Higher Education

Transforming a 15-Year-Old Desktop App into a High-Performance, Cloud-Native Web Platform

Industry Logistics & Supply Chain

  • Client Revenues

    $10B+ Client Revenues

  • Successful Years

    12+ Successful Years

  • IT Ninjas

    1000+ IT Ninjas

  • Successful Projects

    5000+ Projects

Client's Testimonial

Developers.dev didn't just rebuild our application; they re-imaged our workflow for the digital age. Their expertise in front end modernization and cloud architecture was instrumental. The new web platform has cut our agent onboarding time by 75% and improved operational efficiency by over 30%. Their CMMI Level 5 process gave us the confidence to undertake this mission-critical project, and they delivered flawlessly.

Dr. Michael Thompson, Director of Academic Technology

VP of Technology, Global Logistics Inc.

Client Introduction

A US-based, top-20 global logistics provider with over 10,000 employees. Their core operations relied on a dated, client-server desktop application for managing freight, tracking shipments, and handling customs documentation. The system was slow, difficult to maintain, offered no mobile access for their field agents, and was a significant barrier to integrating with modern partners via APIs.

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Problem and challenges

Problem

The client's business-critical legacy software was hindering growth, causing operational bottlenecks, and making it impossible to attract new tech talent. They needed to modernize to a web-based platform without disrupting their 24/7 operations.

Key Challenges

Extreme Performance Bottlenecks

Complex Business Logic

Migrating decades of deeply embedded business rules from a legacy codebase.

Complex Legacy Code

Zero-Downtime Requirement

The new system had to be phased in without interrupting live global operations.

Zero-Downtime Requirement

User Adoption

The new UI had to be intuitive enough for thousands of non-technical users to adopt with minimal training.

Data Integrity

Data Security

The platform handled sensitive shipping manifests and client data, requiring enterprise-grade security.

Our Solution

Our Solution

We assembled a dedicated DevSecOps Automation Pod and a Java Microservices Pod to tackle the project in two parallel streams: modernizing the front end and re-architecting the backend.

💻 Technology Stack

We chose Angular for the front end due to its robust, opinionated framework, which is ideal for large, complex enterprise applications.

🧩 Micro-Frontend Architecture

The application was broken down into logical business domains (e.g., Booking, Tracking, Billing), each built as a micro-frontend.

🎨 UI/UX Overhaul

Our design team conducted extensive workshops with the client's agents to map existing workflows and design a new, intuitive, and responsive interface.

🪜 Phased Rollout Strategy

We developed a modular rollout plan, allowing the client to migrate users from the old system to the new one, feature by feature.

Implementation and Execution

Initial Assessment

Discovery & Documentation

Conducted a 4-week deep-dive discovery to document all existing functionalities.

Prioritized Fixes

Interactive Prototyping

Created high-fidelity, interactive prototypes in Figma for user feedback and approval.

Staging Environment Build

CI/CD Pipeline Setup

Established a full CI/CD pipeline in Azure DevOps from day one for automated builds and testing.

Iterative Refactoring

Incremental Replacement

Used the Strangler Fig Pattern to incrementally replace pieces of the old application.

Pilot Testing

Component Library Build

Built a comprehensive component library to ensure UI consistency and speed up development.

Soft Launch Strategy

Integrated Security Checks

Integrated rigorous security checks (static and dynamic analysis) into the CI/CD pipeline.

Positive Outcome

📈 40% Increase in Productivity

The new streamlined UI and faster performance led to a significant boost in agent productivity.

📱 Enabled Mobile Access

The responsive design allowed field agents and drivers to access the system from tablets and mobile devices for the first time.

💸 Reduced Maintenance Costs by 60%

The modern, modular codebase was drastically easier and cheaper to maintain and update.

🔑 Unlocked New Business Opportunities

The new platform's API-first design allowed the client to integrate with new partners, creating new revenue streams.

Positive Outcome

Why Choose Us

🔄 Legacy Modernization

Deep expertise in legacy system modernization.

✅ CMMI Level 5 Process

CMMI Level 5 process for mission-critical projects.

🤝 Cross-functional PODs

Cross-functional PODs (Dev, QA, UI/UX).

📦 Logistics Experience

Proven experience in logistics and supply chain.

🔒 Enterprise Security

Enterprise-grade security (ISO 27001, SOC 2).

🏃 Agile Approach

Agile, iterative approach for complex projects.

🧩 Micro-frontend Expertise

Expertise in micro-frontend architecture.

💖 User-Centric Design

Commitment to user-centric design.

🤝 Collaborative Partnership

Transparent, collaborative partnership model.

Conclusion

By partnering with Developers.dev, the client successfully mitigated the immense risk of modernizing their core operational software. They now possess a scalable, secure, and user-friendly platform that serves as a foundation for future innovation and growth.