What will be the biggest barrier to business expansion in 2025? We have the answer — it’s obsolete, sluggish, and rigid legacy applications.

The truth is that traditional legacy apps block business procedures, limit flexibility, and introduce safety vulnerabilities. On the other side, modern IT solutions help companies increase customer satisfaction, productivity, and workflow effectiveness.

Application modernization services are used by companies all over the globe to replace outdated, standalone infrastructures with cloud-native, AI-powered, and API-first solutions. By the end of 2025, 65% of corporate applications will use an application modernization approach to maintain productivity. Make sure that you are a part of this army. Keep reading or learn more!

Why Is App Modernization So Important in 2025?

Just a few years ago, businesses were built on legacy systems. Nevertheless, they are turning into more of a liability than a benefit. Here are the main reasons:

• High maintenance costs – Businesses must spend 15% more a year to keep outdated software running when suppliers quit maintaining it.
• Security vulnerabilities — Over 85% of cyberattacks target older applications and unpatched software that do not have the most recent security fixes installed.
• Scalability issues — Old systems are unable to manage the demands of today; therefore, cloud computing, automation, and artificial intelligence are difficult to deploy.

Make sure that all these issues are prevented. Here are the top trends for legacy software modernization that you should follow.

1. Code Updating

You’ve undoubtedly heard of cases when hackers took advantage of outdated security holes that were left unpatched and uninstalled. It is for this reason that you need to maintain the most recent versions of any third-party libraries that your code uses. Frameworks are no different. It’s strongly recommended that you go to a more recent library if its developers haven’t updated it in a long time. If you haven’t done that already, you may further secure your system by using biometric security and multi-factor authentication.

2. Containerization

Containerization is another concept that is becoming extremely popular in 2025. 88% of IT businesses are planning to use container technology. Basically, containerization is the next step  toward data virtualization. The way it works is that a program is split into tiny “containers” that hold all of the necessary components — configuration files, libraries, and code — for the application to function properly. These containers are lighter and more portable than virtual machines. Containerization is a straightforward way to make software more effective and future-proof. Besides that, this approach also makes the program easier to deploy overall.

3. Automation Testing and CI/CD

What are the real functions of CD and CI? Well, CD ensures that code is delivered to the appropriate environment, while CI helps to enhance code quality. As a result, it is way easier to track and implement small code changes. This way, developers can save time and effort since the updated code is automatically tested with zero human interaction required.

Pro tip: After containerizing your software, it’s recommended to include automation and CI/CD.

4. AI Chatbots

AI chatbots have swiftly become a key trend in modernizing outdated systems. Although they might be difficult to build, there are several advantages. Chatbots may boost sales by 67%, according to Outgrow statistics. Besides that, AI chatbots are simpler for most businesses to implement than regular bots as they do not need a big database to function. The main distinction is that AI chatbots learn on their own, whereas conventional bots can only react if the answer is already in their database. This implies that you just need to provide them with basic, unambiguous information.

5. Cloud Migration

There are a number of advantages associated with switching to the cloud. It facilitates better interaction with third-party applications, expedites information exchange, helps avoid security breaches, and makes data processing simpler and more seamless. However, moving to the cloud might be challenging if your app is too complicated or relies on outdated databases. If that’s the case, we strongly recommend that you turn to a professional software development company for help. They will make sure that all of your data is securely moved to a new platform.

6. DevOps

DevOps is another important trend in the modernization of outdated systems. Instead of keeping software development and operations apart, DevOps combines both. The quality of the product and the user experience are enhanced when these teams collaborate closely throughout the course of the product life cycle. Businesses may automate everything from CI/CD procedures to microservices and information exchange with the use of DevOps services and solutions. Faster deployments and better-quality products may result from using DevOps. However, for it to be successful, you need a qualified expert on your team.

Take Your Apps to the Next Level!

Keep up with the quick speed of high-tech innovation to avoid falling behind your competitors. Make sure that your apps function properly, have no vulnerability holes, and do not require massive maintenance costs. Otherwise, consider software modernization and follow the above trends.