How Python Scripts Became a Low-Risk Toolkit for a Legacy Delphi ERP
A solo engineer maintaining a large Delphi-based ERP system for a footwear factory found a practical middle ground by adding Python tooling alongside the existing codebase rather than attempting a full rewrite. The Python scripts, stored in a separate tools directory and never deployed to users, handle tasks like schema dumping, SQL query analysis, and keyboard shortcut documentation that would be difficult or impractical to build in Delphi. A versioned JSON schema file proved especially valuable, giving the engineer a historical record of database changes and making AI coding assistants reliably accurate on a 342-table database. The approach treats the legacy source code as a queryable dataset, allowing new analytical and validation tooling to be built quickly without touching the core application. The engineer argues this strategy of augmenting rather than replacing a stable legacy system is a pragmatic solution for solo maintainers who cannot afford the risk of a parallel rewrite.
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