With the rapid evolution of user needs, technologies and processes, applications can quickly become antiquated. While developers work hard to maintain their relevancy, there are ultimately a plethora of arguments for rewriting applications. In this post, we will explore many of these arguments in order to help you determine whether this is the best course of action for you and your business.
Consider rewriting applications because…
…there are a ton of new application features that did not exist 5-10 years ago. For example, a new application could take advantage of social media incorporation, GPS and GIS smartphone integration and the Cloud.
Consider rewriting applications because…
…older web technologies may not integrate well with modern technologies.
- Web browsers have merged to support modern HTML standards but older sites may have been written to work with older browsers like Internet Explorer and don’t perform well with Edge or Chrome.
- Older sites were likely written for display on PCs only. New sites need to be responsive so they can be browsed on phones, tablets and PCs.
- HTML 5 and JavaScript libraries provide a more user-friendly and better performing experience not available with older technologies.
- Older technologies most likely contain security holes susceptible to new hacking capabilities.
Consider rewriting applications because…
…applications can get messy with “spaghetti code” from fixes and enhancements over time.
Consider rewriting applications because…
…older applications may be written in obsolete languages so finding tech support for the application could be difficult. Also, many developers are simply not interested in working with legacy code.
Consider rewriting applications because…
…applications may use 3rd party components that are no longer supported and only work in the development tools from the time of original coding. If the development tools are upgraded to the latest versions, 3rd party components will most likely not work in the new versions of the tools.
Consider rewriting applications because…
…businesses change the way they manage information over the years. A rewritten application can better match current business processes rather than the business processes from a decade ago.
Consider rewriting applications because…
...depending on the circumstances, the original application may have been written by a power user as opposed to a software developer. As a result, it may be difficult to make changes to the code without breaking many other features in the application.
Consider rewriting applications because…
…in the past, the screens in applications were designed around entities (the client screen, the product screen, etc.). This approach required a user to move between multiple screens to complete a single process. Today, application screens are designed around business process leading to more efficient operations.
There are clearly numerous arguments for rewriting applications. If you think you or your business could benefit or you would like to learn more about what that process looks like, we would love to speak with you.
