Lift and Shift vs. Refactoring vs. Rewriting: Choose Right Migration Approach

Right from decomplexifying IT systems and skyrocketing performance to reducing expense, there are tons of reasons why cloud migration is the future of software. Similar to its benefits, the approaches to software modernization, too, are plenty.

Since there’s a variety of approaches, they tend to complexify the selection when you need to choose one of them. But fret not! This article has brought along a complete assessment of Lift and Shift vs. Refactoring vs. Rewriting so that you can easily choose one of them!

Let’s get to grips with it!

Why Application Modernization of Your Monolithic Application to the Cloud?

Before moving any further, let’s get to understand what a monolithic application actually is and why you should consider application modernization to the cloud! A monolithic application is an application that has either all or the majority of its functionalities within a single, large container or is completely componentized into internal libraries.

This type of application, oftentimes, represents crucial business functionalities and is responsible for a considerable percentage of core business products as well as service revenue. A change made outside of this application can merely bring a tiny benefit. For the most significant advantages, businesses require to make changes in the primary business system during modernization.

Benefits you’re likely to embrace by application modernization

Organizations, in general, are more likely to want to enhance employee productivity, user-experience and tighten security protections of their sensitive data. Fortunately, when an application successfully migrates to the cloud, you can embrace all these benefits.

Businesses have two alternatives when they encounter limitations with an existing application which are to move the app to the cloud or stay at the same level, facing hassles frequently. Fortunately, no business out there would want to be stuck there but to migrate applications to the cloud and squeeze benefits.

What Are The Differences Amongst Lift And Shift vs. Refactoring vs. Rewriting?

There are a variety of dos and don’ts of software migration to the cloud that you should know before you head to application modernization. However, there are many aspects to explore, and having selected the right approach to software modernization is the first thing to consider. That said, we’ve come up with this informative guide consisting of an in-depth comparison of “Lift and Shift Vs. Refactoring Vs. Rewriting. Skimming through this guide will enable you to get a hold of all of them, allowing you to choose one which suits your needs the most. So, let’s get started!

What Is Lift And Shift?

One of the significant approaches to cloud migration, Lift and Shift, consists of taking applications offline prior to uploading them to the cloud environment. The process intends to migrate the chosen applications and data that are still on-premises to the cloud. If you need to meet short migration deadlines, going with the Lift and shift will come in handy. The process is divided into three parts, that is to say, assessment, planning, and migration. When it comes to benefits, with Lift and Shift, you can have enhanced speed, innovation, next-level of flexibility, and resilience.

Pros And Cons of Lift & Shift

Pros

Cons

When to Employ Lift And Shift Migration Strategy?

The lift and shift cloud migration strategy has plenty of advantages in store to provide to its users. It involves the next level of effectiveness, reduced expense, and the like. The benefits don’t end here but continue further. Below mentioned are some sort of circumstances when you should avail lift and shift approach for legacy system modernization.

What Is Refactoring?

How would you feel when you reach your workplace and find things at sixes and sevens? You probably don’t like it, or if you’re someone like I’m, chances are you definitely don’t. Something similar happens when you miss out on decluttering code when creating an application’s functionalities. That’s where the code refactoring approach comes into play.

The Refactoring method involves restructuring the source code of software intending to improve its internal as well as non-functional functionalities with no changes or interruption in its current functions. In general, there are three kinds of source code refactoring.

Following are all three types of refactoring approaches to software modernization!

Pros and Cons of Refactoring Code

Pros

Cons

When to Employ Refactor Migration Strategy?

Consider employing refactoring code if you haven’t made any change or added any feature to your existing application yet. Doing so improves the quality of the application and makes it easy for future developers to develop the original code.

Furthermore, you can choose the refactoring model even when you have already launched a product. If the existing code is hard to read, it may be tough even when it comes to detecting typos, repetitions, dependencies, and the like. When you choose refactoring, it ensures you get complete assistance for the efficiency and readability of codes.

What Is Rewriting?

The rewriting approach to software modernization involves recreating and scrapping the existing application’s code entirely. Making use of modern technology, organizations rewrite their data to address vulnerabilities relating to data security. It enables you to preserve an existing application that, if not done, could get obsolete.

The rewriting approach enables organizations to rethink their application and develop it once again with modern tools and technologies. Choosing this approach enables you to make every possible change you want and get them right, making your existing application like a new one.

Pros and Cons of Rewriting

Pros

Cons

When Should You Rewrite an Application?

There may be hundreds of reasons why you should choose the rewriting approach; however, below mentioned are some of the crucial ones, if we name a few! Consider employing a rewriting approach when_

Comprehensive Comparison of Lift and Shift vs. Refactor vs. Rewriting

While Lift and Shift consist of lifting a complete or partial application from an on-premise or existing cloud environment to a new one, the refactoring involves significant changes to the code with no need to impact the application’s outside behavior. A rewriting approach, on the other hand, tends to create an entire code that is written from the get-go.

Now, have a sneak peek at the table mentioned above and make sure which one you would like to employ for your next project. First off, conduct an in-depth analysis, and ensure which one of the methods you actually need. If you just need to shift your application from its existing database to a new one, lift and shift should be the right choice. On the other hand, in case your existing application to be migrated is full of complexities, you had better consider one of the alternatives from refactoring or rewriting according to your requirements.

Wrapping Up:

That’s all there’s to it! We thoroughly assessed Lift and Shift vs. Refactoring vs. Rewriting in this article and tried to know everything about them. This assessment included every single aspect of all three methods, for instance, their kinds, pros, and cons, along with the right moment to choose one of them. Now, you probably have got all your questions answered, so make use of them for a complete modernization of your existing application.