# Production Checklist

Before running the Explorer API and indexer in production:

1. **Set a strong `JWT_SECRET`**  
   Do not use the placeholder from the env template. Generate a secure value, e.g.:
   ```bash
   export JWT_SECRET=$(openssl rand -hex 32)
   ```
   See `deployment/ENVIRONMENT_TEMPLATE.env` for all required variables.

2. **Run database migrations**  
   Apply migrations before starting the API and indexer, e.g.:
   ```bash
   psql -U explorer -d explorer -f backend/database/migrations/0010_track_schema.up.sql
   ```
   Or use your migration runner (e.g. `go run backend/database/migrations/migrate.go --up` if applicable).

3. **Configure DB and RPC**  
   Ensure `DB_*`, `RPC_URL`, `WS_URL`, and `CHAIN_ID` are set correctly for the target environment.