Create an access map
List owners for the domain, hosting, database, notification service and repository. Business control of accounts differs from daily team access. Define secure storage and rotation methods instead of pasting secrets into documentation. Removing access when a team member leaves is also part of handover.
Record why decisions were made
Why a module was designed a certain way matters as much as what it does. Explain the data model, permissions, integration boundaries and known constraints through short decision notes. Help a new developer make the right change without reading the entire conversation history. Documentation should be a working tool that changes with the code.
A backup matters when it can be restored
A backup notification does not prove recovery works. Rehearse restoration in an appropriate test environment and record the time and owner. Consider how deletion and retention rules affect backups. Establish which version to return to after a release problem and how to handle related data changes.
Specify the maintenance scope
Separate bug fixes, dependency updates, new features and provider changes. Clarify support channels, priority classes and response targets. A small content site and an application running daily operations have different maintenance needs. Plan budgets and responsibilities around the system’s business impact.