Next.js Upgrade Rescue
The upgrade your app needs keeps breaking it.
For agencies, fractional CTOs, and SaaS teams. I trace the upgrade failure, scope the repair, and hand back changes, verification, and release instructions.
Tony St. Pierre16+ years of software development experience
For a blocked upgrade in an existing app
You have a reason to upgrade. Something is in the way.
A required update is consuming senior engineering time or holding up a client commitment. I build on what your team has already tried and focus on the blocker.
Next.js · React · TypeScript / JavaScript · AWS
Examples of problems that may fit
- A framework or security update breaks the build.
- Sign-in, sessions, or protected routes fail after upgrading.
- Pages render, but a critical workflow no longer works.
- A dependency prevents the move to the agreed Next.js version.
- The upgraded app works locally but fails in CI or the deployment environment.
A good fit: an existing app, access to the relevant code and build setup, and a technical owner for the handoff.
Agencies and delivery leads
Your client relationship stays with you. I work through one technical contact, use a short kickoff and readout, and return the work to your developers. Client-facing communication happens only as agreed.
Fractional CTOs
I give you the evidence to choose a targeted repair, plan a larger migration, or commission the next investigation step. The brief separates confirmed findings from assumptions and identifies what your engineer needs next.
SaaS engineering teams
I start from your attempted upgrade, failing checks, and known constraints. We name the customer workflows to verify before repair starts. Your team reviews the changes and gets clear release responsibilities.
Two stages. A decision between them.
Understand the blocker. Then agree the repair.
The diagnosis gives you findings your own engineer can use. You can take the next step with your team or consider a separately quoted repair with me.
01 / Investigation
Diagnose the blocker
$1,500USD · fixed scope
A decision brief you can hand to the engineer doing the work.
Up to 8 total hours · findings within 5 business days.
The window begins after scope is agreed, necessary access and evidence are available, and the scheduled engagement begins.
- Reproduction attempts and the conditions behind the failure.
- Relevant version, dependency, and configuration constraints.
- Evidence, explanations tested, and remaining uncertainty.
- Recommended changes and verification checks, or the next investigation step if more evidence is needed.
If the cause remains uncertain, I say so. The brief records what was learned, what evidence is missing, and the most useful next investigation step.
I reserve time within the cap for the brief and closing readout. If more investigation is needed, I hand over the findings and next step. Additional work requires an agreed scope and quote.
02 / Accepted repair
Implement the agreed upgrade
Separate fixed quote
The quote names the target versions, included components, acceptance checks, deployment responsibilities, and schedule.
I prioritize repairs that can fit within 1–2 scheduled weeks. Timing is confirmed in the quote.
- An agreed target version and the compatibility changes needed to reach it.
- Named workflows, environments, and checks that define acceptance.
- Reviewable changes, verification results, and release instructions.
Diagnosis does not guarantee a simple repair or that I can accept implementation. If a larger migration is needed, I explain the options and next step.
The quote also defines the handoff, included follow-up, and how any new requirements are scoped.
$1,500 covers diagnosis. If you proceed, the repair quote is additional to that fee. You can stop after diagnosis and keep the written findings.
One Next.js application, one agreed upgrade target, and one blocking problem. One blocker can involve several dependencies or configuration files. We agree the affected components before starting; the total effort cap still applies.
Scope and reproduce
Agree the blocker, target, access, and important workflows. Compare the working baseline with the attempted upgrade.
Investigate and decide
I trace the incompatibility and deliver the brief. You decide whether to accept a separately scoped repair.
Repair and hand over
For an accepted repair, I make the agreed changes, run the checks, and walk your technical owner through the result.
A focused collaboration
One technical contact, a short kickoff, and a closing readout. Diagnosis and repair are scheduled separately. I confirm each start date with you.
Keep the scope useful
Whole-app rewrites, feature development, unrelated dependency updates, hosting migrations, and ongoing maintenance need a different scope. This is scheduled work, not emergency incident response.
Expanded scope is quoted before additional work begins.
Start with what your team already knows.
Send a short summary of the failed step and your timing. I’ll confirm fit, agree the diagnosis scope with you, and then arrange access.
For an accepted repair
An upgrade your team can review, verify, and release.
Before repair starts, we agree what completion means: the application builds on the target versions and passes the named checks in the agreed environment.
Reviewable code and configuration
A pull request or equivalent changes tied to the agreed upgrade, with relevant dependency and runtime requirements documented.
Evidence for the important workflows
Results for agreed checks such as sign-in, permissions, key pages, and application requests. Focused regression tests where practical; documented checks where needed.
Release and rollback instructions
Steps for reproducing the build, applying the agreed configuration, and reverting changes where feasible, with rollback limitations made explicit.
A clear handoff to your engineer
A closing walkthrough, known limitations, and remaining actions with an agreed owner. Any incomplete or unverified work is identified explicitly.
A passing build is one check. We also verify the named workflows against the working baseline. Coverage is limited to the agreed workflows and environments, with any existing failures recorded separately.
Production deployment requires explicit agreement. I work in an agreed branch and environment, using designated test accounts and data.
Your investigation and repair engineer
Experience across the boundaries an upgrade touches.
I’m Tony St. Pierre. My work connects production web and mobile applications, identity, testing, and controlled delivery.
View my systems experienceApplication behavior and identity
React, Next.js, and shared TypeScript systems, alongside authentication, MFA, sessions, account recovery, and multi-tenant applications.
Verification and delivery
Automated testing, security analysis, and web and mobile delivery, with AWS and Amazon Cognito experience.
Before we begin
A few practical questions.
Does $1,500 cover the complete upgrade?
$1,500 covers diagnosis. If you proceed, the repair quote is additional to that fee. You can stop after diagnosis and keep the written findings.
What if one upgrade produces several errors?
One blocker can involve several dependencies or configuration files. We agree the affected components before starting; the total effort cap still applies. If the evidence reveals separate blockers or a larger migration, I explain what falls outside the agreed scope and quote additional work before it begins.
Can you use the upgrade branch and findings we already have?
Yes. I use your attempted upgrade, failure notes, and existing checks as the starting point. I compare them with the working baseline and investigate the remaining gaps. The initial inquiry only needs a summary; repository access follows an agreed scope.
Can you help with an older app or a security update?
Potentially. I assess the starting versions, the reason for upgrading, and the affected dependencies. We choose a target using the current Next.js support policy, relevant advisories, and application constraints. Some older apps need a larger migration; diagnosis establishes the next step.
Will you require an App Router migration or a rewrite?
An upgrade does not automatically include a router migration, rewrite, or update of every dependency. I assess the existing Pages Router, App Router, or mixed setup and explain any broader change needed before you decide on a repair scope.
What if the blocker cannot be reproduced or needs broader work?
I document the attempts, evidence, uncertainty, and recommended next step. You keep the findings. Additional investigation or a larger migration requires a separate agreement; it is not silently added to the engagement.
What access and team time do you need?
One technical contact, a short kickoff, and a closing readout. We agree access to the relevant repository, lockfile, runtime and CI configuration, attempted upgrade, and redacted failure evidence. Designated test accounts are used where needed. A short summary is enough for the initial inquiry.
When does work start, and who handles deployment?
The window begins after scope is agreed, necessary access and evidence are available, and the scheduled engagement begins. Diagnosis and repair are scheduled separately. I confirm each start date with you. Production deployment requires explicit agreement. I work in an agreed branch and environment, using designated test accounts and data. The repair quote names who handles deployment and which environment demonstrates completion.
Can you work through my agency?
Yes. I work through an agreed technical contact and respect your client relationship. We agree any client-facing communication before it happens. Your developers receive the findings and, for an accepted repair, the changes and technical handoff.
Start with the blocker
What happens when you try to upgrade?
A few lines about the failed step, its impact, and your timing are enough. Share any version or hosting details you have. I’ll reply with the fit, any scoping questions, and the next step.
In your email, include what you know:
- Role and company
- App URL and hosting setup (if known)
- Current and intended Next.js versions (if known)
- What breaks during or after the upgrade; what you have tried
- Affected workflow and business impact
- Desired timing and technical contact
Please omit credentials, tokens, customer data, and raw production logs. Detailed evidence and repository access can follow through agreed channels after scoping.