CodeIgniter development

Build fast, secure, and scalable web applicationswith CodeIgniter 4 & modern PHP practices

CodeIgniter is small and has few dependencies, so a great deal of business software written on it still runs quietly for years. We work on CodeIgniter 4 and help owners of version 3 systems decide what to do next. That decision needs thought, because moving to 4 is a rewrite.

Discuss your CodeIgniter systemSee Laravel development

What CodeIgniter work covers

Mostly existing systems, though version 4 is a sensible base for small new ones.

  • Maintaining version 3 systems

    Fixing bugs, patching security issues and getting an old application running on a newer PHP version without changing how the business uses it.

  • Converting from version 3 to 4

    Rebuilding the application in a fresh CodeIgniter 4 project, moving models, views and controllers across and adapting each library.

  • New CodeIgniter 4 applications

    Small to mid-sized systems and APIs, where the team wants a light framework and direct control over what runs.

  • Moving to Laravel

    When an application has outgrown CodeIgniter, or finding developers has become difficult, we can plan the move to Laravel instead.

CodeIgniter versions, as of October 2026

From CodeIgniter's user guide and download page.

  • Current: CodeIgniter 4.7.5

    It requires PHP 8.2 or newer with the intl and mbstring extensions. The project states that it only maintains the latest version, so stay on current releases.

  • Version 3 is in maintenance

    CodeIgniter's download page lists 3.1.13 as receiving mostly just security updates. We could not find an official end date, so don't treat it as either dead or safe.

  • Forks of version 3 exist

    Community forks aim to keep version 3 running on newer PHP. They are not official, so check who maintains them and how actively before depending on one.

Choosing a route for a version 3 system

Three honest options, none of which is right in every case.

  • Stay and maintain

    Reasonable when the system is stable, internal and rarely changes. Budget for security review and a tested PHP upgrade path, and restrict who can reach the application.

  • Convert to CodeIgniter 4

    CodeIgniter's own guide says version 4 is a rewrite and not backwards compatible, and that converting is closer to rewriting than upgrading. Your team's framework knowledge carries over, though.

  • Rebuild on Laravel

    If you are rewriting anyway, it costs similar effort and gives you a larger ecosystem and hiring pool. Not always worth it for a small tool, so we compare both on your code.

  • What changes in version 4

    index.php moves to a public folder, application becomes app, a writable folder holds cache and logs, and almost everything is namespaced. The web server configuration has to change too.

How we approach an old CodeIgniter system

We don't recommend a route until we have read the code.

  1. Read the code and run it

    We check the CodeIgniter and PHP versions, any modified core files and third-party libraries, and get it running on a test server.

  2. Make it safe first

    Backups, known security issues and access are dealt with before any bigger decision. This can be useful even if nothing else changes.

  3. Compare the options in cost

    We set out staying, converting and rebuilding against your code and plans, then recommend one and explain why.

  4. Move in parts where possible

    Where a conversion goes ahead, we move one area at a time and check the new behaviour against the old system with real scenarios.

Paying for CodeIgniter work

Assessment first, and then whichever model suits the chosen route.

Once the route is agreed, a conversion can be priced by area, and ongoing maintenance can run on hours. Hourly rates start from $20/h in USD, invoiced in USD, GBP, EUR or INR. Our PHP development page covers the wider work on older PHP systems.

We are an engineering team in India with 3–5 hours of overlap with the UK and Europe; US calls by appointment. In the shared hours, someone who knows the old system's quirks can answer questions while we work. Where a system is moving elsewhere, the application migrations page explains how we run that kind of move.

Why CodeIgniter systems aren't named

Most of our work is delivered under NDA, so many projects cannot be named.

Older business systems rarely want attention drawn to their age, so we won't name any here. Our published PHP case studies are on the PHP page, though none of them is presented as CodeIgniter work.

Questions about CodeIgniter

Mostly asked by people who have inherited a version 3 system.

Is CodeIgniter 3 dead?
No, but it is close to standing still. The project describes it as in maintenance, with mostly security updates. It is workable for a stable system, but we wouldn't start anything new on it.
Is there an automatic upgrade from version 3 to 4?
No. CodeIgniter's guide says there isn't a simple checklist, and that you start from a fresh install and move your code across. Models and controllers need rewriting to the new structure.
Should we choose Laravel instead?
If you are rewriting and expect the system to keep growing, compare it seriously. If the application is small and stable, CodeIgniter 4 may be the shorter trip. We look at your code before recommending either.
Can we run version 3 on PHP 8?
That depends on the release and on your own code, and needs testing against the exact PHP version you plan to use. We would test on a copy before changing anything on the live server.

Tell us about the system you have inherited

Tell us the CodeIgniter and PHP versions if you know them, and what the system does. We will suggest the sensible next step.

Start a CodeIgniter conversationSee Laravel development

We reply within one business day (IST).