Signs your iOS app needs rescuing
You probably do not need a page like this if things are going fine. Common situations that bring people here:
- The previous developer or agency is gone, and nobody knows how to build or release the app.
- Crash reports are climbing, and reviews mention freezes or data loss.
- A new iOS version broke something, or Apple rejected an update for using outdated APIs.
- Every small change takes weeks, because the code is tangled and touching one screen breaks another.
- The app is still mostly Objective-C or old UIKit patterns, and new hires do not want to work on it.
All of these are fixable. What matters is fixing them in the right order.
How I take over an existing app
1. Get it building and releasable
Before any improvement, I make sure the project compiles on current Xcode, signing works, and a build can reach TestFlight. If certificates, provisioning or App Store Connect access are missing, recovering them comes first. Until you can ship a fix, nothing else matters.
2. Assess and prioritize
I read the codebase, look at crash data and talk to you about what hurts most for the business. You get a plain-language summary: what is broken, what is risky, what is fine, and a prioritized list of what to do. This is the point where we agree scope and estimate for the next stage.
3. Stabilize
Crashes and data problems are fixed first, starting with the ones that affect the most users. I add crash monitoring if it is missing, plus tests around the fragile areas, so fixes stay fixed.
4. Modernize step by step
Modernization happens in slices that keep the app releasable at every step:
| Old | Modern | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Objective-C | Swift | Safer code, easier hiring, access to modern APIs |
| UIKit screens | SwiftUI where it fits | Faster UI work and simpler state handling |
| Callbacks, GCD | async/await, Swift Concurrency | Fewer race conditions and clearer code |
| One big target | Modular Swift packages | Faster builds, clear boundaries, easier testing |
UIKit and SwiftUI can live side by side, and so can Objective-C and Swift. That is what makes incremental migration possible without stopping feature work.
5. Get releases back on schedule
The end goal is an app you can update with confidence. I set up CI so every change is built and tested automatically, and get a steady release rhythm going again. More on that side in App Store release and maintenance.
Why my background fits takeovers
I have spent almost 15 years on Apple platforms, from the early Objective-C days through UIKit to SwiftUI and Swift Concurrency. That history matters when rescuing an app, because old code makes sense once you know why it was written that way.
As a lead iOS developer I sustained weekly releases for years, so I know what a healthy release process looks like and how to get back to one. I have also worked as a tech lead, reviewing other people’s code and setting standards, which is most of what an assessment is. If you only want the assessment and a plan for your own team to follow, that is what architecture review and tech lead work is for.
What you have at the end
- An app that builds, signs and releases from CI, not from one person’s laptop.
- Fewer crashes, measured by your crash reporting, not by opinion.
- A codebase moved toward modern Swift, with the riskiest legacy parts replaced first.
- Short written notes on the architecture and release process, so the next developer is not starting from zero.
- Full access to everything under your accounts.
Honest limits
I cannot promise a crash-free app or a fixed date before seeing the code. Some backends or third-party SDKs are outside my control. What I can do is tell you clearly what I find, what it will take, and what I recommend, before you commit to more work.
Next step
Email contact@hobbysoft.pro with a few lines about the app, what is going wrong, and whether you still have access to the source code and App Store Connect. If you are a small business that inherited an app, that is a perfectly normal place to start.
