If you’ve ever been handed the task of rewriting a legacy system, you know it’s like being asked to rebuild a plane while it’s still in the air. For the past four days, I’ve been knee-deep in the trenches, converting a 5-year-old Express REST API into a shiny new Laravel 11 REST API. And let me tell you—it’s been a wild ride.
Starting with the Hard Things First
As Taylor Otwell, the creator of Laravel, wisely said, “Start with the hard things first!” And boy, did I take that advice to heart. The first hurdle? Creating 64 table schemas in Laravel from an existing database. If that doesn’t sound like a nightmare, you’ve probably never had to manually map out decades of database decisions made by someone who clearly didn’t believe in documentation.
It was a pain in the ass, but oddly satisfying. There’s something therapeutic about taking chaos and turning it into order. And thanks to my new assistant, Deepseek AI, the process felt a little less like pulling teeth and a little more like solving a puzzle.
The Real Challenge: Controllers and Models
Now that the database schemas are done, the next mountain to climb is converting all the controllers and models from Express to Laravel. If you’ve ever worked with both frameworks, you know they’re like two different languages—Express is the wild west, and Laravel is the well-organized city with traffic lights and sidewalks.
This part is going to be intense. But hey, if I survived creating 64 table schemas, I can survive this too, right?
The Fun Part: Backup Script Magic
Amidst all the chaos, there’s been one bright spot: converting the Backup Script from native PHP to Laravel. This little gem takes a database dump, transforms it into an image, and stores it in Cloudflare R2 Object Storage.
Why? Because I’m a poor man. Let’s be real—Cloudflare’s 10GB of free storage isn’t exactly a bottomless pit. So, I had to get creative. By minimizing the size of the database dumps, I can stretch that 10GB as far as possible. It’s like playing Tetris with data, and honestly, it’s been the most enjoyable part of this whole process.
Lessons Learned (So Far)
- Start with the hard things. It’s tempting to tackle the easy tasks first, but getting the tough stuff out of the way early makes the rest of the project feel like a downhill sprint.
- Document everything. If you’re working with a legacy system, chances are the original developers didn’t leave you much to work with. Don’t make the same mistake—document your process as you go.
- Leverage AI tools. Tools like Deepseek AI have been a game-changer for me. They don’t replace the need for human intuition, but they sure make the grind a lot easier.
- Celebrate the small wins. Whether it’s successfully converting a backup script or finally getting that one stubborn table schema to work, take a moment to appreciate your progress.
What’s Next?
The journey isn’t over yet. Converting the controllers and models is going to be a beast, but I’m ready for it. And who knows? Maybe by the end of this, I’ll have a few more war stories to share.
If you’ve ever gone through a similar rewrite, I’d love to hear about your experience. And if you’re just starting one, buckle up—it’s going to be a bumpy ride, but it’s worth it.
Until next time, happy dancing!
What’s the most challenging rewrite or migration project you’ve tackled? Let me know in the comments below!
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