What is software maintenance?
Software maintenance (including websites, apps, CRMs, and intranets) refers to the ongoing process of updating, fixing, extending, and optimising a system after launch. Just as with a house or car, software requires regular upkeep to ensure it is working efficiently, and avoids dilapidation.
Why is software maintenance important?
Even when software is brand new, maintenance is necessary to avoid unexpected costs, threats to brand reputation, and provide constant opportunity for improvement and expansion.
Ongoing software maintenance:
Prevents unexpected costs.
Regular, steady maintenance helps spread out the cost and work involved. When software is maintained, it reveals issues as they arise, meaning they’re less likely to develop into bigger issues that can be more complicated and expensive to fix. Just as a small crack in your car windscreen can be easily fixed if repaired quickly, it is best to address software issues as soon as they arise, rather than leaving them to get worse.
Reduces the threat to revenue.
A bug or issue on your website costs you more than just money. If your software stops working as it should, user experience suffers and your brand’s reputation is also then under threat. For example, if you have an e-commerce website and an issue arises, stopping customers from being able to purchase your products, you risk losing revenue and returning business, costing far more than the ongoing maintenance fees that could have prevented the issue from happening at all.
Supports regulatory compliance.
For listed companies, software maintenance is a critical component of corporate governance, providing regular opportunity for any required updates. Regular maintenance should be a non-negotiable for supporting data protection, accessibility, ESG rating, and regulatory auditing.
Provides opportunity for improvements.
During regular maintenance, developers get to know your system inside out, identifying room for improvement, knowing when updates are required, and knowing which technological changes can be made to stay up-to-date with industry standards and trends. A developer who understands your software is best placed for knowing exactly how to get the most out of it to boost performance.
Why does my new website need maintenance?
You might wonder why brand new software such as a newly launched website needs maintenance. After all, a line of code being run on a server should perform exactly the same way, every single time, for a very long time. A prime example of this would be Voyager 1, the farthest human-made probe in space. Initially designed for five years’ use, it has now lasted more than 50 years.
Whilst the code on your website, like Voyager 1, might always technically perform the same way, software and websites differ because they live in a ‘connected ecosystem’, constantly impacted by external factors such as plug-ins, extensions, security threats and third-party services.
Even with a new website, we therefore need to consider the following:
Evolution of technology.
Even though theoretically the code written for your website should perform exactly the same every single time on your server, the other technology around your website is in a constant state of change. People find vulnerabilities and security risks in software systems all the time and then developers write updates and patches to fix those vulnerabilities. People then continue to find more vulnerabilities, creating a constant cycle of updates and patches.
Extensions and packages.
Any public facing or commercial software system big or small is hardly ever an independent isolated system. Instead, every piece of software is relying on several underlying packages and extensions written by other developers. Every system is built on top of pre-existing solutions and those packages also face the same life cycle of vulnerabilities and patches. When these core packages and extensions update and change, software needs bringing in line with those updates.
Third-party services.
Just like extensions, software systems also heavily rely on third-party services such as file storage, email, authentication, marketing tools, and payment gateways. These services and vendors are also in a constant state of change. For listed companies, this creates a supply chain risk; regular maintenance ensures these external integrations are monitored and updated to remain secure and compliant with corporate governance standards.
Summary
Software maintenance is the essential process of updating and optimising a system after launch. Modern systems and websites live in a "connected ecosystem" where external changes such as security threats and third-party updates require constant attention.
Why it matters:
- Risk & Revenue - Prevents minor bugs from becoming expensive failures that damage reputation and halt sales.
- Governance - For listed companies, maintenance is a non-negotiable tool for legal compliance (GDPR, ESG, and accessibility) and managing supply chain risks.
- Performance - Continuous updates ensure the system stays secure, competitive, and technically efficient.