Software handover document template
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A software handover document transfers everything the next developer needs to maintain and extend the codebase. This template covers the sections that matter most: system overview, architecture, setup instructions, credentials, API documentation, known issues, and the follow-up plan.
Most handover documents fail because they are incomplete. This template ensures you do not miss the sections that cause the most post-handover questions.
Project overview
A 2-3 paragraph summary of what the software does, who uses it, and its current status (production, staging, development).
Example
ProjectName is a SaaS application that helps freelancers track invoices and send payment reminders. It serves approximately 2,000 active users. The application is in production and deployed on Vercel with a Supabase backend. The current version (2.1) was released on January 15, 2026.
Architecture overview
A high-level description of the system architecture with a diagram. List the major components (frontend, backend, database, external services) and how they communicate.
Example
The application is a Next.js monolith with server-side rendering. The frontend is React with Tailwind CSS. The backend uses Next.js API routes connected to a Supabase Postgres database. Payments are processed through Stripe. Email notifications are sent via Resend. File storage uses Supabase Storage. [Include architecture diagram here]
Technology stack
A table listing every technology, its version, and its purpose in the project.
Example
| Technology | Version | Purpose | | --- | --- | --- | | Next.js | 15.1 | Framework (App Router) | | React | 19.0 | UI library | | TypeScript | 5.7 | Type safety | | Supabase | - | Auth, database, storage | | Stripe | 2025-01 API | Payment processing | | Tailwind CSS | 4.0 | Styling | | Vercel | - | Hosting and deployment |
Setup instructions
Step-by-step instructions to get the project running locally. Include prerequisites, environment variables, and the commands to run.
Example
Prerequisites: Node.js 20+, npm 10+ 1. Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/org/project.git 2. Install dependencies: npm install 3. Copy .env.example to .env.local and fill in the values (see Environment Variables section below) 4. Run database migrations: npx supabase db push 5. Start the dev server: npm run dev 6. Open http://localhost:3000
Environment variables
A table of all environment variables with descriptions. Do NOT include actual values in the handover document. Share credentials through a secure channel.
Example
| Variable | Description | Where to find it | | --- | --- | --- | | NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL | Supabase project URL | Supabase dashboard > Settings | | SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY | Server-side Supabase key | Supabase dashboard > API | | STRIPE_SECRET_KEY | Stripe API key | Stripe dashboard > Developers | | RESEND_API_KEY | Email service API key | Resend dashboard |
API endpoints
A list of all API endpoints with methods, paths, authentication requirements, and brief descriptions.
Example
| Method | Path | Auth | Description | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | POST | /api/invoices | Required | Create a new invoice | | GET | /api/invoices | Required | List user invoices | | PATCH | /api/invoices/[id] | Required | Update an invoice | | POST | /api/webhooks/stripe | Stripe signature | Handle payment events |
Database schema
An overview of the database tables, key columns, and relationships. Include an ER diagram if possible.
Example
Key tables: - users: id, email, name, created_at - invoices: id, user_id (FK), client_name, amount, status, due_date - payments: id, invoice_id (FK), stripe_payment_id, amount, paid_at - clients: id, user_id (FK), name, email, company Relationships: users -> invoices (1:many), invoices -> payments (1:many), users -> clients (1:many)
Known issues and technical debt
An honest list of known bugs, limitations, and areas that need improvement.
Example
- Invoice PDF generation is slow for invoices with more than 50 line items (takes 5-8 seconds). - The email reminder cron job occasionally sends duplicate reminders. A deduplication check is needed. - The client list page does not paginate. Performance degrades after 500 clients. - Stripe webhook handler does not retry failed events. Consider adding a dead letter queue.
Deployment process
How the application is deployed, including CI/CD configuration and any manual steps.
Example
Deployment is automatic via Vercel. Pushing to the main branch triggers a production deployment. Pull requests create preview deployments. No manual steps are required. Database migrations run automatically via the Supabase CLI in the build step.
Follow-up availability
Contact information and the agreed follow-up support period.
Example
The original developer (developer@email.com) is available for questions via email for 4 weeks after the handover date (until March 15, 2026). Response time: within 24 hours on business days. For urgent issues, use the phone number shared separately.
Automate this with CodeDashboard
CodeDashboard auto-generates 6 of these 10 sections: project overview, architecture overview, technology stack, setup instructions, API endpoints, and database schema overview. Run an analysis on the repository, then copy the relevant sections into this template and add the manual parts (credentials, known issues, deployment process, follow-up plan).
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