Our working definition
LaunchIndex records a launch when its pipeline observes a domain in a confidently live state. A site needs more than a DNS record or a successful HTTP response: the page should show enough evidence of a real, usable website.
Signals we consider
- DNS resolution and the presence of a reachable host.
- HTTP status, redirects, response content, title, visible text, links, forms, and scripts.
- Browser-rendered evidence when the cheaper checks are not decisive or when a prior non-live state changes.
- Historical observations and recrawls that let us revise state as a website changes.
What the timestamp means
First observed live is the first time LaunchIndex saw the site meet its live criteria. A website may have launched earlier, may have launched privately, or may have changed after our observation. We keep that language visible on launch profiles because honest data is more useful than overconfident data.
What we do not promise
We do not promise perfect coverage, exact launch dates, or a judgment about the quality of a website. The directory is a growing dataset built from public signals and should be read as a useful index, not an official registry.