Verification Platform Modernization
How a Stalled Identity Verification Platform Was Rebuilt in Laravel in 10 Weeks
eZverifi’s product existed only in pieces: no working database, a codebase split between legacy PHP and unfinished Laravel, and nothing that ran. We rebuilt it in Laravel 9, recreated the database from demo videos, and handed back a working, demo-ready platform in 10 weeks.
- From stalled to demo-ready
- 10 Weeks
- Core verification flows working
- 100%
- Return on investment
- 6 Months
Client Overview
Client Story
eZverifi is a Virginia-based identity verification platform founded by Dennis Woodbury, running for 6+ years. It helps people know exactly who they are dealing with before they buy, sell, or meet up, using document checks and identity and liveness verification. Its users range from peer-to-peer marketplaces and dating apps to fintech teams running KYC checks, age-restricted sellers, and notaries.
By the time Dennis reached us, the product existed only in pieces. A legacy PHP application sat beside a half-finished Laravel rebuild with missing and outdated dependencies. Firebase was partly configured, designs lived in Figma, and assets were scattered across Google Drive. There was no working database, no environment configuration, no version control history, and no documentation. The only record of how the product worked was a set of demo videos. For months nothing ran, so there was nothing to show investors and no way to onboard users.
Background
Project Background
Dennis needed one team to take every piece, make it run, and leave the company in control of its own product again. The brief:
- A Working, Demo-Ready Product
- Restore a local and demo version that investors and users can see.
- A Modern, Stable Codebase
- Rebuild the broken application in Laravel 9 with a new database.
- Verification Flows That Work
- Firebase sign-in with OTP, plus document, location, and face checks.
- Ready for Production
- AWS-ready setup, documentation, version control, and a deployment plan.
Honestly, we have everything in pieces: code, designs, Firebase. But nothing runs. I can’t even show a working demo to anyone anymore, and it’s been months like this. I just need someone to put it all back together properly so we can move forward.
Discovery
Research & Ideation
With no database and no documentation, the first job was working out what the product was meant to do, using only what had survived.
Rebuild From the Evidence
Demo videos and legacy code became the specification for the new database schema and user flows.
Confirm With the Founder
Recreated configurations and Firebase settings were checked live with Dennis over Zoom before moving on.
Make It Run, Then Make It Scale
Restore a working local and demo version first, with an AWS-ready structure for the production launch.
Design
Designing a Clean Verification Architecture
The rebuilt platform separates each job into its own layer, so a failing third-party service never takes the product down with it.
- Responsive UIBlade screens rebuilt from Figma
- Firebase Sign-InOTP login and token checks
- Laravel 9 CoreClean architecture, PHP 8.1
- Queued API WrappersDocuments, location, face match, analytics
- Data and StorageMySQL, ready for Amazon RDS, S3, CloudFront
Third-party calls run as queued jobs with retry logic, so a slow or failed API response is retried instead of breaking the verification.
Challenges
Project Challenges
No Working Database
No database or seed data existed, so the structure had to be reverse-engineered from demo videos.
A Split, Outdated Codebase
Code was divided between legacy PHP and an incomplete Laravel build, with missing and outdated dependencies.
No Documentation or Running Environment
There was no production or demo environment and nothing written down about how the product worked.
Missing Configuration and Firebase Access
Environment settings were gone, and access to the Firebase project had to be restored.
Broken Third-Party Integrations
Verification API integrations were outdated, broken, or never finished.
No Version Control, Scattered Assets
There was no commit history, and files were spread across Google Drive.
Approach
Our Solutions
Patching the old code would have meant building on parts that had never worked. We rebuilt the core and kept what was still useful: the Figma designs, the Firebase project, and the verification flow shown in the demos.
Full Laravel 9 Modernization
The split PHP and Laravel code was replaced with one Laravel 9 application built on a clean architecture.
A New, Normalized Database
The schema was reverse-engineered and rebuilt, with migrations and seeders so it can be recreated at any time.
Firebase Authentication With OTP
Sign-in and OTP flows run on Firebase, with token validation on every protected request.
AWS-Ready Infrastructure
The application is structured for Amazon RDS, S3, CloudFront, and EC2 or ECS when it moves to production.
Responsive UI From Figma
Every screen was rebuilt in Blade from the existing Figma designs and works on any device.
Reliable Third-Party Integrations
Document verification, geolocation, Amazon Rekognition, and analytics run through one set of API wrappers.
Custom Features
Custom Functionalities
The engineering decisions that make the rebuilt platform stable today and easy to hand over tomorrow.
Token Validation Middleware
Every protected request checks the Firebase token before it reaches application logic.
Queued API Calls With Retry
Verification APIs run as background jobs that retry on failure, so users are not left with a broken check.
Recreatable Database
Migrations and seeders rebuild the full database and test data in any new environment.
Upgraded, Hardened Dependencies
Every outdated package was upgraded and the environment secured before release.
Tests and CI-Ready Structure
The codebase ships with tests and a structure ready for continuous integration.
Documented AWS Deployment Plan
Infrastructure notes and a step-by-step plan cover the move to AWS production.
Support
On Going Support
On the day of final delivery, Dennis signed a long-term maintenance and Phase 2 development contract with iCommuneTech.
Daily Stand-Ups Across Time Zones
Daily calls bridged India and US Eastern time, with progress tracked in Jira between them.
Everything in One Place
Code, assets, and documentation now live in one GitHub repository the company controls.
Phase 2 on Solid Ground
New features build on a tested, documented codebase instead of on pieces.
Impact
Project Outcome
- From non-functional to a working demo
- 10 Weeks
- Core verification flows validated: OTP, documents, location, face match
- 4
- To return on investment
- 6 Months
- Phase 2 contract signed
- Delivery Day
Results reported by eZverifi.
Before: a product in pieces
- No working database, configuration, or demo
- Legacy PHP split from unfinished Laravel code
- Broken or unfinished verification integrations
- No version control, documentation, or deployment plan
After: a platform that runs
- Working local and demo environments
- One Laravel 9 codebase with migrations, seeders, and tests
- OTP, document, location, and face checks validated end to end
- GitHub repository, documentation, and an AWS deployment plan
eZverifi went from a product that would not run to a working platform Dennis could demo again. Every core verification flow is validated, and the company has full control of a documented, modern codebase.
Dennis reported high satisfaction and renewed investor confidence once he could show a stable product, and the work returned its investment within 6 months. The foundation is now in place for Phase 2 and the production launch on AWS.
How iCommuneTech Works
Understand first. Build exactly what’s needed. Stay for the long run.
We deliver the exact solution to a business problem with the least investment and time, then stay to keep it working.
We understand before we quote
We start by understanding how the work actually gets done, before we propose anything.
The exact solution, not the biggest one
We recommend the smallest solution that fully solves the problem, and use what already works.
A team that stays
Every launch includes a 90-day warranty, then an optional long-term delivery plan with the same team.
Problem Slowing Business Growth? Let’s Find the Exact Fix.
Tell us how the work gets done today. We’ll map it before we propose anything.
Connect on WhatsApp+91 97256 00878
Share your requirementsenquiry@icommunetech.com