Yii to Laravel Migration Services
Still on Yii1 or Yii2? I move legacy Yii applications to Laravel and Vue one module at a time, with both running side by side, so your business keeps working the entire way through.
Your Yii app still works. That's what makes it risky.
Most Yii applications I see are running real revenue: checkouts, customer portals, internal operations. They work, so nobody wants to touch them. Meanwhile the ground shifts underneath.
None of these are emergencies on their own. Together, they're a slow-moving one.
- PHP version lock. Older Yii codebases often can't move to current PHP releases without significant work, which leaves you on runtimes that no longer receive security patches.
- Framework support. Yii1 is at end of life, and Yii2 sees far less ecosystem activity than Laravel. Packages you depend on go stale.
- Hiring. Few developers in the US want to work in Yii. When the one person who understands the codebase leaves, you're stuck.
- Hosting and tooling. Modern deploy pipelines, queues, and frontend tooling assume a modern framework. Every integration takes longer than it should.
- Fear of change. Every deploy feels dangerous, so improvements stop happening.
A stack you can hire for, host anywhere, and build on for the next decade.
Hireable
Laravel is the most widely used PHP framework, with a large US hiring pool and an active package ecosystem.
Batteries included
First-class queues, scheduling, auth, billing (Cashier/Stripe), and testing out of the box.
Modern interface, one codebase
Vue 3 with Inertia.js gives you a modern, fast interface without maintaining a separate API project, or a clean API + SPA if that's what you need.
Deploys you can trust
Deploys through Forge or your existing AWS setup with zero-downtime releases.
No big-bang rewrite. No cutover weekend.
The biggest risk in any migration is the rewrite that takes a year and launches all at once. I avoid that entirely using the strangler pattern:
- 01
Laravel goes in front
A new Laravel application is deployed alongside your Yii app, sharing the same database and domain.
- 02
Shared sessions and auth
Users log in once. Existing password hashes are preserved, so nobody is forced to reset their password.
- 03
Route by route
Requests for migrated sections go to Laravel. Everything else still goes to Yii, untouched.
- 04
Module by module
Each module (orders, users, reporting, admin) is rebuilt, tested against the original behavior, and switched over on its own.
- 05
Yii retires quietly
When the last route moves, Yii is removed. There's no launch day because the launch already happened in pieces.
You get working improvements in weeks, not a year from now, and you can pause or reprioritize at any point.
Everything, mapped to its Laravel equivalent.
| Yii | Laravel |
|---|---|
| ActiveRecord models | Eloquent models, relationships, casts how |
| RBAC / AccessControl | Gates, Policies, or spatie/laravel-permission |
| Gii-generated CRUD | Vue/Inertia screens or Blade, rebuilt cleanly |
| Controllers & actions | Controllers, Form Requests, Resources |
| Console commands | Artisan commands + scheduler |
| Migrations | Laravel migrations (existing schema preserved) |
| Widgets & jQuery UI | Vue 3 components |
| Yii user identity | Laravel auth with legacy hash compatibility how |
| Custom extensions | Laravel packages or rewritten services |
| Cron jobs | Laravel scheduler + queues |
Data stays where it is. The schema is migrated in place and improved gradually, not dumped and reloaded.
From first call to retired Yii app.
-
01
Migration Fit Call
We talk through your app, your team, and your constraints. You leave with a realistic ballpark range and an honest read on whether migrating now makes sense.
-
02
Migration Assessment
I audit the codebase: Yii and PHP versions, dependencies, custom modules, security exposure, and data model. You receive a module-by-module migration map, a phased roadmap, and a fixed-price quote. The full fee is credited toward the migration if you proceed within 60 days.
-
03
Phased Migration
Laravel is deployed alongside Yii, then modules move over in priority order. You see progress in production every few weeks.
-
04
Support & Handoff
Documentation, tests, and a clean handoff to your team, or an ongoing support and hosting retainer if you would rather not manage it.
What does a Yii to Laravel migration cost?
It depends mainly on four things.
As a rough guide, the Fit Call gives you a ballpark range for your specific app. The assessment turns that range into a fixed quote.
- Size of the codebase Number of modules, controllers, and custom screens.
- Yii version Yii1 apps usually take more work than Yii2.
- Integrations Payments, CRMs, ERPs, third-party APIs.
- Test coverage and documentation Less of both means more discovery.
Who you'll work with
I'm Kelly Brintle, a principal architect and full-stack developer based in Carolina Beach, North Carolina. I run CraftWeb as a senior, hands-on consultancy: when you hire me, I'm the one reading your code, designing the migration, and writing the Laravel.
I specialize in Yii1 and Yii2 migrations and full platform rebuilds on Laravel, Vue, and AWS, including payments, CRM, and communications integrations with Stripe, HubSpot, and Twilio.
Yii migration questions, answered
Can we migrate in phases instead of all at once?
Yes, and I recommend it. Laravel runs alongside Yii and takes over one module at a time, so there is no single high-risk launch.
Will our users have to reset their passwords?
No. Existing Yii password hashes are verified in Laravel and upgraded transparently the next time each user logs in.
What happens to our data?
It stays in your existing database. Both applications read and write the same data during the migration, and schema changes are made incrementally.
We're on Yii1. Is that harder than Yii2?
Usually, yes. Yii1 codebases tend to be older, run on older PHP, and rely more on patterns without direct modern equivalents. The strangler approach works the same way for both.
Can our in-house developers work alongside you?
Yes. Many teams prefer that. I set up the architecture and patterns, and your developers can take on modules as they get comfortable with Laravel.
How long does a migration take?
It depends on scope. Small applications can move in a couple of months; larger platforms run longer. Because work ships in phases, you see results in production well before the end.
Do you work with companies outside North Carolina?
Yes. I work with clients across the US, remotely.
What if we just need someone to maintain our Yii app for now?
Tell me on the call. Sometimes stabilizing first is the right move, and I will say so.
Find out what your migration would actually take.
A 30-minute call. You'll leave with a ballpark range, the main risks in your codebase, and a clear next step, whether or not we work together.