Legacy Software Modernisation
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PHP upgrade and modernisation, from old PHP versions to a supported PHP 8
An application on an old PHP version no longer receives security fixes, and sooner or later your hosting stops supporting it. We upgrade it to a supported PHP 8 in small, tested steps, without switching the business off.
What it is
PHP Upgrade and Modernisation: what you get
Many useful business applications were written years ago for PHP 5.x or 7.x. They still work, but those versions no longer receive security fixes, newer servers refuse to run them, and each year the gap to current PHP gets wider. A PHP upgrade moves the application to a supported PHP 8 version so it can be hosted, patched and maintained again.
We start by reading the code, with AI-assisted analysis to find what will break: removed functions, changed behaviour, old database extensions and outdated libraries. A person then checks that list. Before anything is changed we write tests around the behaviour that matters, so we can prove the application does the same thing afterwards. The upgrade then goes step by step, and the live application keeps running while we work.
This is work we do ourselves: we still run and maintain old PHP applications alongside PHP 8 on our own server. When it makes sense, and only then, the upgrade can go further: a move to a modern framework, or a REST API on top of the existing logic so that new apps and integrations can use it.
Problems we solve
Typical problems this solves
A PHP version with no security fixes
Old PHP versions are no longer patched, so any flaw found in them stays open. Moving to a supported version closes that gap.
Hosting that will no longer run the application
Providers retire old PHP versions. We upgrade the code so you can move to current hosting instead of staying on a frozen server.
Nobody knows what will break
Removed functions, stricter types and changed defaults hide in old code. AI-assisted analysis finds them, and a person checks the findings.
Fear of touching code that works
With no tests, every change feels risky. We write tests first, so each upgrade step can be checked against the old behaviour.
An application that cannot connect to anything
Old applications often have no API. We can add a REST API so your mobile app, partner systems or new tools can use the same data.
Deliverables
What we deliver
- A written assessment of the code: what breaks on PHP 8, what is risky, what is fine
- Tests written around the important behaviour before any change is made
- Step-by-step upgrade to a supported PHP 8 version, checked at each step
- Updated or replaced libraries and database access code
- A rehearsed switch-over with a way back, so the live application keeps running
- Optional move to a modern framework or a REST API, and documentation of what was done
Technologies we use
- PHP 5.x and 7.x (source)
- PHP 8 (target)
- Composer
- Laravel and Symfony
- MySQL / MariaDB
- Automated tests (PHPUnit)
- Static analysis
- AI-assisted code analysis
- REST APIs
- Linux
- Docker
- Git
We work in any language. See all technologies.
Built and running
Work we have built and run
Examples from our own work, described without client names.
- Old PHP applications from the PHP 5.6 and 7.x era that we still run and maintain, alongside current PHP 8 code.
- A multi-client hosting server that runs several PHP versions side by side, old and current, with MariaDB or MySQL.
Engagement
How the engagement works
It starts with a free consultation. You tell us about the application, its PHP version and how it is used; we look at the code and give you a written estimate for the assessment and the upgrade, so you know the scope before you commit.
We then work in stages. Each stage ends with a working application that passes the tests, and you can stop after any stage. The old and new versions can run side by side until you are happy to switch. You keep the code, and we can stay on to maintain the application afterwards under a care plan.
Questions
Common questions
Which PHP version do you upgrade to?
A PHP 8 version that is still supported at the time of the work. We confirm the choice with you, because it depends on your libraries and hosting.
Will the application go offline during the upgrade?
We plan for it not to. The work happens in a separate copy, and the switch-over is scheduled for a quiet period with a tested way back.
What does AI do in the upgrade?
It speeds up reading the code and finding what is likely to break. A person checks every finding and every change, and the tests decide whether the result behaves as before.
Do we have to rewrite the application in a framework?
No. Often the better choice is to upgrade the existing code and leave it recognisable. A framework move is optional, and we recommend it only when it clearly pays off.
Can you keep maintaining the application afterwards?
Yes. We can look after it under a care plan, with updates, fixes and monitoring.
How do you charge?
We do not publish prices. After a free consultation we give you a written estimate, so you know the scope before you commit.
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Tell us what you need built
Describe the problem, the system or the idea. We offer a free initial consultation and a written estimate, and you will talk directly to the developer who would build it.