Software maintenance, support and a developer by the month
Software needs looking after. We take over existing applications, fix what is broken and make the small changes your business keeps asking for. You deal with the developer who does the work.
What we build
Maintenance is the quiet work that keeps software useful. It means fixing bugs, updating libraries, renewing certificates, checking backups and making small changes when your business changes. When nobody owns this work, small problems pile up until something fails at a bad moment.
We take on this work for software we wrote and for software we did not. We start with a review: how the application is built, how it is deployed, where the risks are and what a sensible first month looks like. We do not need the original developer, and we do not judge the code. We need to understand it.
If you have a steady stream of changes, you can take a developer on a monthly basis instead of paying per task. You set the priorities and we do the work in your repository and your issue tracker. We agree the scope of the first month in writing. The server side of the application is covered by our managed servers, if you want us to run it as well.
Where it helps
The original developer has gone
You have working software and nobody to look after it. We take it over, learn it and keep it running.
Bugs that never get fixed
Issues sit in a spreadsheet until a customer complains. With regular support they are listed, sorted by urgency and fixed.
Libraries and frameworks out of date
Old versions stop getting security fixes. We update them in steps, test the result and keep a way back.
Small changes that wait for weeks
A new report, a changed form, a new tax rate. A developer by the month clears this kind of list.
Nobody knows how it is deployed
We write down how the software is built, released and restored, so it does not depend on one person.
What you get
- A handover review of the code, hosting and known issues, in writing
- Bug fixing and small changes, tracked in your issue tracker
- Updates of libraries, frameworks and security fixes
- Short notes on what was done, monthly or on request
- Written documentation of how the software is built and released
- A monthly arrangement for a set amount of developer time, if you want one
Technology
- PHP
- Python
- JavaScript / TypeScript
- Node.js
- MySQL / MariaDB
- PostgreSQL
- Linux
- Git
- Docker
If you want, the software can run on our cloud servers or on a managed server where we look after the system, but that is never required.
From brief to handover
Every project starts with a short brief and a written quote. How a software project starts.
- 01 · BRIEF
You tell us what the software must do, who uses it and which systems it must work with. The form takes five minutes.
- 02 · QUOTE
We ask our questions, then send a written quote: scope, milestones, price in rupees + 18% GST and the payment schedule.
- 03 · BUILD
We build in milestones and you review each one. Changes in scope are agreed in writing first.
- 04 · HANDOVER
You get the code, the access details and the documentation, then support from us if you want it.
Maintenance and support: questions
Can you take over software built by someone else?
Yes. We start with a review of the code and the hosting, then agree a support arrangement in writing. The original developer does not need to be involved.
How does a developer on a monthly basis work?
We agree an amount of developer time for the month. You set the priorities and we work in your repository and issue tracker. You can ask to change the amount; how, and with what notice, is written in the quote.
What does it cost?
We give a written quote after a short brief. GST at 18% is added.
Can you also run the server?
Yes, if you want. See our managed servers at /managed-servers/. It is optional, and we can work on a server you already have.
Who owns the code?
You do, once the work is paid for. The code lives in your repository, and we sign an NDA on request.
Related services
Custom software
Workflow tools and internal software shaped around your own process, in the language and stack that suits the job.
Modernisation and code review
Upgrades for old PHP and legacy applications, and a code and security review that ends in a prioritised fix list.
Web applications
Customer portals, booking systems, dashboards and admin panels that run in the browser, on phones as well as desktops.
Tell us what you need
A short brief is enough. We reply with questions or a written quote, without obligation.