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Working Effectively with Legacy Code: A Pragmatic Developer’s Guide

Marko M.7 min readDec 10, 2025Technology

Marko M.7 min read

Contents:

Why we can’t ignore legacy code (even though we hate it)

Real-world challenges: lessons from the field

The developer’s toolbox for legacy survival

IDEs and editors

AI coding assistants and smart tools

Static code analysis and coverage tools

Version control and branching

Planning for modernization: steps that actually work

1. Build a safety net

2. Understand before you change

3. Secure and clean the environment

4. Incremental refactoring and documentation

5. Communication and collaboration

Leveraging AI: friend or foe?

Benefits

How to use AI responsibly

Measuring success and continuous improvement

Additional wisdom from The Pragmatic Programmer

Conclusion: a pragmatic way forward

Spread the word:

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