CodeIgniter Development · York · North Yorkshire · Based in Gravesend
CodeIgniter Development in York, North Yorkshire
Lean, fast CodeIgniter web applications and APIs for York and North Yorkshire businesses, plus expert support, maintenance, modernising and rescue of existing CI3 and CI4 applications you already rely on. Built properly, supported long-term, delivered by a UK team you actually speak to.
Trusted by:
CodeIgniter is for lean, fast builds and for keeping existing systems alive.
CodeIgniter is a lightweight PHP framework. Where a larger framework like Laravel brings a deep ecosystem and a great deal of structure, CodeIgniter takes the opposite stance: a small footprint, very little ceremony, and excellent performance. That makes it genuinely good at two things. The first is building a focused application or API quickly, where adding the weight of a heavier framework would be solving a problem you do not have. The second, and in practice the larger one, is supporting the enormous amount of working software that was built on CodeIgniter over the last fifteen years and still runs businesses today.
For a place like York, that second point matters a great deal. A surprising number of operational systems quietly running booking engines, membership databases, internal portals and trade tools were written in CodeIgniter, often years ago, often by a developer who has since moved on. When that software still works but no longer has anyone looking after it, the risk is not dramatic; it is slow. Security patches stop being applied, the PHP version drifts out of support, and a small change becomes frightening because nobody is sure what it might break. That is exactly the situation we are good at: stabilising it, securing it, and giving you a clear-headed plan for its future.
Rescuing and supporting legacy CI apps
An inherited CodeIgniter application that still works but has no one looking after it. We audit it, patch the security holes, get it back onto supported PHP, and become the team you call when it needs attention, whether it is CI3 or CI4.
Lean web apps built quickly
A focused internal tool, portal or customer-facing app where the requirement is clear and the scope is modest. CodeIgniter's small footprint means a short build and fast pages, without the overhead of a framework designed for far larger systems.
Focused REST APIs
A clean, fast API serving a mobile app, a partner system, or a single front end. When the API is well-defined and does not need a sprawling framework around it, CodeIgniter delivers it lean and gets it live quickly.
Modernising existing systems
Bringing an older CI3 application up to date: supported PHP, current dependencies, a sensible look at a CI4 upgrade path, and the technical debt cleared enough that the next change is no longer a leap into the dark.
Admin panels and internal tools
Booking systems, enquiry handlers, stock and job trackers, and the back-office tools a business runs on day to day. Where the logic is contained and reliability matters more than scale, CodeIgniter is a pragmatic, economical fit.
Integrations and middleware
A small service that moves data between two systems, syncs a feed, or pushes to a third party. CodeIgniter is light enough to deploy as a focused integration without dragging a large framework along for the ride.
Migration planning, done honestly
Sometimes the right answer for an ageing CodeIgniter app is a planned move to CI4 or to Laravel. We assess the application, preserve the business logic that often lives only in the old code, and give you a measured plan rather than a panic rewrite.
Laravel vs CodeIgniter vs WordPress
We build and maintain software in Laravel, CodeIgniter, and WordPress. We are not going to recommend one over the others just to win a project. The right framework depends on the problem, and picking the wrong one is one of the most expensive mistakes a project can make. Here is an honest comparison of when each is the right choice, with CodeIgniter framed where it genuinely shines: lean, fast builds and supporting the CodeIgniter software businesses already depend on.
| Situation | Laravel | CodeIgniter | WordPress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lean web app, fast turnaround, modest scope | Can be overkill | ✓ Best fit | Depends on content |
| Supporting or rescuing an existing CodeIgniter app | Not applicable | ✓ Best fit | Not applicable |
| Focused REST API with minimal overhead | Workable, heavier | ✓ Best fit | Not suited |
| Complex application with deep business logic | ✓ Best fit | Possible, gets strained | Not suited |
| Long-lived app, large team, years of growth | ✓ Best fit | Depends on discipline | Hard to govern |
| Content-led site with editorial workflow | Possible but heavy | Not suited | ✓ Best fit |
| Small footprint and fast page performance | Heavier by design | ✓ Best fit | Plugin-dependent |
| Heavy background processing and scheduled jobs | ✓ Best fit | Manual effort | Not suited |
If you are not sure which applies to your project, describe the problem and we will tell you what we would reach for and why, even if the honest answer is that your CodeIgniter app should eventually move to Laravel, or that you do not need a framework rebuild at all.
How we approach a CodeIgniter project
Whether we are building something lean and new or taking over an application someone else wrote years ago, the framework will not save a project that was scoped badly or inherited without understanding. With CodeIgniter work in particular, knowing exactly what you are dealing with before you touch it is half the job. Here is what we pay attention to, and the stages the work actually moves through.
Audit before anything else
With an existing CodeIgniter application we start by reading it: the structure, the dependencies, the PHP version, the security posture, and where the business logic actually lives. You get an honest assessment before any change is made.
Understanding the real requirement
For new builds, most briefs describe a half-designed solution. We dig into the underlying problem first, because CodeIgniter's strength is delivering exactly what is needed without over-engineering it.
Security and supported versions
A neglected CodeIgniter app often drifts onto an unsupported PHP version with unpatched dependencies. Getting it back to a secure, supported baseline is usually the first and most valuable thing we do.
Sound data handling
Lean does not mean careless. The database and the way data moves through the application are decisions you live with, so we treat them deliberately even on a small, fast build.
Readable, handover-ready code
We keep the codebase conventional and documented, so you are never locked into a single developer. If you bring the work in-house or to another team later, the code makes sense to them.
An honest view on the future
Sometimes the right answer is to maintain a stable CI3 app; sometimes it is a CI4 upgrade; sometimes it is a planned move to Laravel. We tell you which, and why, rather than defaulting to whatever earns the most work.
From first conversation to long-term support
We run CodeIgniter projects in clear stages so you always know where things stand, what is being decided, and what comes next. Because you deal directly with Rob and Jason rather than an account manager, there is no layer of translation between what you ask for and what gets built or fixed. This is the same process whether you are in York, London, or anywhere else in the UK.
- Discovery, or auditFor a new build we get to the bottom of what the application needs to do and who uses it. For an existing application we audit the codebase, the PHP version, the dependencies and the security posture, and report back honestly on what we find.
- Scope and fixed-price proposalWe turn that understanding into a clear scope and a fixed-price proposal based on what we actually find, not a placeholder estimate. For ongoing support we agree a retainer that matches how much help you really need.
- Stabilise or architectFor a rescue, the first work is usually securing and stabilising the application. For a new build, this is where we design a lean structure that does the job without unnecessary weight.
- Build or fix in working incrementsWe work against a staging environment you can access throughout, so you see real progress and can give feedback while it is still cheap to act on, rather than waiting for one big reveal.
- Testing and quality assuranceThorough testing of the workflows your users actually follow, including the awkward edge cases, so a fix does not quietly break something that already worked.
- Go-live and ongoing supportA controlled deployment with a sensible rollback plan, followed by whatever ongoing support arrangement suits you, from occasional changes to a regular retainer. We keep applications patched, supported and dependable for the long term.
We have run our own PHP software in production since 2011.
We do not just build applications and walk away. CoreCRM, our own CRM product, has been in continuous production use since 2011, built and maintained over well more than a decade. That track record is the whole point of choosing us for CodeIgniter support: the discipline that keeps our own software secure and dependable for years is exactly what a neglected CodeIgniter application needs. Supporting and modernising long-lived PHP is not a sideline for us, it is what we do.
A Kent team trusted with national software work
Telegraph Media Group, Hearst Communications, CDS Global, AX Paris, Motel Rocks
These are not the typical clients of a regional development agency. They are the kind of businesses that usually work with large London firms. They work with us because the technical depth is there and the overhead is not, and because they get the founders directly rather than a managed account. Distance has never been the issue: most of our work has been delivered remotely for years.
That depth in PHP is exactly what matters for CodeIgniter work. The operational systems, the integrations moving data between platforms, the long-lived applications that simply have to keep running. When a system needs to be secured, supported and kept dependable for years with a team that may have changed entirely, that experience is what counts.
- Telegraph Media Group: custom operational software built on PHP, maintained and extended over years
- Hearst Communications: bespoke systems development for a global publishing operation
- CDS Global: multi-year PHP development engagement on business-critical operational software
- AX Paris: bespoke ERP-style back-office connecting Shopify to warehouse and despatch workflows. Case study.
- Motel Rocks: integration middleware connecting Shopify to Oracle NetSuite and 3PL providers. Case study.
Working with York and North Yorkshire businesses
York is a city with an economy that runs heavily on software without always shouting about it. Tourism and heritage bring booking, ticketing and membership systems; the universities and the bioscience cluster generate research, data and portal tools; the rail sector and its supply chain depend on operational systems; and across North Yorkshire there is a deep base of professional services, agri-food and independent retail and hospitality businesses, many running bespoke tools that off-the-shelf products never quite fit. A lot of that software was built years ago, and a good deal of it on lean PHP frameworks like CodeIgniter.
That is precisely the work we are well placed to do, both building lean new applications and, just as often, supporting and modernising the CodeIgniter systems businesses already rely on. We are not local to York, and we are not going to pretend otherwise: Gravesend is around 250 miles away. What we offer instead is a genuinely senior UK team, working entirely in-house with no offshore arm, available to you directly rather than through layers of account management.
In practice that distance changes nothing about the quality of the work. Most of our projects, including for national clients, are delivered remotely with regular video calls and a shared staging environment you can see progress on. We come up to York for a kick-off workshop or a key milestone when being in the room genuinely helps, and otherwise we keep the overhead, and your costs, sensibly low.
Related development pages
How to choose a CodeIgniter developer in York
Whether you end up working with us, a local York agency, or a freelancer, these are the questions worth asking before you commit, especially if the work involves taking over an application someone else wrote. The answers tell you a lot about what you are actually buying.
Who actually writes the code?
Some agencies pitch with senior people and deliver via juniors or offshore teams you never meet. Ask directly who will work on your application and who you call when something breaks. At Dev Partners it is the founders and an in-house UK team, with no offshore.
Are they comfortable inheriting code?
Plenty of developers only want to build from scratch. Much of the real CodeIgniter need is supporting existing CI3 and CI4 apps. Ask whether they audit and take over inherited codebases, because that is a different and more valuable skill than greenfield work.
Is the framework advice honest?
A developer who insists CodeIgniter is right for everything, or who insists you must rewrite immediately, is selling rather than advising. The right partner tells you when to keep, when to upgrade to CI4, and when to plan a move to Laravel, and why.
How do they handle handover?
You should never be locked in by code only one person understands, especially on a lean app. Ask about documentation, coding standards, and what happens if you want to take the work in-house or to another team later.
What does ongoing support look like?
A CodeIgniter app is never finished at launch. Ask how they keep PHP versions and dependencies current, how they handle security patching, and what a support or retainer arrangement actually costs. Vague answers here become expensive later.
How do they scope and price?
A low headline figure that grows through change requests is not a bargain. For inherited code especially, ask whether they audit first, whether you get a fixed price, and what is and is not included. We scope after an audit and quote a fixed price based on what we actually find.
What our clients say
20 clients. A few of their words.
A well-rounded team, ensuring a full suite of expertise & resource is always available. CDS Global have seen the successful completion of major projects over the years where Dev Partners' ability to grasp the underlying business needs to provide a future-proof solution has been invaluable.
We have worked with Jason & his team to develop our Shopify store, and the experience was outstanding from start to finish. The design is clean, modern, and perfectly aligned with our brand identity, while the build is fast, responsive, and easy to manage on the backend. They clearly understood our vision and delivered a store we're genuinely proud of. Highly recommend to any brand looking for a top-quality Shopify partner.
After ongoing issues and delays with our previous developers, we brought in Rob & Jason at Dev Partners to take over all our websites and bespoke software. What a breath of fresh air, fully focused, excellent pre-launch designs and clear communication throughout. Highly recommended.
BPC Energy Ltd turned to Dev Partners for a complete turnkey solution, and they exceeded our expectations. The team handled everything from project management to development and support with real care and attention. They understood what we were aiming for, stayed on top of every detail, and always delivered on schedule with excellent quality.
Working with Dev Partners to redesign and modernise our WMS system: the whole process has been thoroughly professional from the outset and a delight to work with. Cannot recommend enough.
Great agency. Have used Dev Partners for several years and they have built 20+ sites for us, in addition to taking on our legacy websites, upgrading and maintaining. Easy to work with and some great practical ideas to improve our digital offerings.
Jones Hire have been working with Dev Partners on several projects, which have been very successful. They linked our catering database to a new improved website so clients can easily place and update orders, created a custom warehouse picking app to fulfil all our challenging requirements, and are currently developing a custom transport app to streamline our loading and delivery process.
We have been trying to reinvent our website for over 5 years, trying to make it convert and failing each time. Spoke to Rob at Dev Partners, the team helped create our new site and the improvement was instant.
We have been working with Rob and the team for about 10 years now. Dev Partners helped us build a completely bespoke CRM from scratch which manages our daily business and is always well maintained. We have been able to use the system and roll it out in our new franchise branches.
We collaborated with Dev Partners on the front end of a fairly complex telemarketing platform. Rob and Jason took the time to properly understand the moving parts, asked the right questions, and delivered a clean, intuitive interface that's made the system far easier for our team to use.
I have been working with the team at Dev Partners for the last 3 years and we have always been impressed with the speed in which they act on things for us, along with the honest open communication. The team are a valuable and vital part of our supply chain.
We've had a program for our business in the electronic security sector that Dev Partners developed and keep up to date. They've never let us down, always there when needed. Thanks Rob and the team.
Dev Partners have been working with us for just over 2 years. They have significantly upgraded and redesigned our existing web platforms, and always deliver a first class service.
Dev Partners helped us build an event website. The team were very knowledgeable, easy to work with and quick to deliver a high quality product.
Working with Dev Partners has been an exceptional experience. Their team is highly skilled, professional, and committed to delivering results. What truly sets them apart is their communication and transparency; we always felt informed, supported, and confident.
We've worked with Dev Partners a few times to support us on bespoke web build tasks. They're very easy to work with, approachable, and explain the detail in a way that's understandable. A great partner for technical issues at sensible prices.
Excellent customer service backed up with solid experience. As a media business we have had five websites built by Dev Partners. I would certainly recommend them.
Found Dev Partners and they were great, nothing too much trouble. They managed to help us with integrating our old existing system with Shopify.
I've worked with Rob and his team off and on for many years and have always found them to be professional, knowledgeable, and best of all, they listen to their clients and deliver what is required.
We have worked with Dev Partners for 7 years and can highly recommend them for their expertise and excellent customer service.
CodeIgniter development in York: questions answered
The questions York and North Yorkshire businesses ask us most often about CodeIgniter projects.
Yes. Dev Partners is based in Gravesend, Kent, and we work with businesses across the whole of the UK, including York and the wider North Yorkshire region. CodeIgniter development is delivered remotely as standard, and the distance makes no difference to the quality of the work.
You deal directly with the founders, Rob and Jason, throughout the project. We travel to York for a kick-off workshop or key milestones when it genuinely adds value, and otherwise keep the overhead low.
CodeIgniter is a lightweight, fast PHP framework. It is a strong choice when you need a lean web application or API built quickly, with a small footprint and minimal overhead, where a heavier framework like Laravel would be overkill.
It is also the framework a great many existing business systems were built on, so much of our CodeIgniter work is supporting, maintaining, modernising and rescuing CI3 and CI4 applications that businesses still rely on. For very complex applications Laravel may fit better, and for content-led sites WordPress; we will tell you honestly which suits your project.
Lean custom web applications, internal tools and admin panels, focused REST APIs, booking and enquiry systems, and integrations, all built quickly where a small, fast footprint matters. Just as importantly, we take on existing CodeIgniter applications that need support, maintenance, security patching, modernising, or rescuing, whether they are on CI3 or CI4.
York and North Yorkshire have a strong base of tourism, professional services, agri-food, rail and bioscience businesses, and a lot of that sector runs on operational software exactly like this.
Yes, and this is a large part of what we do. We take over inherited CodeIgniter codebases regularly, including older CI3 applications whose original developer is long gone. We start with a proper code audit, give you an honest assessment of the quality, security posture and any technical debt, and then work to whatever scope makes sense.
Some inherited applications are sound and just need maintaining or extending. Others need modernising or a planned migration. We tell you which one you have before committing to any work.
It depends on the application and the business case. CodeIgniter 4 is a significant rewrite with a different structure to CI3, so an upgrade is a real project rather than a flick of a switch. In many cases the pragmatic answer is to keep a stable CI3 application well maintained and secure while planning a measured move to CI4 or, for more complex needs, to Laravel.
We give you a straight assessment of the options, the effort involved, and the risk of doing nothing, so you can make a commercial decision rather than a panicked one.
It depends on the work. A focused new CodeIgniter application or API can be genuinely economical to build because the framework is lean and fast to work with. Support and maintenance of an existing application can be arranged as occasional changes or a regular retainer. A rescue or modernisation project is scoped after an audit so the price reflects what is actually there.
We scope carefully and give you a fixed-price proposal based on what we find, rather than an estimate designed to win the work and adjust later.
Almost all of our project work is delivered remotely, and that has been true for years across our entire client base, including national names. The quality of a CodeIgniter application has nothing to do with where the developer is sitting when they write it.
We run regular video calls, share progress on a staging environment you can access, and stay reachable directly. York is around 250 miles from Gravesend; we travel up when a workshop or milestone genuinely benefits from being in the room, and otherwise keep the overhead, and your costs, low.
No. Dev Partners has been a 100% UK in-house team since we were founded in 2008. There is no offshore arm and no subcontracting of the build. The people who scope your project are the people who write the code and the people you can call when something needs attention.
For York clients that means you get a genuinely senior UK team without the cost structure of a large London or regional agency.
For the right project, yes. CodeIgniter 4 is actively maintained, fast, and well suited to lean applications and APIs where you want minimal overhead and a short build. Where it is most valuable, though, is that an enormous amount of working business software was built on CodeIgniter over the past fifteen years, and that software still needs competent support.
We are honest about its limits: for very complex, long-lived applications with large teams, Laravel is usually the better long-term home, and we will say so rather than steer you down the path that earns us the most work.
CoreCRM is our own CRM product, built on Laravel and in continuous production use since 2011. It is relevant to a CodeIgniter enquiry because it is direct evidence that we build and maintain serious PHP software over the long term, not just for the length of a project.
The same discipline around data integrity, multi-user access and long-term maintainability that keeps our own software reliable is exactly what we bring to supporting and modernising your CodeIgniter application.
CodeIgniter project in York or North Yorkshire? Talk to us.
Describe the problem and we will tell you whether CodeIgniter is the right tool and what it would involve.
A lean new application or API, or taking over and supporting something that already exists; we give you an honest view on approach and cost before any work starts. You speak directly to the founders, not an account manager, and the team doing the work is fully UK-based and in-house.
We can also help with:
- Lean custom CodeIgniter web applications
- Support and maintenance of existing CI3 and CI4 apps
- Rescuing and securing neglected CodeIgniter systems
- Focused REST API development and integrations
- CodeIgniter 3 to 4 upgrades and migration planning
- Ongoing CodeIgniter development retainers and support
We reply to all enquiries within one working day.
Book a free consultation
Tell us about your project and we will be in touch within one working day.
