Launch on bad networks

Use this when

• Your users are on mobile data, not Wi‑Fi.
• Your audience shares links on WhatsApp, not Hacker News.
• “Just update the app” is not a realistic instruction.

Checklist

Product

• Define the core task (one sentence) and protect it from complexity creep.
• Add a text-only fallback route for the critical content.
• Make sure error states explain what the user can do next.

Performance

• Test on 2G/3G throttling, not your laptop.
• Budget page weight (JS + images) and enforce it in CI.
• Avoid third-party embeds on first load.

Offline + resilience

• Ensure the core flow works with airplane mode on (even if it’s “capture then sync”).
• Add an explicit “save offline” option for key pages.
• Cache the shell and the last visited pages intentionally (don’t “hope” a service worker works).

Distribution

• Ensure the Open Graph image renders fast and looks good in WhatsApp.
• Provide a one-tap “copy for WhatsApp” snippet (title, hook, link).
• Make URLs stable and readable, people copy/paste them.

Support

• Write a short “what to do when it breaks” section for users.
• Add a low-friction feedback loop (email works, forms often don’t).

Definition of done

• A first-time user on a slow phone can load a page and understand what to do next.
• The happy path is still possible after a network drop.
• You can explain your offline story without hand-waving.