Audit and risk map
A review of code, infrastructure, security and performance with a prioritized list of what to fix first and why.
Legacy rescue & modernization
I take over existing PHP, Laravel, Yii and WordPress codebases, stabilize them and move them forward without a risky rewrite.
Every successful product eventually becomes a legacy product. The original developers have left, the framework is several major versions behind, pages take seconds to load and every release breaks something unexpected. The usual proposal is a full rewrite, which is expensive, slow and often fails.
I specialize in taking over existing PHP codebases, including Laravel, Yii and WordPress, and improving them step by step while the business keeps running. First I find out where the real risks and bottlenecks are, then fix them in small, tested increments you can see every week.
After two decades of PHP work, there are few legacy patterns I haven't seen before. That experience is what makes it possible to move an old system forward without stopping feature work.
What you get
What's included
Stabilization
Error tracking, backups, a reproducible local environment and automated deployments, so changes stop being risky.
Performance and database
Slow queries, missing indexes, N+1 problems, caching and queue work, measured before and after.
Incremental upgrades
PHP and framework upgrades in small steps, with tests added around the code that's being changed.
Technical debt paydown
Refactoring the parts that slow your team down most, alongside new features rather than instead of them.
Typical stack
- PHP
- Laravel
- Yii
- WordPress
- MySQL
- PostgreSQL
- Redis
- Docker
FAQ
Common questions
Should we rewrite the app from scratch?
Usually not. A rewrite freezes the business for months and recreates old bugs. Incremental modernization delivers improvements every week and keeps the option to replace parts later.
Can you work on code that has no documentation and no tests?
Yes, that's the typical starting point. I document what I learn and add tests around the areas I change.
Which PHP versions and frameworks do you work with?
Everything from old PHP 5 code to current releases, including Laravel, Yii, WordPress and custom frameworks.
Let's see if this fits your project.
Send a short brief and get an estimate within 24 hours. Not sure where to start? Begin with a code audit.