Streamlined Laravel Upgrade for Government Platform

This follow-up project demonstrates the value of ongoing technical maintenance and incremental improvements. Working with Horrible Brands and Deloitte, we upgraded the Laravel framework version while maintaining system stability, ensuring continued security compliance and optimal performance.

THE CHALLENGE

Following the successful 2023 modernization, the government institution required a Laravel framework upgrade to maintain security compliance and access the latest features. This project focused on a streamlined upgrade process with minimal technical debt.

  • Upgrading Laravel framework to the latest stable version while maintaining zero downtime
  • Updating approximately 50 JavaScript and PHP packages while ensuring compatibility across the entire stack
  • Ensuring continued compliance with government-grade security standards
  • Maintaining system stability and performance throughout the upgrade process
  • Minimizing disruption to ongoing operations and user workflows

This upgrade involved updating the Laravel framework and updating approximately 50 JavaScript and PHP packages, requiring careful coordination to ensure compatibility and maintain system stability.

THE RESULTS

After 4 months of dedicated effort, the project delivered outstanding results:

  • Seamless Upgrade: Successfully upgraded Laravel framework with zero downtime and no service interruptions
  • Security Compliance: Maintained government-grade security standards and passed all security audits
  • Stable Performance: System performance remained consistent throughout and after the upgrade
  • Reduced Technical Debt: The incremental upgrade approach minimized technical debt accumulation
  • Future-Ready: The system now has access to the latest Laravel features and security patches

OUR ROLE

As the Lead Developer, our team managed the Laravel application upgrade process, ensuring smooth execution and maintaining system reliability. We continued our collaboration with Horrible Brands and Deloitte's teams to ensure seamless coordination.

PROJECT DETAILS

PLANNING & ASSESSMENT

  • Conducted comprehensive codebase analysis in collaboration with Horrible Brands and Deloitte teams to identify upgrade requirements and potential compatibility issues
  • Created a detailed upgrade roadmap focusing on minimal disruption and maintaining system stability

BACKEND UPGRADE

  • Upgraded Laravel framework to the latest stable version, ensuring all core functionality remained intact
  • Updated approximately 50 JavaScript and PHP packages to compatible versions, maintaining system reliability
  • Refactored deprecated code patterns to align with Laravel best practices

TESTING & VALIDATION

  • Conducted thorough testing to ensure all features functioned correctly after the upgrade
  • Validated security compliance and ensured all government-grade security standards were maintained
  • Performed performance testing to confirm system stability and responsiveness

DEPLOYMENT & MONITORING

  • Executed zero-downtime deployment using Deloitte's existing CI/CD pipelines, ensuring codebase compatibility
  • Monitored system performance and stability post-deployment in coordination with Deloitte's DevOps team to ensure seamless transition
  • Provided documentation and support for the upgraded system

TECHNOLOGIES USED

WHY THIS MATTERS

This project demonstrates the importance of ongoing technical maintenance and incremental improvements. By conducting regular framework upgrades in collaboration with Horrible Brands and Deloitte, we ensure government systems remain secure, performant, and future-ready while minimizing disruption and technical debt.

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