​
Quality Bar Checklist

This checklist defines the mandatory quality standards that all Base MiniApps must meet before publishing and to be eligible for featuring. These standards ensure a consistent, high-quality user experience across the Base App ecosystem.
Required for FeaturingAll items in this checklist must be completed and verified before your mini app is eligible for featuring in the Base App carousel or categories.

​
Pre-Launch Quality Requirements

​
✅ Clarity & First Impression

  • Value Proposition: First screen states app value in ≤ 80 characters
  • No Jargon: First two screens contain no crypto jargon or technical terms
  • Clear Purpose: Users understand what the app does within 5 seconds of opening

​
✅ Guest-First Experience

  • Browse Without Auth: Users can explore core functionality without signing in
  • Deferred Authentication: Auth is only required when user attempts an action that needs it
  • Guest Path Available: Provide “Continue as guest” or browse-only mode where possible
  • Auth Reasoning: When auth is required, clearly explain why with user-friendly language

​
✅ Performance Standards

  • Load Time: First interaction available ≤ 1.5 seconds on mid-range devices
  • Bundle Size: Initial JavaScript ≤ 200 KB (gzipped)
  • Image Budget: First-screen images ≤ 300 KB total
  • Core Web Vitals:
    • Time to Interactive (TTI) ≤ 200ms
    • Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) ≈ 0
    • 60 fps on key transitions

​
✅ Asset Specifications

  • App Icon: 512×512 PNG/JPG ≤ 60 KB (source 1024×1024 allowed)
  • Splash Image: 200×200 PNG/JPG ≤ 40 KB with solid background color
  • Hero Image (if featuring): 1200×628 PNG/JPG ≤ 250 KB
  • Screenshots: Up to 3 images, ≤ 500 KB each
  • Open Graph: 1200×630 PNG/JPG ≤ 250 KB

​
✅ Layout & Accessibility

  • Safe Areas: Respect iOS safe areas using env(safe-area-inset-*)
  • Touch Targets: All interactive elements ≥ 44px minimum
  • Text Legibility: All text ≥ 15pt equivalent with high contrast
  • Responsive Design: Works on both iPhone and Android screen sizes
  • Dark Mode: Supports both light and dark Base App themes

​
✅ UI States & Error Handling

  • Loading States: Skeleton screens for loading content (no blank screens)
  • Empty States: Clear guidance when no content is available
  • Error Handling: User-friendly error messages with retry options
  • Offline Handling: Graceful degradation when network is unavailable
  • Success Feedback: Clear confirmation when actions complete successfully

​
✅ Content & Copy Standards

  • Brand Consistency: References “Base app” (not “Farcaster” or other platforms)
  • No Crypto Jargon: Avoid “connect wallet”, “sign message”, “seed phrase” in UI
  • Outcome-Oriented CTAs: Button text describes what happens (“Start Quiz” not “Connect”)
  • Sentence Case: Use sentence case for all UI text (not Title Case)
  • Plain English: All microcopy uses clear, non-technical language

​
✅ Error Taxonomy & Reliability

  • Standardized Errors: Use consistent error categories (network, auth, validation, etc.)
  • User-Friendly Messages: All error messages explain what happened and next steps
  • Telemetry: Track key metrics (auth success rate, load time, error rates)
  • Retry Logic: Implement exponential backoff for network failures

​
✅ Manifest & Configuration

  • Valid Schema: Manifest passes validation with correct structure
  • Testing Mode: Set "noindex": true during development and testing
  • Correct Categories: App is in appropriate category with relevant tags (≤ 5 tags)
  • Complete Metadata: All required fields populated with accurate information

​
✅ Privacy & Permissions

  • Contextual Permissions: Request permissions only when needed for specific actions
  • Clear Reasoning: Explain why permissions are needed in user-friendly terms
  • Minimal Data: Only collect data necessary for app functionality
  • Transparent Usage: Clear about how user data will be used

​
Validation Tools

​
Manual Testing Checklist

  1. Device Testing: Test on both iOS and Android devices
  2. Network Conditions: Test on 3G, WiFi, and offline scenarios
  3. Theme Testing: Verify appearance in light and dark modes
  4. Edge Cases: Test with empty data, long text, and error conditions

​
Automated Validation

Use the Base MiniKit CLI tools for automated checks: 
# Validate manifest and assets
mini-kit doctor

# Check copy for banned terms
mini-kit lint-copy

# Performance audit
mini-kit lighthouse

​
Pre-Submission Requirements

Before submitting for featuring consideration:
  1. Complete this checklist with all items verified
  2. Record a Loom walkthrough (≤ 2 minutes) showing key user flows
  3. Generate Lighthouse report using mobile profile in webview
  4. Test in Base App using deep link or staging environment

​
Getting Help

If you need assistance meeting any of these requirements:
  • Office Hours: Join weekly Base MiniApp Quality sessions
  • Documentation: Review supporting guides for each pillar
  • Community: Ask questions in the Base Discord #miniapps channel
Quality Lead ReviewThe Base MiniApp Quality Lead will review submissions against this checklist. Apps that don’t meet these standards will receive specific feedback and guidance for improvement.

​
Next Steps

Once your app passes this Quality Bar:
  1. Follow the Submission Workflow
  2. Review Getting Featured criteria
  3. Monitor your app’s performance metrics for sustained featuring eligibility