Updated March 24, 2026
7 min read
Getting started with Handover
Create your first project, connect a site with the API key, and verify your client can edit safely from /admin.
This guide is the fastest way to go from a new Handover account to a client site with live editable content.
1) Create a project in the dashboard
In Handover, click Create project and copy the generated API key. This key connects your site to the correct content store and lock state.
You can regenerate the key later if needed, but every connected site must then be updated.
2) Add environment variables in your site
Open your website project and set the Handover API URL and project API key in environment variables. Keep these values unique per client project.
- NEXT_PUBLIC_HANDOVER_API_URL
- NEXT_PUBLIC_HANDOVER_API_KEY
cp .env.example .env.local
# add NEXT_PUBLIC_HANDOVER_API_URL
# add NEXT_PUBLIC_HANDOVER_API_KEY3) Verify editing and publish flow
Open /admin/login on your site, sign in with the project password, and update one text field. Confirm the change appears on the live page.
Also test image upload so you know validation and storage limits are visible before handoff.
4) Test lock behavior before launch
Toggle lock in Handover dashboard and confirm your site reflects locked state correctly. Include this in your go-live checklist.
This page maps to docs/BOILERPLATE_SCAFFOLDING.md in the repository.