Does your front end depend on jQuery 1.x or 2.x and on Smarty templates that nobody likes to touch? We renew it one area at a time alongside the running system and test after every step. The jQuery project no longer supports the 1.x and 2.x branches (As of 2026-10).
JavaScript and TypeScript: new front ends for existing back ends
We build new front ends for applications whose back end keeps running, and we move them off old jQuery versions. For new projects we recommend a front end on Node.js, for example Next.js with React and TypeScript. Whether a new stack suits your system is something we decide together with you.
- Full stack since 2012, front end and back end
- jQuery in long-running applications
- Reply within one working day
Where we use JavaScript and TypeScript
In client systems we mostly work with long-running jQuery front ends. We maintain them, move them to maintained versions and replace individual areas when that pays off. The back end behind them, such as PHP, ColdFusion or Lucee, keeps running meanwhile.
The new stack means React, Next.js and TypeScript on Node.js. For an existing back end, for example in PHP, ColdFusion or Lucee, we can build a new front end that talks to it through an API. For new projects, too, we recommend a front end on Node.js, for example with Next.js. Which technology suits your system is something we decide together.
Typical tasks
- A new front end for an existing back end, one area at a time alongside the running system (Legacy front end: jQuery and Smarty).
- Leaving jQuery 1.x and 2.x: an update to a maintained version with the jQuery Migrate plugin, and replacing plugins that nobody maintains any more.
- Tidying up scripts that have grown over the years: code in templates, libraries loaded twice, dependencies without a maintainer.
- APIs through which a new front end fetches data from the existing back end (Use the monolith as a web service).
Which jQuery version are you running?
The jQuery project supports only the current version. The 1.x and 2.x branches receive no more updates, 3.x receives only critical security fixes and bug fixes, and 4.x is current (As of 2026-10, jquery.com (opens in a new window)).
The file name of the included library usually shows which version your application loads. For the move, the project provides the jQuery Migrate plugin and upgrade guides.
Technologies and scope
| Area | Scope |
|---|---|
| Front end in client systems | jQuery in long-running applications, update to maintained versions |
| New stack | React, Next.js, TypeScript and Node.js, also as a new front end for an existing back end |
| Back end behind it | PHP with Smarty and Slim, ColdFusion and Lucee |
Typical starting points
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Your legacy system works and holds rules nobody wants to rewrite. We expose its logic as a web service and close known vulnerabilities in a single pass. Comparison tests check whether behaviour stays the same, and the new system is built beside it in the new stack.
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Security updates for PHP 8.2 end on 31 December 2026, and for PHP 8.1 and older they have already ended (As of 2026-10). We move long-running PHP applications, including those with Smarty templates and jQuery front ends, to PHP 8.4 or 8.5 and test every stage.
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Your team is at capacity, a specific skill is missing, or you need a second opinion before an important decision? We take over a defined part: a module, the backend for your frontend, an interface, a migration or a code review. We work in your repository and ticket system, and the code and the knowledge stay with you.
Projects with JavaScript and TypeScript
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A photo upload app for wedding guests
Wedding guests scan a QR code, open one secret address and upload photos and videos straight from the phone: no app, no account, no login. Files of up to 5 GB land on the client's own disk, and the couple watches the gallery fill up during the party. One evening, no second chance, and phones from six years back.
Questions about JavaScript and TypeScript
Do you do frontend and backend, or backend only?
Both. Our engineers have worked as full-stack developers since 2012. Typical tasks are a new frontend for an existing backend and the maintenance of jQuery frontends that have grown over the years. For new projects we recommend a front end on Node.js, for example with Next.js and React. We discuss in the intro call whether that suits your system.
Do we have to switch to React or another framework?
No. A framework pays off when a front end is developed further over years and many areas are meant to work without reloading the page. For an application that rarely changes, maintained versions of jQuery and Smarty and tidy templates are often enough.
Once the inventory is available, we decide with you which technology suits your system. We recommend a switch only if it pays off for you.
Is it enough to update jQuery to the current version?
Often that is the first step. The jQuery Migrate plugin reports outdated calls, which we then replace one by one. Most of the effort lies in the plugins: some are no longer maintained and do not work with newer jQuery versions, so we replace them.
The inventory of the front end shows whether the update is enough or whether some areas are better rebuilt.
Do we have to rewrite our system to use a new stack?
No. If the old system is running, we expose its logic as an API and close known security gaps as a one-off step. Its behaviour is meant to stay unchanged, and comparison tests check that. We then build the new part alongside it in the new stack, and it uses that API.
A rewrite is rarely worthwhile. It becomes an option when the framework is no longer maintained, there are no tests and the business rules can be written down. The legacy review clarifies whether that applies to you.
When can you start?
You will receive a first reply within one working day. When we begin work depends on our current workload and on the scope. We give you a binding answer in the intro call. If it is urgent, the 48-hour emergency assessment starts as soon as we have access to the system.
Not sure which service fits your system?
Describe your system in two sentences. We will tell you which service fits and whether an entry product at a fixed price is the right first step.