Legacy App Modernization / Migration
There are many reasons to migrate legacy apps, but they all start with the same thing: code that no longer works for its purpose.
The new platform you want can be on-premises, public cloud (AWS, Google Cloud Platform, etc.), or any other kind of modern app architecture; it doesn't matter. What does matter is that you don't simply copy and paste your C++ code into Node/Python/Ruby… somehow? That means it's time to refactor your application (or, more precisely, your code). Any legacy app migration project starts with changing how things work now.
First, you need to know where the "red" goes so you can turn off the "red." The code can be a complete mess, but it does have to work before you refactor anything. Once you know how things work under the old hood, you can rethink your overall architecture and add new features that were never previously possible. It's a fresh shot at an opportunity to change how your app works rather than replace Windows with Linux or vice versa.
When it comes to legacy app modernization, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. Every company has a unique set of applications that need to be migrated, and each application presents its own set of challenges. In some cases, a company may port its existing applications to a new platform. In other cases, a company may need to completely rebuild its applications in a new language or use a different framework. Some legacy app modernization projects can be completed with no code at all. When companies have the right tools and processes in place, it's often possible to modernize an application without writing much - if any - new code.
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Regardless of the approach that's used, it's important to remember that legacy app modernization is a complex process. There are many factors to consider, and no one method will work for every company. To achieve the best results, it's essential to partner with a vendor that has experience in legacy app modernization and understands the unique needs of your business. However, many organizations struggle with the idea of implementing a full-scale redevelopment project. Not only can this be costly and time-consuming, but it also carries the risk of introducing new bugs and vulnerabilities into your system.
Thankfully, there is a more helpful way. Thanks to the rise of no-code platforms, businesses can now modernization their legacy apps without writing a single line of code. No code platforms simplify development and ultimately, the legacy app modernization process to a configuration process, eliminating coding and making testing and deployment even more straightforward than low code platforms. This makes them the perfect solution for businesses looking to update their legacy applications without taking too much risk.
4 Reasons for Legacy App Modernization and No-code Platforms
The following are four reasons why no-code platforms make the most sense for legacy app modernization:
1. No code platforms allow businesses to update their application at low risk and at a high value. Configuration is the key to success on no-code platforms, not coding. This means that you can make changes to your application without writing any new code. This increases speed and agility and makes testing and deployment much more effortless. No-code platforms are perfect for legacy app modernization because they allow you to use cloud technologies. By migrating your legacy app to the cloud, you can take advantage of the cloud's scalability and flexibility. Another reason to use a no-code platform for legacy app modernization is that they make integrating with other applications and services accessible. This allows you to create a more efficient and robust business ecosystem.
2. There is no need to write new or risky code, so there is no room for bugs or vulnerabilities. When legacy app modernization is done right, you can reduce maintenance costs by 50% (created by bugs and vulnerabilities). Companies can take advantage of this cost reduction by taking an application developed (usually)for on-premise environments and converting it to a no-code platform. Once the process of modernizing your legacy app has begun, there is another way that no code can be of assistance in application integration. Legacy applications are often siloed off from the rest of the company and its data, making it difficult to get a complete view of what is happening in the business. By integrating your legacy app with other applications and data sources, you can break down these barriers and better understand what is happening in your business. This also allows you to get more value from your legacy application investment.
3. There is no need for the business to hire new developers or invest in complicated programming skillsets. No-code platforms enable business users without programming skills to rapidly create custom applications that meet their specific needs.
This means that the business can avoid the cost and complexity of traditional software development, and instead focus on more important tasks. The big question is if no-code platforms will replace developers.
No-code platforms are an excellent option for businesses that want to modernize their legacy apps without compromising development costs and skills. They allow developers to accomplish this by modifying the app with no code to maintain high levels of security and speed while still achieving modernization. No-code platforms also tend to be easier to use than traditional coding platforms, making them ideal for any developer regardless of their skill level.
4. No code platforms allow businesses to modernize their legacy app without compromising on development, security, and functionality speed. All legacy app modernization solutions come with a certain amount of risk. For example, if you move your legacy app to the cloud, you may lose some functionality or performance. To mitigate these risks, businesses need a platform that allows them to modernize their legacy app without compromising on development security and speed.
No-code platforms are great for this purpose because they allow businesses to quickly and easily modify their legacy apps without writing any code. This makes it possible to maintain high levels of development security and speed while still achieving the desired level of modernization. No-code platforms also tend to be more user-friendly than traditional coding platforms, making them ideal for businesses with no technical expertise.
Create the UX for your legacy application modernization using no-code
There's no getting around the need for a comprehensive codebase for legacy app modernization. This is especially true when it comes to the user interface (UI) and data validation. In most situations, a significant amount of code is required to manage UI elements, establish forms to collect data, and then store it in an organized manner. Therefore, using no code as the primary means for modernization won't work.
There are many reasons why this is the case. First and foremost, legacy apps are often tied tightly to specific hardware or software platforms that may no longer be supported. As a result, making the underlying code can be difficult or impossible. Additionally, using no code as a primary means for modernization can introduce new errors and compatibility problems.
Finally, legacy apps tend to be very complex, with many interconnected code modules. Trying to re-write or modify this code without a comprehensive understanding of how it all works is practically impossible. In most cases, it's much better to rebuild the app using a modern coding framework, such as Java, .NET, or NodeJS. This will allow you to take full advantage of modern development techniques and best practices and ensure compatibility with current hardware and software platforms.
But what about no-code platforms?
Development in no-code is a matter of using the interface to configure elements of the application. Then, the code is generated automatically based on the user’s selections. This makes it possible to update the application without any programming skills. You can configure an entire application through a web interface, including the database, input forms, business rules, workflows, reports, and dashboard generation. No code is perfect for legacy app modernization because it allows you to bypass the need for coding expertise altogether. In some cases, this may be all that is needed to bring an aging app into the modern era. No code also offers other benefits such as easier collaboration and shorter time-to-market.
Conclusion
Legacy app modernization is where no-code tools stand out from legacy coding or development from scratch. Of course, you can't copy and paste legacy code into something else and expect it to work as the original platform did. But you might be able to extract what changes would need to happen and build them in no-code tools. That's not to say code migration isn't possible. It is. But the effort to do so can be so considerable that it must be considered legacy app modernization, not just a matter of changing platforms. Even if you have no-code tools available, you still need people who understand how the legacy system works to turn the "red" off when migrating away from it.
Legacy app modernization can take many forms, including building out an API before moving forward with platform changes (e.g., IoT) or consolidating different systems into one common platform (e.g., CRM, ERP, warehouse management).
With no-code legacy app modernization tools, you can modernize your code with a minimal investment in time and resources. Of course, a change of platforms might be inevitable with legacy apps. Still, the easier path is to build new capabilities on top of existing code rather than starting from scratch with coding or moving to a completely different legacy app that uses an entirely different technology stack.
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