VB6 Modernisation & Rewrite Services

Design and deliver deliberate, staged rewrites that respect the complexity of your VB6 system—without auto‑conversion shortcuts.

At some point, VB6 must be left behind. The question is not if, but how. This service focuses on rewriting VB6 systems in a controlled, testable, maintainable way that preserves behaviour while enabling modern capabilities.

Who this is for

  • Organisations committed to moving off VB6 in a controlled, staged way.
  • Teams that have completed assessment and planning work.
  • Businesses needing modern capabilities VB6 cannot support.
  • Programmes where VB6 is a critical dependency for wider transformation.

Problems this service addresses

  • Auto‑conversion tools producing unmaintainable, opaque code.
  • Big‑bang rewrite attempts that stall or fail due to underestimated complexity.
  • Fragmented replacement efforts lacking architectural coherence.
  • Lack of confidence that a new system will match existing behaviour.

Benefits and outcomes

Benefits

  • New systems built on modern platforms, with clear boundaries, tests, and documentation.
  • VB6 is removed from critical paths, reducing operational and strategic risk.
  • Modern architectures enable APIs, cloud capabilities, and better extensibility.

Deliverables

  • Architecture and design documentation.
  • Implementation plan with phases and dependencies.
  • New codebase in your chosen modern platform.
  • Cutover and rollback plan.
  • Post‑implementation review.

AI‑Assisted VB6 Migration

AI accelerates safe translation, test generation, and behavioural analysis so rewrites are faster and less risky.

Capabilities

  • Automated code comprehension: module summaries, call graphs, and business rule extraction.
  • Candidate translations for small modules and helper functions to accelerate manual rewrite work.
  • Auto‑generated test scaffolds and sample datasets to validate behavioural parity.
  • Migration scope estimates with confidence bands derived from code complexity and historical patterns.

Outputs

  • Searchable knowledge base for the codebase (Q&A + module docs).
  • Refactor and translation candidates packaged as PRs for engineer review.
  • Test cases and regression checks to be used in CI gating.

Rewrite approach

1. Behaviour and domain understanding

We begin by understanding what the VB6 system actually does: business rules, edge cases, and real‑world usage patterns. This often involves code analysis and conversations with users.

2. Target architecture design

We define the architecture for the new system: layers, services, data access, integration points, and non‑functional requirements.

3. Strangler and staging strategy

Where appropriate, we use strangler patterns and staged cutovers, replacing parts of the VB6 system incrementally to reduce risk.

4. Implementation, testing, and cutover

We implement the new system with strong emphasis on automated testing and behavioural fidelity. Cutovers are planned carefully with rollback strategies and post‑implementation stabilisation.