How we work with
your existing app
 

What's
inside​

Development
strategy

Should I extend my legacy app or build it from scratch?

Extending
legacy code

How will Monterail work with my legacy code?

New frontend for existing backend

How will Monterail create new frontend for my existing backend?

Business continuity

If Monterail will work with my existing app, how will they keep it up and
running?

Team
augmentation

I have a team of developers already and need to augment it. How will
Monterail do this?

Development Strategy

Extend or create

from scratch?

It all comes down to the question: will it cost more to maintain and update the old codebase, or to write it from scratch?

The immediate financial cost isn’t the only one that we consider here. Sometimes the codebase is in a good condition but it forces you to be vendor-locked, which is rarely a good option.

Creating from scratch is necessary when the source code is unmaintainable. Be it because the technology is no longer supported, or it doesn’t support the business need anymore.

In other cases, it’s preferable to extend or to incrementally update the existing app to a new technology.

Extending Legacy Code

Working with
legacy code

When looking for a company that will extend an app written in legacy code, it’s common to fear that writing the app from scratch will take a lot of time and money.

If the condition of the legacy code, as well as the size and timeline of the project allow it, we’ll extend the legacy code directly. But most often, a refactoring is necessary.

To minimize technical debt and costs, we rewrite the legacy code incrementally using microservices. This means that two technologies will create one solution — and we know how to make this work.

Making sure various
technologies work together

Assume that your legacy codebase is an element in a new microservice ecosystem. Naturally, it’s too big and complex to be a true microservice, but it can communicate with the new features just like a microservice does.

To handle this arrangement, we create interfaces like APIs or bridges to allow your legacy code to communicate with the new technology. As we add new features in the form of separate microservices, they’ll eat the business logic of the legacy code piece by piece.

We started with 120 hours of online design workshops conducted via Skype. Within just two months, we managed to build not only the MVP, but also a Minimum Buyable Product. After releasing the product to market, it became clear that Cooleaf needed a mobile version of the app as well.

They had a half-finished mobile application with legacy code that was difficult to maintain and develop further.

We suggested switching to the Ionic framework. As a result, we managed to release both the web and mobile apps according to established deadlines. In 2016, the app was named the Best B2B Application at the Atlanta Mobile Awards.

New Frontend
for Existing Backend

Creating new
frontend

We begin with collecting and analyzing your needs. Sometimes it turns out the existing code is in a good condition, and keeping it is optimal for achieving your goals. In that case, we proceed with building the frontend.

If, however, we need to refactor the backend, we reuse as many components as possible to reduce delivery time and costs. We choose the tech stack accordingly.

The client approached us with a goal to rebuild their existing website in order to improve its user experience. The website’s frontend had to be built from scratch and integrated with the existing backend and design elements.

The majority of Pizza Hut’s orders are placed via mobile devices. That’s why our main goal was to build a mobile-first app and increase mobile conversions. We developed the app’s frontend focusing on improving every step of the customer journey. The resulting web app generates 30% more conversions.

Business Continuity

Keeping the
app functional

When extending an existing application, there are a couple of things we do to make sure it stays functional.

First of all, we separate the environments we work on from the live application. This means that we’ll upload the new functionalities only when they’re finished and fully functional. The existing users will experience just a short period of downtime or they’ll get a new app seamlessly.

When working with legacy code, we also separate the core functionalities from the new ones (most often leveraging the microservice structure). This gives us an extra layer of protection, keeping the core app always functional, with new functions added incrementally.

Bosch Automotive is one of the leaders of the automotive industry. We helped the client build a Web app adjusted for GDPR compliance. We also worked on improving UX and UI to suit Bosch’s corporate guidelines.

With Node.js on backend and React + Next.js on frontend as our technologies of choice, we built 5 useful modules for Bosch Automotive Services.

Team Augmentation

Working with
existing teams

Working as an extended team is something we have processes and quality checks for.

Depending on the need, we can become a part of your existing team, or perform the role of an outside CTO.

We’ll take care of appropriate communication, knowledge transfer, and project delivery.

Let’s stay
in touch!

hello@monterail.com
+48 533 600 135

www.monterail.com