Legacy Technology · Hire specialists
Hire C and C++ developers for legacy Unix systems
Older C and C++ code needs engineers who are comfortable with pre-C++11 idioms, vendor compilers and Unix system calls. We supply developers who have spent their careers in exactly that code.
- UK contract with Dreams Technologies Hub Private Limited (VAT registered)
- Engineers delivered from our own Coimbatore office, India
- Shortlist within 5 working days
- Building software since 2013
Where this work comes from
Large C and C++ systems written between 1990 and 2010 still run trading, telecom, engineering and utility operations. Typical requests we see:
- Trading, risk and market-data systems.
- Telecom billing, mediation and network management.
- Engineering, CAD and simulation software.
- Utility and industrial control back-ends.
- In-house frameworks built on Rogue Wave or other older libraries.
What our C and C++ developers do
- Maintain and extend C++98/03 code without breaking what works.
- Fix memory leaks, crashes and race conditions.
- Port code between AIX, HP-UX, Solaris and Linux, and between compilers.
- Modernise carefully: newer C++ standards, CMake, tests, where it pays back.
- Maintain Motif/X11 user interfaces or plan their replacement.
Profiles we supply
| Profile | Experience | Typical work |
|---|---|---|
| C systems programmer | 6+ years | IPC, signals, sockets, daemons, performance |
| C++ Unix developer | 6+ years | Application code, STL, Rogue Wave, multithreading |
| Porting engineer | 8+ years | Compiler and platform moves, endianness, 64-bit |
| Modernisation lead | 12+ years | Incremental move to modern C++, test harnesses, CI |
What we test in the technical interview
Every candidate is interviewed by one of our own senior engineers. We test the exact things your system depends on:
- Pre-C++11 C++: templates, STL containers, manual memory management, RAII.
- Unix IPC: shared memory, message queues, semaphores, pipes.
- POSIX threads, signals and their pitfalls.
- Vendor compilers (IBM XL C/C++, HP aC++, Oracle Developer Studio) and GCC or Clang.
- Debugging with gdb, dbx, truss or strace, and memory tools such as Valgrind.
- make and imake build systems.
- Rogue Wave libraries and Motif/X11, where your system uses them.
Three ways to work with us
Dedicated specialist
A named engineer joins your team on a monthly time-and-materials basis. Best when you have live systems, an urgent gap and your own technical lead.
See support podsFixed-scope assessment
Two to three weeks, fixed fee. We map the code, the platform and the people risk, then give you options with effort ranges. Best when nobody fully understands the system any more.
See the assessmentMigration project
Fixed price once the assessment is done. We port, test, run in parallel and cut over. Best when you have decided to leave the platform.
See migrationsRelated services
Why teams come to us for scarce skills
Finding thin talent pools is our core skill
Large service firms rarely staff a single Pro*C or HP-UX role quickly. We keep a vetted network of engineers who have these skills and want this work.
Screened by people who have done the work
Our own senior engineers run the technical interview. Candidates are tested on the platform you run, not on general programming.
UK contract, India delivery
You contract with our UK company. The work is delivered from our own office in Coimbatore with working hours that overlap the UK day.
AI-assisted code understanding
Our team works with Claude Code to read, document and test old codebases faster. Every finding is checked by an engineer before it reaches you.
Continuity built in
Every engagement keeps a runbook and code notes from week one, and a second engineer is briefed on your system. Losing one person does not mean losing the knowledge.
We also run the migration
When you are ready to leave the platform, the same team that kept it running plans and delivers the move.
Tell us what you’re running
Send us the stack and the problem. We’ll reply within one working day and, if it’s a staffing request, send a shortlist within five.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can your developers work on code that won’t build on modern compilers?
Yes. Many engagements start by getting the build working again on the existing compiler, then planning any move.
Do you modernise to C++17 or C++20?
Where it pays back. We usually start with tests and a reproducible build, then modernise module by module.
Do you support defence or security-cleared work?
Our engineers are based in India, so we cannot take work that requires UK security clearance or onshore-only access.