ASP & VBScript conversion
Convert Classic ASP pages, includes and COM-heavy data access to modern PHP — with proper encoding, parameterised queries and a structure your next developer can actually follow.
Johannesburg · legacy code modernisation
Classic ASP and old PHP don’t have to hold your business hostage.
Frank Bailey maintains, converts and modernises legacy web applications — from Classic ASP and ASP.NET Web Forms to outdated PHP 5/7 codebases — into clean, maintainable PHP 8 you can run with confidence on today’s hosting.
› You talk to Frank — the developer doing the work — not a hand-off team.
Services
Maintenance, conversion and modernisation for ageing codebases.
Many South African businesses still rely on intranets, portals and back-office tools written years ago. We keep them running, then move them forward — without losing the business logic you depend on.
Legacy PHP modernisation
PHP 5.x and 7.x codebases upgraded to PHP 8: remove deprecated mysql_* calls, fix strict types, adopt PDO, and clear the warnings that block hosting upgrades.
Ongoing legacy support
Bug fixes, small features and server migrations for systems that aren’t ready for a full rewrite yet. Honest advice on what to patch now vs. what to replace properly.
Hardening & SQL injection cleanup
Legacy apps are a common attack surface. We close SQL injection holes, tighten authentication, and bring error handling and logging up to a sensible baseline.
How it works
From brittle legacy to code you can maintain.
01 / Audit
Understand what you have
We review the existing ASP or PHP, database schema, integrations and hosting constraints. You get a plain-English picture of risk, effort and options.
02 / Plan
Agree scope and phasing
Full conversion or phased migration — module by module, with parallel running where the business needs zero downtime.
03 / Build
Convert with care
Clean PHP, tested against real workflows. We preserve behaviour first, then improve structure — not the other way around.
04 / Support
Handover & maintenance
Documented code, deployment notes and optional ongoing support so you’re not stranded after go-live.
Why studio256
A developer who has lived inside legacy systems.
Decades of PHP & data-layer work
Custom CMS builds, SQL Server and MySQL backends, API integrations — the same skills that legacy migrations depend on.
Direct line to Frank
No offshore rewrite factory. You discuss trade-offs with the person writing the code.
Pragmatic, not dogmatic
Sometimes a staged fix beats a big-bang rewrite. We recommend what fits your budget and timeline.
Johannesburg-based
Same time zone, billing in rands, and available when your internal team needs a senior pair of hands.
Typical migrations
What we move off — and what we move to.
From: Classic ASP / VBScript, ADO recordsets, inline SQL, PHP 5 with mysql_* functions, procedural spaghetti, deprecated hosting stacks.
To: PHP 8+, PDO or a thin data layer, prepared statements, sensible separation of concerns, UTF-8 throughout, error logging, and hosting that vendors still support.
Already on WordPress or a custom PHP app that just needs rescue work? See our emergency rescue page — or web design & development services for greenfield builds.
Get in touch
Tell us about your legacy system.
Share what stack you’re on, how critical the system is, and what’s pushing you to modernise — hosting deadlines, security, or simply nobody left who understands the code.
› Call / WhatsApp 084 811 4439 · franke@256.co.za
Still propping up old code?
Let’s talk before the next hosting upgrade forces your hand.