“Who owns the code?” should be answered before anyone writes a line. Default assumptions differ by country and contract type — so do not rely on vibes.
What you should own
- Application source code produced for you.
- Infrastructure-as-code and deployment configs created for the project.
- Credentials, domains, and cloud resources used to run the product.
- Documentation required to operate and extend the system.
Common failure modes
- Code in a freelancer’s personal GitHub with no transfer.
- Agency “proprietary framework” that traps you.
- No written IP assignment in the statement of work.
Practical protection
- Create the repository under your org on day one.
- Include IP assignment language in the contract.
- Require handover of secrets via your password manager / cloud — not chat apps.
If you cannot clone the repo and redeploy without the vendor, you do not own the product yet.
ConaiSoft builds in your repositories with ownership that stays with you from the first commit.