Red Lion Network

Legacy website and web app maintenance

Old software still running your business? We'll keep it running.

Custom PHP, Laravel 4 or 5, jQuery, or Vue 2? We keep it secure, working, and supported. When you're ready, we'll set up a plan to update and modernize it.

MaintenanceAt risk
  • Audit of what you have
  • Error tracking and monitoring set up
  • Staging environment and backups in place
  • Security patches applied
  • Upgrade plan ready when you are

Signs your software is showing its age

Older websites and web apps rarely fail all at once. They get riskier and harder to work with a little at a time.

  • It's no longer getting security updates

    Old versions of PHP, Laravel, and Vue stop receiving security fixes, so every known weakness stays open.

  • Your host is forcing an upgrade

    Hosting providers drop support for old server software, and your app stops working the day they switch.

  • Small changes take forever

    Every update feels risky, takes longer than it should, and seems to break something unrelated.

  • It's hard to find anyone to work on it

    Few developers want to touch older technology, and the ones who built it have moved on.

  • No one knows how it all works

    There is little or no documentation, so what the app does lives in the code and nowhere else.

  • It no longer connects to your tools

    Payment providers, email services, and other tools update their systems, and your app gets left behind.

How we keep it running

Ongoing care for the software your business depends on. We start by adding the visibility and safety nets most older apps are missing.

  • Audit

    We learn how your application works, what it runs on, and where the biggest risks are, and explain it in plain language.

  • Error tracking and monitoring

    We set up exception capturing and uptime monitoring, so we see errors as they happen, often before your customers notice.

  • Staging environment

    If you don't have one, we set up a separate copy of your app, so every change is tested safely before it goes live.

  • Backups

    We make sure your data and code are backed up automatically, and that a backup can actually be restored.

  • Security patches

    We apply the fixes that are still available and close the gaps that are not, so your app and your customers stay protected.

  • Fixes and small changes

    Bugs, content updates, and small feature requests, handled carefully by people who know your code.

  • Hosting and compatibility

    When your host, browsers, or a connected service changes, we keep your app working with it.

  • Documentation

    We write down how everything works, so your app no longer depends on one person remembering it.

Ready to modernize? We'll set up a plan.

Only if and when you want to. We put a process in place to update and modernize your app in stages, without starting over.

  • An upgrade plan

    We map out what to update and in what order, based on risk and what matters most to your business.

  • Upgrades in steps

    We move PHP, Laravel, and Vue to supported versions one step at a time, testing along the way.

  • Modernize piece by piece

    We replace jQuery and tangled custom PHP gradually, so your business keeps running while it improves.

Older technologies we work with

We specialize in the PHP and JavaScript apps most developers would rather not touch.

  • Custom PHP (no framework)
  • PHP 5 and PHP 7
  • Laravel 4
  • Laravel 5
  • jQuery
  • Vue 2

Questions we get asked

Yes. If it still does the job, we keep it secure and working with patches, error tracking, backups, and fixes as they come up. Nothing changes unless you want it to.

No. Many legacy apps run well for years with good maintenance. If you want to update it, we'll set up a plan to do it in stages, and rebuild only where that's truly the better option.

Yes. Custom PHP apps are common in the projects we take on. We learn how yours works, write it down, and handle fixes and changes carefully.

Yes. We maintain it as it is, and when you are ready, we upgrade Laravel one major version at a time, updating the code, packages, and PHP version at each step.

Vue 2 reached end of life at the end of 2023, so it no longer gets security fixes. We can keep it maintained for now and plan a move to Vue 3 in stages when you are ready.

Not all at once, and not unless it's getting in your way. jQuery still works. When it starts slowing down changes, we replace it piece by piece as screens are updated.

It can be. Once a PHP version reaches end of life it stops getting security fixes, and many hosting providers stop supporting it. Good maintenance reduces the risk while you plan an upgrade.

Not if they're done carefully. We test every change in a staging environment first, watch for errors after release, and ship in small steps so problems are caught early.

Yes. We recover what we can, learn how it works, and take it from there. If it's urgent, we can start with a rescue to get things stable first.

It depends on the size and age of your application and how much help it needs, and typical engagements start at $1,600. You'll get a clear scope and price before any work starts.

Let's bring your application up to date.

Free 15-minute call. Tell us what it runs on and what's in the way.