Updates and security patches
Operating systems, frameworks, plugins and app store requirements change constantly. A maintenance plan should schedule regular updates, apply urgent security patches quickly and test after each change so updates do not break key journeys.
Monitoring and response
Uptime checks, error tracking with a tool such as Sentry and performance monitoring show problems before customers report them. Agree what counts as urgent, how issues are reported and the expected response time for each level.
Backups you have actually restored
Automated backups are only useful if they can be restored. Test a restore periodically, keep copies in a separate location and document how long recovery would take.
Small improvements, not just fixes
The most valuable maintenance often includes small enhancements based on real usage: a clearer form, a faster report or a new integration. Keep a prioritised backlog and reserve some time each month for it.
Clear ownership and documentation
Record where the code, hosting, domains and third-party accounts live and who has access. Good documentation protects the business if people change, and makes every future change faster. Google’s SRE guidance on service level objectives is a helpful way to agree what reliable enough means.
Further reading
Prepared with AI assistance; technical references checked against the documentation linked above. These are planning considerations, not a guarantee of project results.
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