Software Project Takeover and Maintenance
On a project whose developer has left, the first job is not writing code but seeing what runs where. We set up monitoring and backups first; we do not touch anything until we have a point to roll back to.
Taken-over projects tend to share a story: the latest source code is on one laptop, server passwords are in an email, nobody knows what each cron job does. Adding features is risky in that state, and doing nothing is riskier.
We take over step by step. In the first weeks we inventory the code, servers, domains, third-party accounts and scheduled jobs, and set up error monitoring and backups. Once the system is observable we fix the priority bugs and move on to new development.
- —Companies whose developer or agency left and who struggle to keep the system running
- —Teams that want to finish a half-built project and take it live
- —Anyone with old software that works but that nobody dares to touch
We secure abandoned or stalled projects with an inventory, monitoring and backups first, then take them over step by step and handle long-term maintenance.
Code and infrastructure inventory
A written list of source code, servers, domains, third-party accounts and scheduled jobs.
Monitoring and alerts
Error and event monitoring on Signalbird; critical errors reach us before you.
Backups and rollback
Automatic daily backups and tested restore steps.
Risk report
Security gaps, outdated dependencies and technical debt, prioritised.
Staged handover
Critical bugs first, then improvements, then new development, with a rollback plan at every step.
Maintenance and on-call
Monthly maintenance; critical incidents answered within 1 hour, handled within 4.
- 01
Discovery
Two or three meetings and a look at what you already run. You end up with a scope, a timeline and a price. This stage is free.
- 02
Development
A working build every two weeks. The staging environment is open from day one, so you never have to take our word for progress.
- 03
Launch
Data migration, training and go-live. We watch it daily for the first month.
- 04
Operation
Logs and errors run through Signalbird. When something critical breaks, we usually see it before you do.
Frequently asked questions
Do you take over projects written by someone else?
Yes; half of our takeover work starts with a stack someone else chose. If you run on technology outside our usual list, talk to us anyway; we will tell you in the first call whether it can be taken over.
What if we do not have our source code?
We first secure the running copy on the server and any repositories that exist. We identify and report the missing pieces in writing, and decide together which parts need rewriting.
Will the system go down during the takeover?
Our goal is zero downtime. We try changes on staging first and release them with a rollback plan in a planned maintenance window.
How long does a takeover take?
Inventory, monitoring and backups usually take the first two or three weeks. The fixing and development that follow are set in writing at the end of discovery, depending on the state of the project.
Do you maintain the system long term after taking over?
Yes. Under the maintenance and on-call model, monitoring is on us, the response times in our SLA apply and we work for a fixed monthly fee.
Technology
Let’s talk about your project.
Describe it in a few sentences; we come back within three business days with scope, timeline and price. Discovery is free.