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copied!<p>I had two web applications with similar settings as you. I stopped using FindBugs and Checkstyle as they showed more than 10.000 problematic points. The applications used JDBC level data access, JSP for presentation and a custom framework for request dispatching. Luckily for me, these low level settings allowed me to do the extensions and fixes on medium difficulty. During the 3 year project, only about 20% of the original code remained as it were. Sooner or later everything else needed to be either changed, replaced or removed (and finally I was able to use FindBugs and Checkstyle).</p> <p>We too faced the dilemma of complete rewrite. However, there were several factors against it:</p> <ul> <li>Not sure customer will pay for a complete rewrite.</li> <li>The lack of functional and technical documentation makes it risky to do the complete rewrite.</li> <li>Manhours to fully understand the complete application was too high. Customer wanted the requested changes sooner.</li> <li>The users where customed to the presentation and page behavior. It seemed hard to convince users to use a new interface for old functions.</li> <li>If we do a complete rewrite, we need to provide complete documentation. For update, we needed to document only our part.</li> <li>It is hard to convince the management (own and the customer's) of a rewrite if the program works (more or less)</li> <li>The company had its own PMD rules and the code didn't pass. It was simpler to argue that it is enough the new parts pass the test.</li> </ul> <p>It boils down what you want to do actually. </p> <p>Do you want to rewrite, despite the complexity?</p> <ul> <li>Put emphasis on the code bugs. Large pie charts with lots of red is convincing.</li> <li>Explain the program properties and how they don't fit into the corporate vision.</li> <li>Show enhancement options beyond the current requirements and describe how the current version is not up to the challenge.</li> <li>Do interviews with the real users. They might point out important problems with the current version.</li> <li>Be cheap but a good estimator. You might delay some costs till the maintenance phase.</li> </ul> <p>You don't want to rewrite?</p> <ul> <li>Put emphasis on the cost, especially the manhours required from the customer to re-test everything.</li> <li>Point out the potential trouble of breaking functionality.</li> <li>Ask for a full-time document writer.</li> </ul> <p>If you want to taste the code, try to add the Hello World! function/screen to the application. That tells how hard and how fast you can implement new things.</p>

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