The problem nobody expects
You’ve found a developer. The work is done. You’re happy. Until three months later you want to make a change and discover you can’t access your own code.
This happens more often than you think. The code lives on the developer’s account. The app runs on their infrastructure. The database is linked to their credit card. You’re technically the owner of a product you have no access to.
5 questions to ask before you start
1. “Can I log in right now and see my code?” Your code must live on your own account (GitHub, GitLab, or similar). Not the developer’s. From day 1. If you can’t open it, it’s not yours.
2. “Is there a non-disclosure agreement?” Always sign an NDA before sharing code. Your prototype contains your idea, your logic, possibly your competitive advantage. Protect it.
3. “Does the contract state the code is mine?” It sounds obvious, but without an explicit intellectual property clause, you can end up in a grey area.
4. “Do I have admin access to the server and database?” Servers, databases, domains. you must be the admin. Not the developer. If they quit tomorrow, you need to keep going.
5. “Will I receive documentation at delivery?” Without technical documentation, you’re dependent on the same person after delivery. Good documentation means any competent developer can take over.
Robin had his Lovable prototype “finished” by a freelancer. After delivery, he wanted to add a feature. But the freelancer had the code on his own account. The app ran through the freelancer’s account. The database was on their credit card.
The freelancer was busy with other projects and responded slowly. Robin couldn’t continue working himself, couldn’t switch to another developer, and couldn’t even export his own database.
It would have taken him 5 minutes to prevent this. One question upfront: “Is everything on my own accounts?”