Blog
Notes on looking after websites.
Practical articles on the part of web work that happens after launch: keeping many sites in order, working with clients, and publishing without surprises.
Practical, tool-agnostic articles on the work that comes after launch: checklists for maintenance, launches, redesigns and migrations, what it costs, and how to work well with clients. Start with the website maintenance checklist.
Looking after websites
- Article · 3 November 2026
Website maintenance checklist
A practical website maintenance checklist with weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly tasks, for anyone who looks after one website or twenty.
Read more - Article · 3 November 2026
How to manage multiple websites in one place
A practical system for looking after many websites: one list with live status, one way to publish, access per site and a weekly check.
Read more - Article · 3 November 2026
How to update a website
How to edit your website safely: find out what it’s built with, get the right access, make the change, check it on a phone and publish it.
Read more - Article · 3 November 2026
How much does website maintenance cost?
How much website maintenance costs: rough ranges for doing it yourself, a freelancer retainer or an agency care plan, and what pushes the price up or down.
Read more - Article · 3 November 2026
How to back up a website
How to back up a website: files, database, domain and DNS settings and account details, how often to do it, where to keep copies and how to test restores.
Read more - Article · 3 November 2026
Is my website down?
How to tell if your website is down for everyone or just you, the usual causes (domain, DNS, hosting, certificate, a bad publish) and how to fix each one.
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Launching and changing sites
- Article · 3 November 2026
Website launch checklist
A website launch checklist in three parts: what to check before launch, what to do on the day, and what to watch in the first two weeks after.
Read more - Article · 3 November 2026
Website redesign checklist
A website redesign checklist that protects search traffic: content inventory, URL mapping, redirects, a staging review and checks after relaunch.
Read more - Article · 3 November 2026
Website migration checklist
A website migration checklist for moving to a new host or platform: what to copy, how to test, when to switch the domain and what to check afterwards.
Read more - Article · 3 November 2026
Why check a staging version before you publish
A staging site is a private copy for checking changes before they go live. What it catches that a preview doesn’t, when to use it and when you can skip it.
Read more - Article · 3 November 2026
How to make a website mobile friendly
Ten practical fixes to make a website mobile friendly: the viewport tag, responsive layout, readable text, tap targets, images, and testing on real phones.
Read more - Article · 3 November 2026
Static vs dynamic websites
The difference between static and dynamic websites, the pros and cons of each, typical examples, and how to choose the right one for a project.
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Working with clients
- Article · 3 November 2026
Web design client onboarding checklist
A web design client onboarding checklist: contract, deposit, discovery questions, accounts and access, content, approvals, and the handoff plan.
Read more - Article · 3 November 2026
How to hand off a website without giving away your accounts
How to give a client access to their website without sharing your hosting or builder logins: per-site access, roles, a staging step and a clean exit.
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Give your sites a home.
Devdwell is in early access for Mac and Windows, with the web app for everywhere else. Tell us a little about how you build and we’ll be in touch.