01
What “you own the code” means
At handoff, you should have access to the source code and a path to run or redeploy it. You’re not renting a black-box theme inside someone else’s locked platform.
02
Accounts and credentials
Domains, DNS, hosting, analytics, and third-party APIs should live under accounts you control (or jointly control with documented access). Mystery logins are how businesses get stuck.
03
Why stack choice matters
We prefer modern, maintainable stacks that other competent developers can pick up. Proprietary page-builder lock-in feels cheap on day one and expensive on day 400.
04
What if you stop working with us?
That’s fine — and planned for. Ownership means you can keep the site running, hire another team, or bring work back later without rebuilding from screenshots.
05
Licensing and third-party services
Your custom code is yours. Third-party tools (fonts, APIs, SaaS) still follow their own terms. We’ll call out anything that creates ongoing vendor dependency before it surprises you.
FAQs
Quick answers
Do you keep a copy of the code?
Often yes for support continuity — but that doesn’t change your ownership of what you paid to build.
Can you build on WordPress and still give ownership?
Yes, but we usually migrate teams off fragile WP setups into cleaner custom foundations when that’s the better long-term move.
What about open-source libraries?
Normal and healthy. They’re dependencies with licenses — not a reason you shouldn’t own the product built on top.
