Twenty-odd checks to run before you deploy an NFT contract: rights, metadata, supply, royalties, admin keys, testing and launch day.
Deploying is the easy part. Undoing a mistake afterwards is the hard part, because buyers will already hold tokens tied to whatever you shipped. Work through this list before the contract goes live, ideally with a collaborator reading over your shoulder.
Rights and terms
- You own or have permission to use every element of the artwork
- Collaborator splits and ownership are agreed in writing
- Buyer licence terms are written in plain language and published
- Terms are linked from the metadata or project page
Supply and minting
- Total supply is fixed, capped or deliberately open, and you can explain why
- Mint price and any allowlist rules are set and tested
- Per-wallet limits behave as expected
- You know whether you can mint more later, and buyers know too
Metadata and storage
- Every token has a metadata file with name, description, image and traits
- Image and metadata files are on storage you trust to last. See where to store metadata
- File names match token IDs, with no gaps or duplicates
- If there is a reveal, you have rehearsed it end to end
Royalties and payments
- Royalty rate and payee address are set
- The payee is a wallet you will control for years
- You understand that royalties are not guaranteed
- Withdrawal from the contract works and goes to the right place
Admin powers
- List every function only you can call
- Remove any you do not need
- Decide who holds admin keys: one wallet or a multi-signature setup
- Plan when you will freeze metadata or renounce powers, and say so publicly
Testing
- Deploy to a test network first and run a full mint
- Check tokens display correctly in at least two wallets or marketplaces
- Try transfers, approvals and edge cases such as minting the last token
- If the contract holds real value, consider an independent code review
Launch day
- Double-check the network before you deploy
- Verify the source code on the block explorer right away
- Publish the contract address from your own channels so fakes stand out
- Keep notes of every setting for your records
After launch
Watch the first mints closely. Answer questions about rights and royalties with the same words you published. And keep your admin keys somewhere safe and offline.
The thinking behind each step is on our contract planning page. On rights, read who keeps the copyright. This is general guidance for creators, not legal or financial advice. For contracts and licences that matter, talk to a qualified professional.