ColdFusion modernization guide

There is no single right answer for modernizing ColdFusion. Here is what the realistic paths actually look like, and what matters most when choosing between them.

What actually matters here

ColdFusion's problem is platform decline, not workforce shortage, which changes the calculus: there are still people who can write CFML, the question is whether the platform itself keeps enough momentum to justify staying. Lucee, an open-source CFML engine, is the most common lower-cost path for shops that want to keep the existing codebase but reduce licensing exposure, rather than rewriting in a different language entirely.

The migration paths

Keep the code, modernize around it

Vendors taking this approach for ColdFusion: Lucee, Ortus Solutions, TeraTech.

Keep it running, don't change it yet

Vendors taking this approach for ColdFusion: Convective.