the license key (env vars, config file, etc.)
How to configure AI provider (OpenRouter, OpenAI, etc.)
How to test it works (demo page, validation check)
Troubleshooting guide (common errors, solutions)

Current state: Basic docs exist, need real-world integration examples

6. Customer Portal

Status: ❌ Not built
Location: demo-docs-website/src/pages/customer-portal.mdx (placeholder)

What customers need:

Current state: Empty page with navbar link

7. License Validation UX

Status: ⚠️ Partial

What works:

✅ Local validation with grace period
✅ Server-side validation API
✅ Error messages for invalid keys

What's missing:

Clear error messages in production (not just "license_failed")
Friendly UI feedback when license expires
Renewal reminders before expiration
Offline mode indicator (showing grace period remaining)
Admin dashboard to view all active licenses

Current state: Backend works, frontend UX needs polish

🟢 NICE-TO-HAVE - Pre-Launch Improvements

8. AI Provider Configuration

Status: ⚠️ OpenRouter only

Current:

✅ OpenRouter integration working
✅ Configurable model selection
✅ Mock mode for testing

Missing:

OpenAI direct integration (alternative provider)
Anthropic Claude integration (alternative provider)
Google Gemini integration (alternative provider)
Customer-facing docs: "Which AI provider should I use?"
Cost calculator (estimated API costs per 1000 images)

Impact: Customers can only use OpenRouter initially (acceptable for MVP)

9. Production Deployment

Status: ❌ Not deployed

What's needed:

Current state: Runs locally only

10. Legal & Compliance

Status: ⚠️ Partial

What exists:

✅ LICENSE (AGPL for free version)
✅ LICENSE-commercial (commercial license template)

What's missing:

Terms of Service (TOS) page
Privacy Policy page
Refund policy (Lemon Squeezy default or custom?)
GDPR compliance statement (if selling to EU)
Cookie consent banner (if using analytics)
Data retention policy for license activations

Current state: Basic licenses exist, no customer-facing legal pages

11. Support & Customer Success

Status: ❌ Not set up

What's needed:

Support email (support@photoswipe-pro.example.com)
Ticketing system (Intercom, Zendesk, or simple email)
Knowledge base / FAQ
Migration guide from free to Pro
Video tutorials for installation
Slack/Discord community (optional)

Current state: Contact info is placeholder

🎯 End-to-End User Journey Assessment

Journey 1: Discovery → Purchase → Installation

Step 1: Discovery

URL: https://photoflowseo.com/pro
Status: ✅ Works locally
User sees:

Demo of AI captioning in action
Pricing comparison (Free vs Pro)
CTA button: "Buy Now — Starting at $99/year"

What works:

✅ Demo loads and shows AI captions
✅ License panel allows testing activation flow

What's missing:

❌ No actual checkout integration
❌ No testimonials/social proof
❌ No "See AI SEO guide" link content

Step 2: Purchase

URL: https://photoflowseo.com/checkout
Status: ❌ BLOCKER - Page exists but no payment

Expected flow:

User clicks "Buy Now" 
  → Checkout page loads
  → Selects license tier (Site/Agency/Enterprise)
  → Enters email, payment info
  → Lemon Squeezy processes payment
  → User redirected to success page
  → Email sent with license key + install instructions

Current state:

User clicks "Buy Now"
  → Checkout page loads
  → ❌ NO PAYMENT FORM
  → Dead end

Blocker: Need to integrate Lemon Squeezy checkout overlay or embed

Step 3: Receive License Key

Status: ❌ BLOCKER - No automated delivery

Expected:

Email arrives within seconds with:
- License key: pswp_prod_abc123...
- Installation instructions link
- Customer portal link to manage license
- Support contact info

Current state:

No email system configured
No Lemon Squeezy webhook handler
No automated delivery

Blocker: Need to set up LS webhooks + email template

Step 4: Download Pro Package

Status: ❌ BLOCKER - No distribution method

Expected (Option A - NPM):

# Customer runs this after receiving key
npm install @photoswipe-pro/photoswipe-pro

Expected (Option B - Download):

Log into customer portal
Click "Download v5.4.4"
Extract photoswipe-pro.zip
Copy to project

Current state:

No private NPM package published
No customer portal with download link
Code exists in /src/pro/ but unreachable to customers

Blocker: Must choose and implement distribution method

Step 5: Install in Project

Status: ⚠️ Partially documented

Expected: Customer follows guide at /how-to-use-pro:

// 1. Install (if NPM)
npm install @photoswipe-pro/photoswipe-pro

// 2. Import
import PhotoSwipe from '@photoswipe-pro/photoswipe-pro';
import { createAiSeoPlugin } from '@photoswipe-pro/photoswipe-pro/ai-seo';

// 3. Initialize with license key
const aiPlugin = createAiSeoPlugin({
  licenseKey: 'pswp_prod_abc123...',
  baseUrl: '/api/ai', // customer's own API proxy
  onSchema: (schema) => {
    // Inject ImageObject schema into page
    const script = document.createElement('script');
    script.type = 'application/ld+json';
    script.textContent = JSON.stringify(schema);
    document.head.appendChild(script);
  }
});

const pswp = new PhotoSwipe({
  // ... gallery options
});

pswp.on('afterInit', () => {
  aiPlugin.initialize(pswp);
});

What's missing:

❌ No clear instructions for setting up customer's own API proxy
❌ No example for Next.js, React, Vue, etc.
❌ No troubleshooting section
❌ No "verify it works" test script

Current state: Demo code exists, but customer-facing install docs are incomplete

Step 6: Configure AI Provider

Status: ⚠️ Partially documented

Expected: Customer needs to:

Get their own OpenRouter API key
Set up server-side proxy (to keep key secret)
Configure AI endpoint in Pro plugin

Current implementation:

// Customer's backend (e.g., Next.js API route)
// /pages/api/ai/caption.js
export default async function handler(req, res) {
  const { url, title, licenseKey } = req.body;
  
  // Validate license
  const licenseValid = await validateLicense(licenseKey);
  if (!licenseValid) return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Invalid license' });
  
  // Call AI provider
  const response = await fetch('https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/chat/completions', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.OPENROUTER_API_KEY}`,
      'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      model: 'openai/gpt-4o-mini',
      messages: [{ 
        role: 'user', 
        content: `Generate SEO alt text and caption for image: ${url}. Title: ${title}` 
      }]
    })
  });
  
  const data = await response.json();
  // Parse and return alt/caption
  res.json({ alt: '...', caption: '...' });
}

What's missing:

❌ No step-by-step guide for customer to set this up
❌ No ready-to-use API route templates for popular frameworks
❌ No explanation of why they need their own API key (cost, control)

Blocker: Customers won't know how to configure this without better docs

Step 7: Verify It Works

Status: ⚠️ No test suite for customers

Expected:

# Customer runs a test script
npx photoswipe-pro verify --license pswp_prod_abc123...

✅ License valid
✅ AI provider configured
✅ Schema generation working
✅ All systems operational

Current state:

No verification script
Customer must manually test in browser

Impact: Medium (customers can test manually, but poor UX)

Journey 2: Support & Renewals

Customer wants to upgrade (Site → Agency)

Status: ❌ No upgrade path

Expected:

Customer portal shows "Upgrade to Agency" button
Pays difference prorated
License key updated automatically

Current state: Must contact support (manual process)

Customer wants to cancel

Status: ⚠️ Via Lemon Squeezy

Expected:

Customer portal → "Cancel subscription"
License remains valid until end of billing period
No auto-renewal

Current state: Lemon Squeezy handles this, but no custom portal

License expires (1 year later)

Status: ⚠️ Partial

Expected:

30 days before: Email reminder to renew
On expiration: Pro features stop working
14-day grace period (offline grace)
Email: "Renew to continue using Pro"

Current state:

Grace period works in code
No email reminders configured

📊 Readiness Score by Category

Category	Status	Score	Blocker?
Core Pro Features	✅ Complete	100%	No
Testing	✅ Complete	100%	No
Payment Integration	❌ Missing	0%	YES
License Delivery	❌ Missing	0%	YES
Distribution Method	❌ Missing	0%	YES
Installation Docs	⚠️ Partial	40%	YES
Customer Portal	❌ Missing	0%	No
Production Hosting	❌ Missing	0%	YES
Legal Pages	⚠️ Partial	30%	No
Support System	❌ Missing	0%	No

Overall Readiness: 40%

🚀 Path to Launch - Prioritized Action Plan

Phase 1: Critical Blockers (1-2 weeks)

Goal: Enable payment → license delivery → installation

Week 1: Payment & Delivery

Set up Lemon Squeezy (2 days)
- Create products (Site/Agency/Enterprise)
- Configure license key generation
- Test checkout flow
- Get API keys
Integrate checkout page (1 day)
- Add Lemon Squeezy overlay to /checkout
- Configure pricing tiers
- Test successful purchase
Build license delivery webhook (2 days)
- Handle order_created webhook from LS
- Send email with license key + instructions
- Store activation in database (optional)
Set up email templates (1 day)
- Purchase confirmation with key
- Installation instructions
- Welcome email with support info

Week 2: Distribution & Installation

Choose distribution method (1 day)
- Decision: Private NPM vs GitHub vs CDN
- Set up chosen method
Build production package (2 days)
- Create photoswipe-pro package
- Include only /src/pro/ code
- Add license validation
- Publish to chosen distribution
Write customer installation guide (2 days)
- Step-by-step for Next.js, React, Vue, vanilla JS
- API proxy setup instructions
- AI provider configuration
- Troubleshooting section
Deploy to production (1 day)
- Deploy docs site to Vercel
- Deploy API server to Vercel Functions
- Configure environment variables
- Set up custom domain

Phase 2: User Experience (1 week)

Goal: Polish customer journey

Build customer portal (3 days)
- Login with email/license key
- View/manage licenses
- Download Pro package
- Basic billing management
Improve license validation UX (1 day)
- Better error messages
- Expiration warnings
- Grace period indicator
Add legal pages (1 day)
- Terms of Service
- Privacy Policy
- Refund policy
Set up support email (1 day)
- Configure support@photoswipe-pro.com
- Set up auto-responder
- Create basic FAQ

Phase 3: Nice-to-Have (Ongoing)

Goal: Improve conversions and retention

Add testimonials and social proof
Create video tutorials
Build knowledge base
Add more AI providers (OpenAI, Claude)
Create migration guides
Set up analytics and monitoring

✅ Pre-Launch Verification Checklist

Before Going Live:

🎯 Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Launch

To launch TODAY, you need:

✅ Core Pro features (done)
❌ Lemon Squeezy checkout integration (2 days)
❌ Automated license delivery (1 day)
❌ Distribution method (GitHub Releases, 1 day)
❌ Customer installation docs (1 day)
❌ Production deployment (1 day)

Minimum time to launch: 6 days of focused work

🚧 Recommended Launch Strategy

Soft Launch (Private Beta)

Invite 5-10 beta testers
Give them free licenses
Walk them through installation
Collect feedback on docs/UX
Fix critical issues

Public Launch

Announce on Product Hunt, Hacker News
Publish blog post: "Introducing PhotoSwipe Pro with AI SEO"
Share on social media
Email existing PhotoSwipe users (if you have a list)

📞 Support Contacts

If you have questions about this checklist:

Review: /docs/lemon-squeezy-license-integration.md
Review: /docs/pro-ai-captions-architecture.md
Review: /docs/fotoswipe-dual-license-e2e.md

Current repo status:

Code: Ready for production ✅
Tests: Passing ✅
Monetization: Not configured ❌
Distribution: Not set up ❌
Deployment: Local only ❌

Verdict: DO NOT DEPLOY YET. Complete Phase 1 first.

PhotoSwipe Pro - Deployment Readiness Checklist

Executive Summary​

📋 Deployment Readiness Assessment​

✅ What's Ready (Built & Tested)​

Core Pro Features​

Documentation​

❌ What's Missing (Blockers for Launch)​

🔴 CRITICAL - Payment & License Delivery System​

1. Lemon Squeezy Product Setup​

2. Checkout Page Integration​

3. License Delivery Workflow​

4. Private NPM Registry or Distribution​

🟡 IMPORTANT - User Experience Gaps​

5. Installation Documentation​

6. Customer Portal​

7. License Validation UX​

🟢 NICE-TO-HAVE - Pre-Launch Improvements​

8. AI Provider Configuration​

9. Production Deployment​

10. Legal & Compliance​

11. Support & Customer Success​

🎯 End-to-End User Journey Assessment​

Journey 1: Discovery → Purchase → Installation​

Step 1: Discovery​

Step 2: Purchase​

Step 3: Receive License Key​

Step 4: Download Pro Package​

Step 5: Install in Project​

Step 6: Configure AI Provider​

Step 7: Verify It Works​

Journey 2: Support & Renewals​

Customer wants to upgrade (Site → Agency)​

Customer wants to cancel​

License expires (1 year later)​

📊 Readiness Score by Category​

🚀 Path to Launch - Prioritized Action Plan​

Phase 1: Critical Blockers (1-2 weeks)​

Week 1: Payment & Delivery​

Week 2: Distribution & Installation​

Phase 2: User Experience (1 week)​

Phase 3: Nice-to-Have (Ongoing)​

✅ Pre-Launch Verification Checklist​

Before Going Live:​

🎯 Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Launch​

🚧 Recommended Launch Strategy​

Soft Launch (Private Beta)​

Public Launch​

📞 Support Contacts​

Executive Summary

📋 Deployment Readiness Assessment

✅ What's Ready (Built & Tested)

Core Pro Features

Documentation

❌ What's Missing (Blockers for Launch)

🔴 CRITICAL - Payment & License Delivery System

1. Lemon Squeezy Product Setup

2. Checkout Page Integration

3. License Delivery Workflow

4. Private NPM Registry or Distribution

🟡 IMPORTANT - User Experience Gaps

5. Installation Documentation

6. Customer Portal

7. License Validation UX

🟢 NICE-TO-HAVE - Pre-Launch Improvements

8. AI Provider Configuration

9. Production Deployment

10. Legal & Compliance

11. Support & Customer Success

🎯 End-to-End User Journey Assessment

Journey 1: Discovery → Purchase → Installation

Step 1: Discovery

Step 2: Purchase

Step 3: Receive License Key

Step 4: Download Pro Package

Step 5: Install in Project

Step 6: Configure AI Provider

Step 7: Verify It Works

Journey 2: Support & Renewals

Customer wants to upgrade (Site → Agency)

Customer wants to cancel

License expires (1 year later)

📊 Readiness Score by Category

🚀 Path to Launch - Prioritized Action Plan

Phase 1: Critical Blockers (1-2 weeks)

Week 1: Payment & Delivery

Week 2: Distribution & Installation

Phase 2: User Experience (1 week)

Phase 3: Nice-to-Have (Ongoing)

✅ Pre-Launch Verification Checklist

Before Going Live:

🎯 Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Launch

🚧 Recommended Launch Strategy

Soft Launch (Private Beta)

Public Launch

📞 Support Contacts