Software maintenance & codebase support
We don't disappear after launch. Ongoing maintenance, security patches, bug fixes, and production ownership — for software built by Pixelworx or software built by anyone else.
What ongoing maintenance includes
Bug fixes & performance
Reproduce, isolate, and fix bugs — including edge-case failures that surface months after launch. Performance audits, query optimization, and bottleneck removal. The work that keeps production healthy, not just running.
Security patches
Dependency updates, vulnerability remediation, and hardening against newly disclosed CVEs. We monitor the packages your application relies on and apply patches in a way that doesn't break the application doing it.
Feature additions
Small feature work — new fields, new flows, new integrations — handled with the same standards as the original build. No cutting corners because it's "just a small change." Every addition gets tested before it ships.
Codebase take-over
Your previous developer left, your team split, or you inherited a platform you didn't build. We audit the codebase, understand the architecture (even when it's undocumented), stabilize what needs stabilizing, and assume ongoing ownership. Take-overs are a real engagement type — not a reluctant exception.
Monitoring & incident response
Sentry, Laravel Horizon, server health monitoring — configured to alert the right people on the right conditions. When something breaks in production, we respond. Incidents are documented; root causes are fixed, not just patched over.
Hosting & infrastructure
Server provisioning, PHP and database upgrades, SSL renewals, backup verification, deployment pipeline maintenance. The invisible work that keeps the lights on — done proactively, not reactively when something breaks.
Your previous developer left. We pick up from here.
Take-overs are a real engagement type — not a reluctant exception.
When a developer leaves, a co-founder splits, a freelancer disappears, or you inherit a platform you didn't build, you need someone who treats the hand-off seriously. We do.
The engagement starts with a structured audit: architecture documentation (we write it if it doesn't exist), dependency health, test coverage, known bugs, monitoring gaps, and a prioritized list of what needs immediate attention versus what can wait. You see the full picture before we touch anything.
After the audit, we assume ownership — bug fixes, patches, incremental improvements, and the kind of proactive maintenance that keeps you from waking up to a broken application. The goal is to become the developer you wish you'd had from the start.
What makes maintenance work well — or fail quietly
No project minimum
Maintenance work is hourly or retainer-based. One bug fix, one security patch, one feature addition — each is a real engagement, not a rounding error on a bigger project.
Senior eyes on production
Every piece of work is handled by the same person who built or audited the codebase — not handed to a junior team after the "real work" is done.
Context retained
We track what we've changed, why, and what the tradeoffs were. When something comes up six months later, the context isn't lost.
Take-overs are real work
We treat codebase take-overs as a legitimate and valued engagement type — not a grudging exception. The audit, the stabilization, and the ongoing ownership are all first-class offerings.
Honest scope
We tell you what the work actually involves. No underbidding to win the retainer and then discovering scope. If a codebase audit surfaces more than expected, we surface it first.
Long-term partnership
The goal is to be the person you call when something goes wrong — and the person who prevents most things from going wrong. That takes time and consistent work, and we invest in it.
The process
Audit or review
For take-overs and new relationships, we start with an audit: architecture, dependencies, test coverage, known issues, monitoring gaps. For existing clients resuming work, we review what's changed since the last engagement. Either way, we understand what we're working with before touching anything.
Prioritize and scope
We rank what needs immediate attention (security vulnerabilities, breaking bugs) versus what can be deferred (tech debt, minor UX issues). You see the full list; you decide what gets worked on and when.
Work in small safe units
Every change is scoped to the smallest independent deployable unit that solves the problem. No "we'll fix it in the next big release" — each fix ships when it's ready and tested.
Document and hand off
Every engagement ends with notes: what was done, why, what was deferred, and what to watch. If the relationship ever ends, your next developer isn't starting blind.
Related services
Software development
Greenfield builds, SaaS platforms, and custom web applications — when the work is building rather than maintaining.
Third-party integrations
Maintaining integrations is its own discipline — API changes, webhook drift, and authentication rotation are common maintenance triggers.
Custom development
Complex spreadsheets, internal tools, and custom business logic — ongoing support available for everything in the custom solutions family.
Frequently asked questions
Do you take over codebases built by other developers? +
What does a codebase audit include? +
What frameworks and stacks do you support? +
How do retainers work? +
What if I just need one thing fixed — not an ongoing retainer? +
Do you monitor applications you maintain? +
Can you help with PHP or Laravel version upgrades? +
What happens if my application goes down? +
Interested in Maintenance & Support?
Most projects start with a 15-minute conversation. No pitch — just a straight look at what you need and whether we’re the right fit.