CSS AG modernizes its ERP system with Vaadin Flow

CSS AG, a leading provider of ERP solutions, recognized the growing challenges of maintaining its Swing-based desktop application and sought a modern, browser-based alternative to meet evolving customer needs. With its flagship product, eGECKO, serving as a comprehensive ERP system, CSS AG needed a secure, scalable, and maintainable solution that would preserve their existing Java expertise while delivering a modern user experience.

After evaluating multiple modernization approaches, Vaadin Flow emerged as the ideal choice, offering a Java-first approach, built-in security, and vendor-backed support—a critical factor in ensuring the long-term success of the migration.

eGecko login screen

Challenges: Why CSS AG chose to migrate

As eGECKO grew over the years, CSS AG encountered several pain points with their legacy Swing-based architecture:

• UI limitations – Implementing modern UX/UI standards in Swing became increasingly difficult.
• High maintenance overhead – The complex structure of the application demanded significant development resources to maintain and extend.
• Customer expectations – Businesses increasingly preferred web-based solutions that could be accessed in a browser without local installation.

Given these challenges, CSS AG made the strategic decision to modernize eGECKO with Vaadin Flow, ensuring a smooth transition to a web-based solution while retaining their core Java development expertise.

The ability to develop nearly the entire UI without requiring JavaScript or additional frontend expertise aligned perfectly with our existing technology stack.

- Jonas Wehner, CSS AG

eGecko dashboard overview

Why Vaadin Flow?

When selecting a modernization technology, CSS AG needed a solution that would:

• Allow full-stack Java development without requiring additional JavaScript or frontend frameworks.
• Enhance developer productivity with a structured, component-based approach.
• Enable a seamless, web-based user experience without compromising performance.
• Ensure long-term maintainability and security with enterprise-grade support.

Vaadin Flow met all these criteria, but what ultimately tipped the scale was Vaadin’s vendor-backed support and professional services.

The value of vendor-backed support

For a multi-year modernization project spanning over 2,600 modules, CSS AG needed more than just a framework—they needed a trusted partner. Vaadin’s expert guidance, mentoring, and direct engineering support played a key role in the success of the migration.

• Vaadin Mentoring: CSS AG developers received hands-on guidance to tackle complex migration challenges.
• Vaadin Expert Chat: Real-time support helped the team resolve issues quickly without project delays.
• Continuous framework updates: Vaadin’s commitment to long-term support and security updates ensured CSS AG was investing in a future-proof technology.

With Vaadin’s support, CSS AG was able to accelerate their migration, reduce risk, and maintain development efficiency throughout the project.

With Vaadin’s professional support, regular updates, and ongoing development, the framework offers a sustainable solution for our ERP system.

- Jonas Wehner, CSS AG

eGecko ERP interface for financial account management.

The migration process

The transition to Vaadin Flow 24.4 was carefully structured to minimize disruption while delivering progressive enhancements to eGECKO. The project, currently in its fourth year of a planned four-and-a-half-year development cycle, involved:

• A team of 25 Vaadin developers and 2 UX/UI designers focused on delivering a seamless migration.
• A runtime XML-based module conversion approach, allowing CSS AG to quickly port functionalities to the web.
• Incremental improvements that delivered early benefits while ensuring stability across the transition.

With Vaadin’s structured component-based UI, CSS AG was able to maintain code clarity, improve performance, and reduce long-term maintenance complexity.

Results & business impact

Since launching the first Vaadin-based modules, CSS AG has seen significant improvements in both user experience and operational efficiency:

• Modernized UX/UI: A sleek, responsive, and web-friendly interface that enhances usability.
• Lower maintenance costs: A modular code structure that reduces long-term upkeep.
• Improved performance: Faster load times and better responsiveness across devices.
• Positive customer adoption: Businesses now enjoy a browser-based solution with no installation required.
  

Document preview and invoice management view in the eGecko ERP system.

Future outlook and development plans

CSS AG is committed to further enhancing eGECKO using Vaadin Flow. Over the next 12 months, they plan to:

• Expand dashboards and administrative tools for better business process visibility.
• Optimize performance for mobile devices to ensure a seamless experience on tablets and smartphones.
• Complete the migration of all ERP modules to fully transition eGECKO into a modern web application.

By continuing to leverage Vaadin’s support and Java-first approach, CSS AG is ensuring that eGECKO remains one of the most advanced ERP solutions on the market.

Conclusion

CSS AG’s migration from Swing to Vaadin Flow was a transformational step in modernizing their ERP system. By leveraging Vaadin’s Java-first approach, modern UI architecture, and long-term maintainability, they successfully built a future-proof, high-performance web application while preserving their existing Java expertise.

For companies facing similar modernization challenges, Vaadin provides:

• A seamless migration path for legacy Java Swing applications.
• A powerful, Java-first UI framework with built-in security.
• Reliable vendor-backed support to ensure project success.

Looking to modernize your own Java application? Get in touch and unlock the value of your existing applications.