It's the question every prospect has, and almost no one asks out loud. We'll ask it for them.
You're about to sign with a provider who'll write code for you. That code will run part of your business, store your data. In three years, in five, what guarantees you won't end up facing a closed vendor, code nobody can read, and data locked in a proprietary format? Nothing: unless we tell you otherwise. So we tell you.
Your data, readable and yours
Your data belongs to you, not in principle, contractually. It's returned in a format readable by any standard tool on the market, with no dependency on Yumea to open it. "Readable" doesn't mean "exportable on request". It means: you can retrieve it at any time, in a standard format, and open it at another provider without a paid conversion.
Your software, documented and reinstallable
Undocumented code is code only its author can run. Classic trap: the provider leaves, and you discover nobody else understands what they wrote. We ship technical documentation together with the production deployment, not as an option, not as an add-on. It covers: overall architecture, dependencies, deployment procedures, backup-restore procedures. Another reasonably competent developer should be able to take over from this documentation without having to call us.
"Code in your name" option for companies that want more
For companies (often mid-sized with a CIO) that want to secure things from day one, we offer a "code in your name" option. It includes a handover guide written for an outside developer, a repository in your name, and explicit rights on the code produced. Not free: it requires extra writing and a legal frame. But it removes the fear of dependency at the first meeting: often the only argument that counts for an IT department.
Why we tell you this
Because our commercial dependency shouldn't become your technical dependency. You pay us for a service, not for a lock-in annuity. The agency that doesn't answer this question is the agency hoping to live off your inability to leave. We'd rather live off the fact you choose to stay.
What we've seen on the ground
A case of our team taking over code written by a former provider who had shut down. Missing documentation turned a two-week handover into a three-month project. We swore never to put a client of ours through that.
FAQ
What if we just want to leave, not you shutting down? Same rule. You get everything: data, code, documentation. No cost beyond the handover time.
How much does the "code in your name" option cost? Quoted case by case, depending on scope. Priced at briefing if you raise it early.
Before signing with anyone (us or anyone else) ask where your data lives and who owns the code. That's the only question whose answer can't be patched later. Let's talk →