Working Safely With Legacy Code

These blog posts form part of an on-going series which outline our system for genius and mastery for when you have to work with legacy code. Use these as a master class for working alongside legacy code. Ideally, these posts should be read in the order of publication.

Last Post: 2024-02-29

An extreme close up of an Apple Magic Mouse 2. The mouse is oriented such that we are looking at it's side and we can see an out of focus keyboard next to it. They are both placed on white a desk.

Unravelling the Code Tapestry: Documenting Final Steps …

Ensuring your documentation is up to date and running all available tests before making changes is vital. Here’s why…

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A number of coloured sticky notes are arranged on a pinboard. The sticky notes do have handwritten text on them, but they are out of focus, meaning that the text is unreadable

Unravelling the Code Tapestry: Learning the Release Process …

You have the code and the database, but now you need to figure out the release process and PR strategy.

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A close up of a traditional, spinning, hard drive. The outer case has been removed, revealing the platters (which spin when powered up) and the read/write head.

Unravelling the Code Tapestry: Accessing a Development …

You need to access the database, but how should you do that, and what caveats should you know about? This post has the answers.

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A photo of a screen showing the basic Notion UI. The user is entering documentation into the Notion file, in French. Section labels include 'Notes de recontres', 'Concepts', 'Courriles', 'Régles d'affaires', 'Interfaces'

Unravelling the Code Tapestry: Documenting your Progress

Documenting what you’ve found so far is more important than getting the code running at this point. Let’s find out …

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An open Macbook Pro sits on a mahogany desk alongside a white coffee cup, an iPhone, a notepad and pen. The screens for both the Macbook and iPhone are off. The notepad has some, out of focus, writing on it.

Unravelling the Code Tapestry: Before Running the Build

You’ve been given access to the repository, but don’t build it yet. There are quite a few things to do beforehand.

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An open Macbook Pro sits on a white desk, with a large screen behind it. The desk has only an iPhone, a coffee cup, a pair of speakers a small potted plant, and a pair of over-the-ear headphones near it. An out of focus code listing is shown the Macbook's screen, and a product listing webpage can be seen on the screen behind it. The focus of the image is the Macbook.

Unravelling the Code Tapestry: Why Documentation is Key to …

Gathering documentation before working with legacy code is crucial to ensure stability and reliability during modernization …

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A group of software developers sitting around a table, all are using laptop computers. We are looking down at the table from an angle and can see the backs of two developers, one of whom is wearing headphones. Across the table from them, two other developers are engaged in a conversation about the work they are doing.

Unravelling the Code Tapestry: Conversations with Code …

The intricate narratives of legacy systems are unveiled through collaborative dialogues with developers, emphasizing meticulous …

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A number of multi-coloured carpets are arranged on a rack. They are predominantly red with yellow, bronze, and gold motifs.

Unravelling the Code Tapestry: Preparing to Tame Legacy Code …

Embark on a transformative journey, where we unveil the intricate layers of legacy systems by prioritizing user-led exploration, …

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A monochrome close up image of a person picking lock. the lock is in the centre of the image, and the person's left hand can be seen reaching in from the left-hand side of the frame.

Unravelling the Tapestry of Legacy Code: A Series on Safely …

Embark on a transformative journey with us as we explore the art of working with legacy code, unravelling its layers, and …

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