Rescue & Modernize
Stop fighting your app. Make it fast, secure, and maintainable again.
The Challenge
Your application used to be your competitive advantage. Now it's holding you back. Pages load slowly. Every deploy breaks something. Hosting costs keep climbing. Your original developer is long gone, and the new team is afraid to touch anything.
Sound familiar? It's common. Most products that survive long enough inherit technical debt or outgrow their first architecture.
Outdated Framework
Several major versions behind. Security vulnerabilities piling up. Can't use modern libraries.
Slow & Getting Slower
Page loads taking 3-5 seconds. Database queries timing out. Users complaining.
Expensive Hosting
Spending $2-5K/month on Heroku for infrastructure that should cost $200-500.
Brittle Codebase
Every change breaks something else. No tests. Deployment takes hours. Fear of shipping.
My Rescue & Modernization Process
I don't rewrite from scratch. I incrementally modernize your app with zero downtime, focusing on quick wins first.
Technical Health Check (Free)
I audit your app to identify the biggest problems and opportunities. What's slow? What's vulnerable? What's costing you money? I prioritize fixes by impact and risk.
- Framework and dependency versions, and the upgrade path
- Performance bottlenecks (N+1 queries, missing indexes, slow endpoints)
- Security vulnerabilities and outdated dependencies
- Hosting cost optimization opportunities
- Technical debt prioritization
Deliverable: Written report with prioritized recommendations
Quick Wins Sprint (1-2 weeks)
Before major work, I implement high-impact, low-risk improvements. Fix the slowest endpoints. Add missing database indexes. Optimize N+1 queries. Set up proper monitoring.
Result: the worst slowdowns fixed first, so users feel it right away
Incremental Modernization (3-8 weeks)
Phased framework upgrades with zero downtime. I add test coverage where it's missing, upgrade one version at a time, update dependencies, and modernize code patterns.
Deliverable: Up-to-date application, test suite, documentation
Performance & Cost Optimization (1-2 weeks)
Make your app fast and affordable. Database query optimization, caching strategy implementation, background job optimization, and a hosting migration where it saves money.
Deliverable: Faster app, lower hosting bills, monitoring dashboards
Knowledge Transfer
I don't want you dependent on me. Documentation of all changes, recorded walkthrough of new setup, training for your team (if you have one), and optional ongoing support.
What You Get
Current, Supported Versions
Years of security updates ahead of you instead of behind
Measurably Faster
Before-and-after numbers on the pages and jobs that matter to you
Lower Hosting Bills
Right-sized infrastructure instead of paying for headroom you don't use
Comprehensive Test Coverage
Confidence to ship without breaking things
Zero Downtime
Incremental upgrades keep your app running throughout
Full Documentation
Everything documented so your team can take over confidently
Common Questions
How long does an upgrade typically take?
It depends on how far behind you are and how big the app is. One major version behind is often 1-2 weeks; several versions behind can take 1-2 months. The free health check gives you a real estimate.
Will there be downtime?
No. I do incremental upgrades with comprehensive testing at each step. Your app stays live throughout the process. I deploy during low-traffic windows and monitor closely.
What if we don't have any tests?
Common situation. I add test coverage as part of the upgrade process, focusing on critical paths first. This actually makes the upgrade safer and gives you confidence for future changes.
Can we keep using Heroku?
Absolutely. I'm platform-agnostic. Moving to your own servers often saves money, but I'll recommend what's actually best for your situation, not what's easiest for me.
What happens after the upgrade?
You own all the code and have full documentation. I offer optional ongoing support retainers if you want me available for questions or continued development, but there's zero obligation.
Ready to Modernize Your App?
Get a free technical health check. I'll identify quick wins and give you a clear upgrade roadmap. No obligation.
