Vibe code review
A senior review of an app built with AI coding tools, covering security, data, performance and deployment, with a ranked fix list.
Laravel services
Rescue a struggling Laravel project
Your developer has gone quiet, every release breaks something, or an AI-built app has grown past the point anyone understands it. We take over Laravel projects, stabilise them and get you shipping again, without starting from scratch unless that really is the best option.
Secure the keys first
Repositories, servers, domains and third-party accounts moved into your name before anything else.
Stop the bleeding
Monitoring, backups and the most urgent fixes in place quickly, so things stop getting worse.
An honest diagnosis
A clear view of what is worth keeping, what needs refactoring and what needs replacing.
Back to shipping
A realistic plan to get from stable to delivering new features again.
Signs your Laravel project needs rescuing
You probably would not be reading this page if things were going well. These are the situations we hear about most:
- The developer has gone. A freelancer or agency has stopped responding, and you are not sure you have everything you need.
- Every release breaks something. Fixing one bug creates two more, and nobody wants to touch certain parts of the code.
- It is getting slower. Pages that were fast at launch now time out as data grows.
- Nobody understands the code. Often because it was generated quickly with AI tools, or written by many different people over many years.
- You are stuck on an old version. The app runs on Laravel 5 or 6 and PHP 7, and every package update fails.
Our guide to the 12 signs your Laravel app needs rescuing goes through each one in more detail.
How a takeover works
The first priority is control. Before we change any code, we make sure you own and can access everything: the repository, servers, domains, DNS, email services, payment accounts and backups. Many rescues get harder because a key account is in a former supplier's name.
Next comes safety. We set up error tracking and uptime monitoring, confirm backups exist and can be restored, and fix anything actively dangerous, such as exposed credentials or a known security hole.
Then we diagnose properly, with a full review of the code and infrastructure. You get a written plan that ranks the problems by risk and cost, and explains the options for each: fix, refactor, upgrade or replace.
Rescuing AI-written code
More of our rescue work now involves applications built quickly with AI coding tools. These apps tend to share the same problems: inconsistent patterns, missing authorisation checks, very few meaningful tests and dependencies nobody chose on purpose.
The fix is rarely to throw everything away. We add tests around the behaviour that matters, consolidate duplicated logic, close the security gaps and set up guardrails so that future AI-assisted changes stay consistent. From there, our AI-driven development process lets you keep the speed of AI tools without recreating the mess.
After the rescue
Once the app is stable, most clients keep us on through a support and maintenance plan, or move straight into new feature work. Either way, you will have documentation, monitoring, backups and a codebase that someone understands.
Scope
What's included
- Handover checklist covering code, servers, domains, DNS, email and third-party services
- Transfer of accounts and credentials into your ownership
- Monitoring, error tracking and verified backups in the first days
- A code review or vibe code review of the codebase
- Fixes for critical bugs, security issues and performance problems
- A stabilisation and recovery plan with costs and priorities
- Documentation of how the app works, how to deploy it and where everything lives
Process
How it works
Talk
A free call to understand what has happened and what is urgent.
Secure
We help you recover access to code, servers and accounts, and put backups and monitoring in place.
Diagnose
A review of the codebase and infrastructure, with a ranked list of problems and options.
Stabilise
We fix the critical issues first, then the ones that keep causing repeat bugs.
Rebuild momentum
With the app stable, we move on to the features you have been waiting for.
Case study
Certify: Blockchain-verified digital credentials
We took over a partly built platform and delivered an OpenBadges system that lets schools and training providers issue credentials verified on the blockchain.
Read the Certify case studyWe could not be happier with the relationship. They're super responsive, transparent and detailed in all they do, and the quality of what has been delivered has been excellent.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Our developer has disappeared and we do not have access to the code. Can you help?
Often, yes. The code may be recoverable from your server, your hosting provider or a Git host linked to your company email. We help you work through what you own and what you can recover, and we will tell you honestly if a rebuild is the only realistic option.
Do you always recommend a rebuild?
No. Rebuilds are expensive and risky, and most struggling apps can be stabilised and improved step by step. We only recommend rebuilding parts of an app when fixing them would cost more over the next year or two.
Our app was built with AI tools and nobody understands it. Is that a rescue?
It can be. AI-built apps often work until they need to change, then every fix breaks something else. We start with a vibe code review, then refactor the riskiest parts and add tests so that changes become safe again.
How quickly can you start?
For urgent situations such as a site that is down or a security incident, we will prioritise you as soon as you call. Planned takeovers usually start within a week or two.
Can you work alongside our existing developer during a handover?
Yes, and it makes the handover smoother. We can run a structured handover with them before they leave.
Keep exploring
Related services and guides
Laravel code review
An independent audit of a Laravel codebase covering security, performance, architecture and maintainability, with a written report in four working days.
Support and maintenance
A monthly block of senior Laravel hours for patching, upgrades, monitoring, bug fixes and small improvements, with clear priorities and reporting.
Upgrades and maintenance
12 signs your Laravel app needs rescuing
From a developer who has gone quiet to releases that always break something, these are the warning signs that a Laravel project needs help, and what to do next.
Talk to a senior Laravel engineer
Book a free 30-minute call. Tell us what you are building or what is worrying you, and we will tell you honestly what we would do, what it costs and how long it takes.