---
title: Final Polish Resources
---

:::caution[Programme Sunset]
The open Mentorship Programme has been sunset and is no longer accepting new participants. These pages remain available as reference material.

I'm now running a private, personalised professional development programme on an invite-only basis - hand-selecting a small number of participants so the shape of each journey can be built around them. There is no application process; participation is by direct invitation only.

Being active in my [Discord community](https://chat.nhcarrigan.com/) increases your chances of being invited.
:::

**FINAL POLISH CHECKLIST, CODE CLEANUP GUIDELINES, DOCUMENTATION TEMPLATES, AND DEPLOYMENT GUIDES**

## Final Polish Checklist

See [Final Polish Checklist](/mentorship/resources/final-polish-checklist) for the comprehensive checklist.

## Code Cleanup Guidelines

### Code Review and Refactoring

**Review Your Code:**
- Remove commented-out code
- Remove debugging statements
- Remove unused imports/variables
- Simplify complex logic
- Improve variable/function names
- Add missing comments
- Fix code style inconsistencies

### Code Organisation

**Structure:**
- Organise files logically
- Group related functionality
- Separate concerns appropriately
- Follow project conventions
- Remove duplicate code

### Performance Optimisation

**Optimise:**
- Database queries
- API calls
- Asset loading
- Rendering performance
- Memory usage

### Error Handling

**Improve:**
- Add comprehensive error handling
- Provide meaningful error messages
- Handle edge cases
- Add validation where needed
- Improve user feedback

## Documentation Templates

### README.md Template

```markdown
# [Project Name]

[Brief description of what the project does]

## Features

- Feature 1
- Feature 2
- Feature 3

## Technologies Used

- Technology 1
- Technology 2
- Technology 3

## Getting Started

### Prerequisites

- Prerequisite 1
- Prerequisite 2

### Installation

\`\`\`bash
# Installation steps
npm install
\`\`\`

### Usage

\`\`\`bash
# Usage instructions
npm start
\`\`\`

## Project Structure

\`\`\`
project/
├── src/
├── tests/
└── docs/
\`\`\`

## Contributing

See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for contribution guidelines.

## License

See [LICENSE.md](LICENSE.md) for license information.

## Contact

[Your contact information]
```

### CONTRIBUTING.md Template

```markdown
# Contributing to [Project Name]

Thank you for your interest in contributing!

## Development Setup

### Prerequisites

- Prerequisite 1
- Prerequisite 2

### Setup Steps

1. Fork the repository
2. Clone your fork
3. Install dependencies
4. Create a branch for your changes

## Code Style

- Follow project style guide
- Use consistent formatting
- Write clear, readable code

## Testing

- Write tests for new features
- Ensure all tests pass
- Maintain test coverage

## Pull Request Process

1. Create a feature branch
2. Make your changes
3. Write/update tests
4. Update documentation
5. Submit pull request
6. Address review feedback

## Questions?

[Contact information or link to discussions]
```

### LICENSE.md Template

**Common Licenses:**
- **MIT License:** Permissive, allows commercial use
- **Apache 2.0:** Permissive with patent protection
- **GPL v3:** Copyleft, requires derivative works to be open source
- **BSD 3-Clause:** Permissive with attribution requirement

**Choose a license appropriate for your project.** You can find license templates at [choosealicense.com](https://choosealicense.com/).

## Deployment Guides

### Vercel Deployment (Front-End)

**Steps:**
1. Create account at [vercel.com](https://vercel.com)
2. Import your GitHub repository
3. Configure build settings
4. Add environment variables
5. Deploy

**Configuration:**
- Build command: `npm run build`
- Output directory: `dist` or `build`
- Install command: `npm install`

### Netlify Deployment (Front-End)

**Steps:**
1. Create account at [netlify.com](https://netlify.com)
2. Import your GitHub repository
3. Configure build settings
4. Add environment variables
5. Deploy

**Configuration:**
- Build command: `npm run build`
- Publish directory: `dist` or `build`

### Railway Deployment (Back-End)

**Steps:**
1. Create account at [railway.app](https://railway.app)
2. Create new project
3. Connect GitHub repository
4. Configure environment variables
5. Deploy

**Configuration:**
- Start command: `npm start` or `node server.js`
- Build command: `npm install`

### Heroku Deployment (Full-Stack)

**Steps:**
1. Create account at [heroku.com](https://heroku.com)
2. Install Heroku CLI
3. Create Heroku app
4. Configure environment variables
5. Deploy

**Configuration:**
- Procfile: `web: node server.js`
- Environment variables in Heroku dashboard

### Render Deployment

**Steps:**
1. Create account at [render.com](https://render.com)
2. Create new service
3. Connect GitHub repository
4. Configure build and start commands
5. Add environment variables
6. Deploy

**Configuration:**
- Build command: `npm install`
- Start command: `npm start`

## Domain Configuration

### Setting Up Custom Domain

**General Steps:**
1. Purchase domain from registrar
2. Configure DNS records
3. Add domain to hosting provider
4. Update SSL certificate
5. Verify domain ownership

**DNS Configuration:**
- Add A record pointing to hosting IP
- Add CNAME record for subdomains
- Configure SSL/TLS certificates

## Deployment Checklist

- [ ] Application is tested and working locally
- [ ] Environment variables are configured
- [ ] Database is set up (if applicable)
- [ ] Build process works correctly
- [ ] Deployment platform is configured
- [ ] Domain is configured (optional)
- [ ] SSL certificate is active
- [ ] Application is accessible and functional
- [ ] Error monitoring is set up (optional)
- [ ] Analytics are configured (optional)

---

*Proper documentation and deployment make your project professional and accessible. Take time to polish these aspects.*

