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Solution

Modernize a legacy codebase without a big-bang rewrite

A staged plan to bring a tired codebase back to life: dependencies, tests, observability, and the right refactors.

6 to 12 months for a typical mid-sized legacy codebase.

You probably need this if

  • Codebase on a framework version four major releases behind
  • No tests, or tests nobody runs
  • New features take 3x longer than they should
  • Security audit flagged the dependency tree

How we approach it

Legacy modernization is rarely about rewriting; it is about restoring the codebase to a state where it can move again. Kiebot runs modernization engagements that prioritise the highest-pain areas first: framework upgrades, dependency hygiene, the test harness, and the refactors that unlock everything else.

  1. 1

    Health check

    Two weeks of paid audit: framework version, dependency CVEs, test coverage, build performance, deploy mechanism, and a written rank-ordered fix list.

  2. 2

    Pin and update

    Get dependencies under control. Pin everything. Adopt Renovate or Dependabot. Knock out high-CVE updates first.

  3. 3

    Build a safety net

    Characterisation tests around the riskiest modules so refactors are reversible.

  4. 4

    Framework upgrade

    Move up one major version at a time. Each version gets its own PR, its own test run, its own deploy.

  5. 5

    Targeted refactors

    Now we touch the code. The two or three modules that cause 60% of bug volume get reshaped behind clean boundaries.

What you should expect

  • Dependencies current, CVE backlog cleared
  • Mean PR turnaround down 40 to 60%
  • New engineers onboarded in weeks not months

Related

Stacks to hire

Common industries

Frequently asked questions

Do you ever recommend a rewrite?+

Rarely. A rewrite is a multi-year commitment that often dies before it ships. Incremental modernization usually delivers 80% of the value in 30% of the time.

What about the legacy database?+

Same playbook. Identify the riskiest queries, add observability, extract read paths first, then writes.

Will we lose feature velocity during this work?+

Some, yes. But the modernization typically pays itself back in velocity within two quarters of completion.

Want to talk this through?

Twenty minutes on a call, no slide deck. We will tell you straight whether this engagement fits or what would.

Talk to Kiebot