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What happens if your software agency disappears?

By Zohaib Munawar, Founder, ZACODERS

The short answer: if you own the source code, control the hosting and domain accounts, and have documentation, another developer can take over. If you don't, you may be locked out of a system your business depends on. The time to check is now, while the relationship is working.

01

It happens more often than people expect

An agency closes, a freelancer moves on, a relationship breaks down. The businesses that recover quickly are the ones that protected themselves in advance.

02

1. Who owns the source code?

Your contract should state that source code and intellectual property transfer to you. Without that, you may have paid for something you're only licensed to use.

03

2. Do you have a copy of the code?

Ownership on paper isn't enough. You should have access to the code repository or an up-to-date copy.

04

3. Who controls the accounts?

Domain registration, hosting, DNS, email and third-party services should be in your business's name, with your own login — not only the developer's.

05

4. Is there documentation?

How the system is set up, how it's deployed, what it depends on, and where credentials are stored.

06

5. Is it built on widely used technology?

Common frameworks and platforms make it far easier to find someone to take over.

07

Warning signs

  • The developer “keeps everything” and you have no access
  • Hosting is on the developer's account
  • You've never seen the code
  • Nobody else could explain how the system works
  • The technology is obscure or entirely proprietary
08

What to do now

  1. 1.Check your contract for IP and source-code ownership
  2. 2.Ask for repository access or a current copy of the code
  3. 3.Move domain and hosting accounts into your name
  4. 4.Request documentation of the setup
  5. 5.Keep a list of every service the system depends on

A good developer won't object to any of this. If one does, that's useful information.

09

How we handle it

At ZACODERS, source code and IP transfer to the client on delivery, on every project. We build on widely used technology and document our work so another developer could maintain it. We'd rather keep clients because the work is good than because they can't leave.

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