Web app rescue & modernisation
Get your web app back under control.
Maybe the original developers have moved on, the agency has gone quiet, or every change seems to break something else. We work out what you've actually got, make it stable, and modernise it a step at a time, without stopping the business that depends on it.
Sound familiar?
- — The developer or agency who built it is no longer around
- — Simple changes take weeks, and break something somewhere else
- — The framework or language version no longer gets security updates
- — There are few or no automated tests
- — Deploys are manual and nerve-racking, or only one person knows how to do them
- — Your customers find errors before you do
How we rescue it.
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A written health check
We review the code, dependencies, hosting and security, and tell you plainly what state the app is in and what matters most.
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A safety net first
Error tracking, monitoring, backups and tests around the critical paths, before we change anything significant.
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Security and dependency updates
Unsupported versions and vulnerable libraries brought up to date in small, reversible steps.
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Reliable deploys
Automated, repeatable deployments, so releasing a change is routine rather than a risk.
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Targeted refactoring
We untangle the parts of the code that slow you down most, rather than rewriting everything at once.
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Documentation and handover
Clear notes on how the app works and how to run it, so you're never dependent on one person again.
How we work.
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01
Audit
We review the app and give you a written report with a prioritised plan.
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02
Stabilise
Monitoring, backups and tests go in first, so problems are caught before your customers see them.
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03
Modernise
Upgrades and refactoring in small, safe steps, while the app keeps serving your business.
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04
Hand over, or keep going
Your team takes it from there with full documentation, or we keep looking after it for you.
Frequently asked questions.
Should we just rewrite it?
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Usually not. Rewrites take longer than anyone expects, and the old app has to keep running in the meantime. Most apps can be modernised in place, which keeps the business running and spreads the cost. If a rewrite really is the better option, the audit will say so.
What do you need from us to get started?
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Access to the code and the hosting, and an hour of someone's time to explain what the app does and where it hurts. If getting access is part of the problem, we can help with that too.
How long does it take?
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It depends on what we find. The audit comes first and gives you a prioritised plan with timings, so you can decide how far to go.
Our app isn't built with Rails. Can you still help?
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Rails is our specialism, so that's where we can help most. If your app is built on something else, get in touch and we'll tell you honestly whether we're the right fit.
Other ways we can help.
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Ruby on Rails development
New Rails apps, new features and upgrades, built to be easy to hand over.
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MVP development
A focused first version of your product, in front of real users in weeks.
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Performance optimisation
Faster pages and queries, with the numbers before and after to prove it.
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Websites for small businesses
A professional website, hosted and looked after on a simple monthly plan.