Many businesses run on PHP applications that were built years ago and have accumulated complexity, technical debt, and dependencies that are increasingly difficult to maintain. These are not standard CMS installations. They are bespoke systems, sometimes built on frameworks like Laravel, sometimes on older procedural PHP, that underpin real business operations and cannot simply be switched off or replaced without significant planning.
Expression 37 supports legacy PHP applications and custom-built systems alongside ExpressionEngine and Craft CMS work. The approach is the same: understand what exists properly before touching it, assess the risks, and provide the continuity of support that a business-critical system requires.
What This Work Covers
- Ongoing maintenance and security updates for PHP applications built on custom frameworks or legacy codebases
- Bug investigation and resolution for bespoke systems where the original developer is no longer available
- PHP version compatibility work, ensuring the application continues to run on current server environments
- Performance investigation and optimisation for applications that have grown slower over time
- Feature additions and modifications to existing applications where the business requires changes
- Laravel application maintenance and development work
- Database maintenance, query optimisation, and schema updates where required
Common questions:
We have a PHP application built by someone who is no longer available. Can you maintain it?
Yes. Taking over responsibility for bespoke code written by someone else is familiar territory. The first step is always a proper code review to understand what exists, how it works, and what state it is in. That review informs everything that follows and means we are not making changes without understanding the implications.
Our server needs to upgrade PHP versions and we are worried it will break things. Can you manage that?
Yes. PHP version upgrades are a common reason businesses contact us. Older applications often use functions or syntax that was deprecated in more recent PHP versions, and upgrading without checking compatibility can cause significant issues. We audit the codebase against the target PHP version first, address any incompatibilities, and test thoroughly before the server upgrade happens.
We have a Laravel application. Does that fall within what you cover?
Yes. Laravel application maintenance and development is part of what Expression 37 handles. Whether it is keeping the application up to date with current Laravel releases, extending functionality, or resolving issues with an existing application, this is work we take on.
Our application has not had maintenance for years. Where do we start?
A code and security audit is the right starting point. That gives a clear picture of the current state of the application: what is working, what is at risk, what has accumulated over time, and what needs addressing first. From there, a plan can be agreed based on actual findings rather than assumptions.
Can you work on an application even without access to the original developer or any documentation?
Yes. Many applications we inherit have limited or no documentation, and the original developer is often unreachable. It takes longer to get to grips with a system without that context, but it is the normal starting point for this kind of work. A methodical approach and thorough testing substitute for documentation that no longer exists.
