You know it when you see it. It's the same system you log into each morning. You've been doing it for years. This system has been trustworthy and helpful; it fills a need. But damned if it's not also buggy, no longer supported by the company that wrote it, or worse, someone internal wrote the code and they left a decade ago. It's time to consider your options. It's time to think about what you will do once this program stops working. Laravel is an excellent option for this situation.

Why Laravel? 

For starters, it's not just another PHP framework, and it's not just the most popular. 

Laravel is labeled as the PHP framework for "Web Artisans." It provides built-in systems for authentication, authorization, email verification, encryption, hashing, password resets, and much more. These features lay the foundation for Laravel to be a fantastic choice for your replacement project. It is not just about a replacement; it's about building something that fits your business and is performant, secure, and, most importantly, maintainable. 

Additionally, Laravel is an open-source framework popular for its simplicity, flexibility, and rapid application development. Laravel offers many advantages over other PHP frameworks, such as Symfony, CodeIgniter, and CakePHP, for replacing legacy systems:

  1. Laravel is designed for stability, security, and speed, making it suitable for companies upgrading their legacy systems.

  2. Laravel has a modern feature set and tools that streamline development, making it easier for developers to build high-performance applications in less time.

  3. Laravel has a built-in ORM and Eloquent, simplifying database management and making it easier to work with complex schema. 

Wait a minute. Is there more than one PHP framework? We dropped a few names above: Symfony, CodeIgniter, CakePHP, and there is more than that. We just happen to think Laravel is the best. And it's not just us; check out a few of these articles: Kinsta or Rollbar

Ok, Ok, I agree Laravel sounds excellent; how do we get started?

The devil is in the details. First, you need to take a few simple steps:

  1. Audit the features of your current system. - Do you need them all? What is the core set of things you need?  

  2. Do you want any new features? - What features would help people be more efficient or automate manual tasks?

  3. Check external dependencies - Does your current system integrate with anything external?

  4. Consider database requirements - what is essential to your system?

  5. Is your team ready for the transition? 

Once you have completed these steps, you are ready to include an external firm like Ravenna to take things to the next level. 

The next step has nothing to do with Laravel.  

Wait what? The next step is to dive as deeply into understanding your system as possible. We need to sit with you, your staff, and whoever uses the system on a consistent basis.

Those consistent users usually know the most about how things work, what system features are buggy, what could be improved, and what is unnecessary.  

Building out this picture of your existing system is vital for us to become experts in your current system. This process can be one meeting, but it can also take 10-15 hours over multiple days.    

We then take these copious notes back to our bat cave, lab, and home offices and develop a picture of what you have and where you want to go. This picture then becomes a specification for your future system, an estimate of hours, and a project plan. The process of replacing a legacy system must be thorough. 

More detail usually equals lower risk when building a replacement for a legacy system

Our team specializes in helping companies navigate the complex journey of replacing legacy systems. We understand the intricacies, the challenges, and the potential pitfalls. With Ravenna, you're not just getting a service; you're gaining a partner dedicated to ensuring your transition to Laravel is as smooth and beneficial as possible.

This article, like everything else, has to come to an end. Updating your legacy database system isn't just a necessary step; it's an opportunity to grow and evolve. Laravel is a great option when looking at how to get from where you are now to a more functional future.

Lets Talk