We merged a custom PHP app, Laravel backend, and React Native client into one Kotlin Multiplatform commerce product for web, iOS, and Android.

B2B E-commerce Mobile Web

Client

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Role

Kotlin Multiplatform rebuild, backend modernization, long-term product partner

Outcomes

34% less first-party code while serving more platforms; One shared codebase for web, iOS, and Android

The Challenge

Vanden Bussche Irrigation came to Lightning Kite with a B2B e-commerce platform split across three codebases: a custom PHP web application, a Laravel API backend, and a React Native mobile app. That setup made routine product work expensive. A feature often had to be implemented more than once, and a bug in one workflow could send the team into multiple stacks to trace the real cause.

The platform also supported real operational complexity. Contractors and landscapers relied on it for product catalogs, ordering workflows, and multi-warehouse logistics. Any rewrite had to simplify the software without forcing customers and internal teams to relearn the job.

The Solution

We rebuilt the platform into a single Kotlin Multiplatform codebase using KiteUI and Lightning Server. Web, iOS, and Android now ship from shared client code, and the backend moved behind typed APIs with generated client SDKs. Instead of coordinating three separate repositories and three different stacks, the product team could work from one codebase and one language.

The rewrite also had to respect the existing business. We preserved the familiar user experience and historical purchase data while moving the platform onto infrastructure that was easier to maintain, extend, and deploy.

By the Numbers

Comparison between the old Vanden Bussche platform and the new Kotlin Multiplatform system
Metric	Old System	New System
Repositories	3 (PHP web, Laravel API, React Native mobile)	1 (Kotlin Multiplatform)
Languages	PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Blade	Kotlin
First-party code	~29,000 lines across 349 files	~19,300 lines across 183 files
Client-side code	~23,600 lines (web only + mobile only)	~13,100 lines (web + iOS + Android)
Platforms served	Web + mobile (separate codebases)	Web + iOS + Android (single codebase)
Code reduction	34% less code while covering more platforms

The old system required ~23,600 lines of client code to cover web and mobile as separate applications. The new system covers web, iOS, and Android in ~13,100 lines of shared Kotlin. The backend stayed roughly the same size (~5,500 lines) while moving to typed endpoints and a deployment model that can work with either AWS Lambda or dedicated servers.

Technology

Kotlin Multiplatform with KiteUI for cross-platform mobile and web
Lightning Server for typed backend API with auto-generated client SDKs
Migrated from React Native + Laravel + custom PHP
AWS deployment with Lambda/dedicated server flexibility

Results & Impact

One Product Instead of Three Codebases

Vanden Bussche moved from maintaining separate PHP, Laravel, and React Native systems to shipping web, iOS, and Android from one shared Kotlin codebase.

Less Code to Maintain

The rewrite reduced first-party code by 34% while covering more platforms. That lowered the overhead of keeping features aligned and made changes easier to roll out consistently.

A Cleaner Transition for Users and Staff

The updated application preserved familiar ordering workflows and historical purchase data while giving the business a platform that is easier to manage and extend.