ColibriCode is a Denver-based engineering workshop. We usually join teams in three patterns: project-based, embedded squads, or rescue & stabilization—always with production, handover, and long-term health in mind.
Pick the shape that fits where you are: a one-off phase to unlock a milestone, ongoing senior firepower, or a calm task force to get a fragile system under control.
AT A GLANCE
Most collaborations start with a focused 4–6 week phase. From there, we extend, switch to an embedded squad, or hand back to your internal team.
ENGAGEMENT MODELS
Whether you're stabilizing a legacy Drupal platform, extending a Symfony/Laravel API, launching a new React/Next.js app, or wiring Python and Go services into your product, we map the model to the risk and scope— not the other way around.
A focused phase with clear scope, milestones, and outcomes.
TYPICAL LENGTH
4–12 weeks per phase
TEAM SHAPE
1–3 senior engineers, optionally paired with your in-house team.
STACK FOCUS
Ideal when we can define a clear slice of work across Drupal, Symfony, Laravel, React/Next.js, Python, Go, and DevOps.
BEST FOR
HOW THIS LOOKS DAY-TO-DAY
Everything runs through your existing tools where possible: GitHub or GitLab, your issue tracker, your CI, your Slack/Teams. We're not adding process for the sake of it, just enough to make work predictable and visible.
If at any point we jointly feel like the engagement model should change (e.g. from project-based to an embedded squad), we'll say so and reshape the collaboration.
FIRST PHASE
Regardless of model, we like to begin with a contained phase that proves value, reduces risk, and gets everyone comfortable with how we work.
We start with a conversation and a light technical review: architecture, code samples, deployment pipeline, and your current pain points.
We suggest a contained first phase with a clear outcome: a refactor, a feature slice, a migration step, or a stability milestone.
We ship in weekly slices with written updates, demos, and visible progress in your tools (Git, issue tracker, CI).
We walk through what changed, what’s now possible, and options for extending, pausing, or handing off to your internal team.
After the first phase, some teams keep us as an embedded squad, some move to a lighter advisory pattern, and some simply keep running with the systems we stabilized or built together.
COLLABORATION RITUALS
Short, concrete updates that non-engineers can read: what shipped, what’s next, and any decisions we need from you.
We can join your daily or 2–3x/week standups, or run async check-ins if your team is distributed across time zones.
We show what’s in staging or production, not just slides. This keeps everyone aligned on what “done” means.
Key trade-offs (e.g. Drupal vs custom, Python vs Go, infra choices) are documented so future engineers know why.
ENGAGEMENT GUARDRAILS
We define phases and expectations upfront. You see where time goes, and there are no surprise overages.
If your needs don’t match our stack (Drupal, PHP, JS, Python, Go, DevOps), we’ll say so and suggest alternatives.
We shape scope around risk reduction and stability, not just feature quantity.
We document and structure work so you can continue without us if that’s what makes sense later.
START A CONVERSATION
A short email is enough: what you're building, which parts are in Drupal/PHP/JS/Python/Go, what's currently painful, and what “successful” looks like in 3–6 months. We'll reply with a concrete, no-pressure recommendation.
No pressure, no long forms. If we're not the right fit for your Drupal, PHP, JS, Python, Go, or DevOps needs, we'll say so honestly.
