Legacy software modernization, one step at a time.
Your application runs the business, but every change feels risky? JetCoders, based in Vienna, modernizes web applications that have grown over the years and replaces legacy systems for companies in Austria, Germany and the wider DACH region. Your team keeps working while the new system takes over area by area.
Signs your legacy system needs modernizing
Old software is not automatically bad software. But when several of these points apply, the system costs more than it delivers.
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Small changes take weeks
Nobody knows for sure what else will break with the next update, so changes stop happening at all.
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All the knowledge sits in one head
Only one person or a former agency really understands the system. If they leave, operations are on shaky ground.
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The technology no longer gets updates
An old PHP version, an outdated framework, unmaintained libraries: security gaps stay open.
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Slow and error-prone
Pages load slowly, the same bugs keep coming back, and your team has learned to work around them.
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Manual work around the system
Reports, exports and coordination run through Excel and email because the software cannot handle them.
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Not mobile, hard to connect
The interface only works on a desktop, and integrations with other tools are missing or held together with workarounds.
Typical starting points: from legacy system to web application
Every modernization starts somewhere different. These four situations are typical.
A PHP application that grew over the years
Built up over years, with business logic and interface mixed together. Often the frontend can be replaced first while the existing backend stays for now.
An outdated frontend
The features are right, but the interface is slow, inconsistent and hard to extend. A new UI with a consistent design system brings order.
An Access database or Excel tool
What started as a spreadsheet is now business-critical, with version chaos and no access control. It can become a web app with user roles and one central database.
An old internal tool
A home-grown system nobody wants to touch anymore. We review what is there, secure the data and replace the system in an orderly way.
How we modernize your legacy system
No big bang overnight. We renew your software in stages, so day-to-day operations keep running and you can decide after every step how to continue. You talk directly to the developers who work on your code.
- 01
Analysis & code audit
We look at the code, database, integrations and workflows, and talk to the people who use the system every day. The result is an honest picture of what can stay, what should be replaced and where the risks are.
- 02
Plan & order
Together we decide which area moves first – usually the one that causes the most trouble or brings the biggest benefit. That keeps budget and risk manageable for each stage.
- 03
Incremental migration
The new grows next to the old: one area after another moves into the new application while the legacy system keeps running. Each step goes live on its own.
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Data migration
Legacy data is cleaned up, moved into the new structure and checked together with you before the switch – first in a test run, then for the actual switch.
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Handover & further development
You get readable, documented code and all access in your company's hands. If you like, we keep developing the application with you afterwards.
Modernization in practice
All case studies →From PHP to React: a SaaS frontend modernized
The PHP interface of the time tracking software, grown over the years, was moved to a React frontend, in close coordination with clockodo's backend team, over 1.5 years.
Read the case study → Office to goAn established platform put on a solid footing
A maintainable codebase and a new UI with a consistent design system, while new features kept shipping in live operation. Around nine months together with the in-house team.
Read the case study → SB LogisticsOutdated system replaced by a web app
A slow, error-prone shipment tracking system was replaced: database cleaned up and migrated to PostgreSQL, user roles added, a dashboard instead of manual reports.
Read the case study →Modernize or rebuild?
A complete rebuild sounds tempting, but it is expensive and risky. Often it is enough to renew what you have, step by step. A rough guide:
Modernize step by step if …
- the core business logic is right and your team works well with it
- only some parts cause trouble, such as the interface or performance
- operations cannot pause for a switch-over
- you want to control budget and risk in stages
Replace the legacy system if …
- the technology no longer gets updates and cannot be sensibly renewed
- today's workflows hardly fit the system anymore
- every change costs more than it brings
- data and user permissions need restructuring anyway
Even a replacement does not have to be a big bang: the new system can take over area by area. Which route fits is decided after the analysis, not on gut feeling.
Further reading: → Integrating legacy systems → Replacing a legacy ERP system
Common questions about legacy modernization
01 How long does legacy software modernization take?
It depends on the scope: size and condition of the code, number of integrations and amount of data. Because we work in stages, the first modernized part goes live well before the whole project is done. After the analysis you get a plan with an order of steps and milestones.
02 Does the old system keep running during the modernization?
Yes, usually. Old and new application run side by side for a while, and individual areas move over one after another. Your team keeps working, and every switch is agreed with you beforehand.
03 Is our data safe during the migration?
Data is usually the most valuable part of the whole system, so we handle it carefully: every migration starts with a backup. Data is cleaned up, migrated in a test run and checked together with you before the actual switch.
04 Can you take over code from another agency or freelancer?
Yes. We start with a code audit, sort out access to the repository, hosting and database, and document what we find. A small, clearly defined first task is often a good way to get to know each other before committing to more.
05 What does it cost to modernize legacy software?
Quoting a price without looking at the system would not be honest. The main cost drivers are the size and condition of the code, the number of integrations, the amount and quality of data, new features you want, and how long old and new need to run in parallel. We work on mid-size and larger projects. After a free intro call and the analysis, you get an honest estimate, split into stages if you prefer.
06 Do you work with companies outside Austria?
Yes. We are based in Vienna and work with companies in Austria, Germany and the wider DACH region – usually remotely, with regular video calls.
07 Which technologies do you use?
For the new application we use a proven web stack: React, Next.js and TypeScript. Existing backends and databases can be connected and replaced step by step. We build web applications, not native mobile apps.
Tell us about your legacy system
Describe briefly which software you use and what no longer works. In a free intro call we look at your situation and tell you openly whether and how a modernization makes sense.
Get in touch
A new web application, a modernization or existing software – tell us briefly what it’s about and we’ll get back to you.