Your developer has left, or the agency has gone quiet, and the software is not finished. This happens more often than people think. I take over projects like this regularly. This checklist helps you get through it safely.
1. Secure your access first
Before anything else, make sure you own the accounts, not the previous developer:
- Source code repository (GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket)
- Hosting or cloud account (Azure, AWS, Vercel and similar)
- Domain name and DNS
- Database and backups
- Third-party services: payments, email, SMS, maps, analytics
- App store accounts, if there is a mobile app
2. Change passwords and keys
Once you have access, rotate passwords and API keys. It is standard practice and protects both sides.
3. Ask for a handover, even a short one
If the previous developer is still reachable, ask for a one-hour call or a short document: how to run the project, how to deploy it, and what is unfinished.
4. Start with an audit, not with new features
A good new developer reviews the code before promising anything. You should get a plain-English report covering:
- What works and what is broken
- Security and data risks
- What it takes to finish
On one recent takeover, my audit produced nearly 100 findings. 26 were critical, and I fixed those first.
5. Fix critical issues before building
It is tempting to jump to new features. Stabilise first. Problems with security, payments and data loss get more expensive the longer they wait.
6. Be careful with "we must rewrite everything"
Sometimes a rewrite is right. Often it is not. Ask for the reasons in writing and for the option of fixing what exists. In most takeovers I keep what works and replace only what blocks the business.
7. Set up safe releases
Ask for a separate test environment and error tracking. Then every change is checked before real users see it.
Need someone to take over your project? See my project takeover page, or read the case study.