Ask Your Dev Team what happens when the contract ends

Know what happens at the end before you sign the beginning.

If you’ve read issue 12 on IP ownership, you already know that who owns the code should be settled in the contract. This issue is about the logistics: what actually happens when the engagement ends and you need to move on.

Settle this before they write a line of code

The terms of your exit should be in the contract. Not negotiated after the project is done. Not figured out during a tense final week. Spelled out before anyone writes a line of code.

This includes:

How the code is handed off
How credentials and access are transferred
What documentation is provided
Whether there’s a transition period or support window

If your developer resists putting these terms in writing, that tells you something. It tells you they either haven’t thought about it or they don’t want you to leave easily. Both are problems.

The practical transition

When a contract ends, there are real things that need to happen:

Code handoff

Your code should be in a repository you own or can access independently. If it lives on the developer’s GitHub organization and they haven’t transferred it, you don’t have it. Ask where the code will live and confirm you’ll have full access when the engagement ends.

Credentials and access

Every account, API key, hosting credential, and third-party service tied to your product needs to be transferred to you. This includes cloud accounts, domain registrars, email services, payment processors, analytics tools, and anything else your product depends on.

Ask your developer for a complete list of services and credentials you’ll need. If they can’t produce one, that’s a documentation problem, and a preview of what the handoff will look like.

Documentation

At a minimum, you should receive enough documentation that another developer can pick up where they left off. We’ll cover documentation in depth in the next issue, but for the handoff conversation, ask: “If your team disappeared tomorrow, could someone else deploy and maintain this product?”

Transition support

Some developers offer a transition period: a window of time after the contract ends where they’re available for questions, bug fixes, or knowledge transfer. This isn’t always standard, but it’s worth asking about. Even a two-week window can make a significant difference.

The red flag

If your developer makes it hard to leave, run.

Here’s what that looks like:

Proprietary hosting you can’t move off of. Your product runs on their infrastructure, and migrating it would be a project in itself.
No documentation. They hold all the knowledge in their heads, and when they leave, it leaves with them.
Vendor lock-in as leverage. They’ve built your product in a way that makes you dependent on them, not because it was the best technical choice, but because it keeps you paying.

A good developer makes it easy to leave. Not because they want you to, but because they’re confident enough in their work that they don’t need to hold you hostage.

What to ask

“What does your handoff process look like?” Look for a documented process, not improvisation.
“Will I have access to everything I need to operate independently?” Code, credentials, hosting, third-party services, all of it.
“Is there a transition or support period after the contract ends?” And if so, what does it cover?
“Can another developer take over this project without your involvement?” The answer should be a confident yes.

Expect better. Build better.