Forensic software engineering refers to the discipline of analyzing (and sometimes reconstructing) the functionality of software applications or services that have become defunct; are no longer accompanied by, or previously lacked, documentation; or for which the original engineers are no longer available.

This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (March 2024)

Usually, forensic software engineering is performed with an interest in understanding the functionality - and sometimes intent - of software that has been abandoned by its creators, with an eye to correcting unexpected outcomes or determining whether to port, rebuild, replace, or retire a functional software instance.^[1]

Is often required as a result of a corporate mergers or acquisitions, or during the migration/transition from an old datacenter to a newer one.

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