SynapseaThe framework is no longer maintained
Zend 1, Symfony 1 to 4, PHP 7: no more security patches, impossible hiring, a host threatening to pull the plug.
PHP & Symfony modernization
PHP & Symfony modernization: speed up your migration, keep your risks under control.
We modernize legacy applications by combining senior expertise, intelligent automation and systematic verification. From diagnosis to production, every transformation is documented, tested and fitted to your business constraints: feature-for-feature migration, in batches, with tests proving at every step that nothing changed for your users or your partner systems. A method proven by our founder over eighteen years of migrations, from Symfony 1 to Symfony 7.4.
What we take care of
Symfony migrations (3, 4, 5, 6.4 → 7.4) and PHP upgrades (5.x, 7.x → 8.4)
Migration of Zend Framework and legacy PHP applications to Symfony
Doctrine and persistence migrations (PostgreSQL, MySQL), schemas and data
API modernization and progressive monolith breakdown
Quality, performance, security: tests, static analysis, vulnerability fixes
Dependency and environment upgrades (Composer, Docker, CI/CD)
Situations
Sound familiar?
Nobody dares to touch the code
No tests, no documentation, business rules buried deep. Every release is a gamble.
Partner systems depend on you
Interfaces that must be preserved to the byte during the migration, or other teams grind to a halt.
Scope
What the offer covers
A PHP application ages in layers: language, framework, persistence, APIs, dependencies, environment. We address each one, in the order that reduces risk.
Legacy PHP
PHP 5.x and 7.x to PHP 8.4: deprecations, typing, removed extensions, library compatibility.
Symfony 3, 4, 5, 6 → 7.4
Major-by-major upgrades, deprecations resolved before each jump, Flex, attributes, Messenger, new components.
Zend Framework and legacy applications
Zend Framework 1 and 2, Laminas, in-house frameworks: controllers, services, authentication and integrations rebuilt in batches on Symfony.
Doctrine and persistence
Doctrine ORM / DBAL, schema migrations, PostgreSQL and MySQL, takeover of hand-written SQL, data consistency.
API modernization
Versioned REST APIs (OpenAPI), compatibility preserved for partner systems during the transition.
Monolith migration
Progressive breakdown along functional boundaries (strangler pattern), with no big-bang rewrite and no downtime.
Quality, performance and security
Characterization tests, static analysis, profiling, fixes for known vulnerabilities.
Dependencies and environments
Composer, Docker images, CI/CD pipelines, per-environment configuration, reproducible deployments.
Method
How we work
01
Audit
Code, database, interfaces, debt, vulnerabilities. A report and a batch-by-batch plan.
02
Test safety net
Characterization tests on current behavior before changing a single line.
03
Batch migration
Module by module, feature parity, partner interfaces preserved.
04
Automation
CI/CD, reproducible deployments (Ansible, Docker), security checks.
05
Handover
Documentation, team training, follow-up after go-live.
AI-assisted approach
Automation as a controlled accelerator, not a magic promise
A migration is never fully automatic. Much of the repetitive work, however, can be delegated to tools, provided a senior engineer checks every result. We combine deterministic tools and AI agents under human supervision: they propose, the tests and the engineer decide.
Your application's code and data are handled according to your confidentiality constraints: environments you control, AI providers chosen with you or models hosted on your side, no production data sent anywhere without written agreement.
- Rector
- automated code rewriting: PHP and Symfony deprecations, typing, version-upgrade rule sets
- PHPStan
- static analysis at increasing levels, detection of errors introduced by the migration
- PHPUnit
- characterization tests before, non-regression tests after every batch
- Integration tests
- critical journeys, APIs and database exercised on production-like environments
- Deprecation detection
- Symfony and PHP deprecation logs worked through batch by batch before each version jump
- Quality tooling
- PHP-CS-Fixer, Composer audit, dependency analysis, test coverage
- Supervised AI agents
- code reading, refactoring proposals, test and documentation generation, every proposal reviewed and validated by an engineer
Engagement path
Three levels, from diagnosis to accompanied migration
Each level can be engaged on its own. Scope, deliverables and acceptance criteria are written down before we start; pricing and timelines are set by quote after the scoping call.
1. Preliminary diagnosis
A first look at the application: versions, dependencies, visible debt, major risks, feasibility of a progressive migration.
Deliverables
Reading of the existing system and interviews
Summary note: state, risks, options
Recommendation on next steps
2. Technical audit and roadmap
Full analysis of the code, database, interfaces and tooling, then a batch-by-batch migration plan.
Deliverables
Audit report (code, data, security, dependencies)
Batch roadmap with risks and prerequisites
Effort estimate per batch
3. Accompanied, secured migration
Execution of the migration, batch by batch, with your team or on its behalf, under non-regression tests and with handover.
Deliverables
Test safety net and CI/CD pipeline
Batches shipped to production, documented
Training and follow-up after go-live
No price or timeline is published: they depend on the size of the application, the existing test coverage and your team's availability. They are sent to you in writing after the diagnosis.
Track record
What our founder has already delivered in this area, within client teams and consulting firms
A national system modernized without service interruption
Zend Framework 1 back office rewritten to Symfony 7.4 / PHP 8.4 with feature parity. Data schema audited and migrated, PostgreSQL upgrade path (from 16), partner interfaces preserved, Ansible deployments, automated test safety net built before the rewrite.
Three major migrations while deliveries continued
Symfony 5.4 → 6.4, PHP 8.2 → 8.4 and Angular 14 → 18 completed without interrupting the deliveries of a national HR system. Versioned REST APIs, large business imports, accessibility audits.
Frequently asked questions
What clients ask before we start
How long does a migration take?
From a few weeks for one module to several months for a full system. The initial audit gives a batch-by-batch estimate, and every batch ships to production.
Do we have to rewrite everything?
Rarely. We favor progressive migration: business code that works is kept and tested; only the technical foundation changes.
Does the application keep running during the migration?
Yes. Batches are cut so that the old and new versions coexist, and partner interfaces stay stable.
Can you work alongside our team?
That is the usual mode: we scope, we build the critical parts, and we hand over to your developers.
How does a Symfony 6.4 to 7.4 migration go?
Start from a 6.4 with no deprecations left (empty deprecation log, PHP 8.2 minimum), update third-party dependencies that support 7.x, then move to 7.4 and run the test safety net. Rector automates a large share of the signature changes; the rest is handled by hand, batch by batch.
What about a Zend Framework 1 application?
Zend Framework 1 has been unmaintained since 2016. We rebuild controllers, services and data access on Symfony in batches, behind a façade that lets the old and new applications coexist (strangler pattern), until the old code is fully retired.
Can AI migrate the code for us?
No, and we don't promise it. It speeds up reading, refactoring and test writing, under the control of an engineer and non-regression tests. Your sources are not sent to any AI service without your written agreement.
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Learn moreDescribe your application; we reply within 2 business days.
Stack, volume, deadline: a 30-minute call is enough to tell you whether a progressive migration is possible and where to start.