How to Hire a PHP Developer in 2023

PHP programmers in software development are tough to find and businesses face difficulties in hiring professionals with suitable credentials. According to a study by W3Techs, more than 77.1% of websites use PHP as a scripting framework. PHP offers broad integration capabilities, high-level security, cross-platform use, and is compatible with most servers like IIS, Apache, and iPlanet. Its latest release provides cutting-edge security and users can use PHP in content management systems as well.

PHP can be used to manage databases, cookies, and enforce encryption at both in-transit and rest. It offers many benefits which is why it’s a huge favorite among developers. This guide will explain how to hire a PHP programmer and share other insights into the process.

Advantage of PHP Development

PHP is a server-side programming language that is efficient, agile, flexible, and provides a broad range of capabilities. PHP development has an active and growing community, supports large scale application development, and is compatible with web servers like Nginx, IIS, and Apache. The top advantages of PHP development are:

• Open-source and free – Unlike other programming frameworks, PHP does not require businesses to invest money. It is free to distribute, open-source, and great for companies that operate on a tight budget. Maintenance costs for PHP built apps is low and the PHP community releases security patches and updates on a regular basis.
• Multiple Integrations – PHP is an excellent choice for developers since it supports multiple integrations. PHP web apps can connect with Oracle, MySQL, and PostgreSQL databases.
• Great Performance – PHP offers amazing scalability, speed, and performance. Compared to other programming languages like Python and Ruby on Rails, it can quickly design applications and deploy them. PHP applications can run on many platforms like Windows, macOS, and Linux. It can integrate with key technologies such as JavaScript, CSS, and HTML, and is easy to debug.

What to Look For Before You Hire A PHP Programmer

• The ability to develop PHP based sites, programs, and create server-side apps for mobile devices as needed. When you hire a PHP programmer, it’s important to ensure that they are well-versed in using various PHP frameworks such as Symfony, Zend, CoeIgniter, Laravel, and others
• Be able to make changes to existing PHP projects, understand PHP development workflows, and seamlessly collaborate with team members to find the best possible solutions in software development
• The PHP programmer should be comfortable working with site’s code architecture and change or edit core functionalities where needed
• PHP developers must be capable of analyzing business risks, create effective plans of action, and provide quality management services. A basic understanding of business acumen, processes, and finances, is also needed, to help business achieve common goals or objectives. PHP developers need excellent time management skills and be able to organize themselves. As they work on multiple projects, it’s important to meet deadlines and work collaboratively with others on different projects.

Soft Skills of PHP Programmers

PHP programmers require having soft skills in addition to the necessary coding knowledge. Strong communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and leadership are a must. Being able to simplify complex concepts and explain them in ways so that other non-technical team members can understand is crucial. When you are hire a PHP programmer, it’s important to make sure they can work collaboratively and are a team player. The ability to take constructive criticism and implement feedback is a skill that’s underrated but very critical to progress.

Why Should You Hire a PHP Developer?

There are several reasons why you should hire a PHP developer which are:

• PHP developers are experts in product design and development for businesses. They possess great technical skills and have the expertise required to take concepts and execute them. Clients can build websites, mobile apps, APIs, payment portals, and satisfy their dynamic project development needs
• A big reason to hire PHP developers is that these professionals help to maintain websites and ensure regularity. PHP development services optimize code, make it clean, and ensure a high development quality
• Professional PHP developers with years of experience can offer quick turnaround times. Businesses are guaranteed timely delivers and there are no compromises on the quality. In addition, developers design a solid business strategy to market products and align software development with business requirements

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a PHP Developer?

A PHP developer will charge according to the scope of the project. PHP development cost will depend on whether it’s just writing some custom code for an integrated API, database, or building an entire PHP website from scratch. Time taken is another factor to consider and PHP programmers will charge more if the project is very demanding and requires to be completed fast. Building a social media PHP app can take months and there are many experienced developers who may not be willing to commit to extended deadlines. Less experienced freelancers are more affordable but may compromise on the project quality as a tradeoff.

PHP developers have varied skillsets and use technologies like JavaScript, MySQL, and Git. Senior PHP experts will know more languages and frameworks, adding more versatility in their arsenal and being able to design fully-fledged applications from the ground up.

Freelance PHP developers charge hourly rates between USD 15 to USD 30. Seasoned developers will cost anywhere from USD 30 to USD 50 an hour. The hourly rate may go up if the developer has additional skillsets and can accommodate different project requirements.

PHP Developer Responsibilities PHP Developer: What to Look at When Hiring

PHP developers must possess the following skills:

• Have a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or equivalent
• Knowledge of content management systems and object-oriented programming
• Use code versioning tools like SVN, Git, CVS, and more
• Familiarity with NoSQL/SQL databases, web servers, and database frameworks
• Graphic design skills
• Ability to scale up or down database applications, do performance optimization, data modeling, and write T-SQL queries
• Strong understanding of data structures and algorithms
• Be able to use JSON parsing, HTTP requests, pecl package installers, etc.

In addition to the above skills, PHP developers must be able to solve application problems, integrate data storage, and seamlessly work with UI/UX teams. They should know how to create plugins, extensions and payment gateways for ecommerce apps.  A good PHP developer is flexible, dynamic, and has the ability to work on projects across almost all operating system environments. PHP development services are unique and many organizations are granting PHP developers the opportunity to work on high-paying projects.

The primary day-to-day responsibilities of a PHP developer are:

• Write well-designed PHP code that is clean, structured, and easy to read
• Trouble, test, and maintain PHP applications and databases
• Follow the best industry practices, ensure strong application optimization, and streamline core functionalities
• Develop and deploy the latest features, PHP tools, and software solutions

Where to Hire a PHP programmer

Freelance PHP developers are hired through online portals and known to deliver projects for different clients. They work from home and can handle multiple projects simultaneously. Businesses can hire freelance developers if their project needs are specific, one-time, and if they have a low budget.

PHP web development projects can be completed by hiring a single developer. Sometimes a team of developers is needed if the site is being designed for a large organization. Working with a freelance PHP development team may also help meet client demands.

For businesses that don’t want to hire freelancers, opting for in-house developers is another option. In-house programmers have direct communications with the client and work in office spaces. Business owners can guide these developers, ensure developmental clarity, however, the only downside is that they need to pay them a dedicated salary. In-house programmers need to be provided with resources, software tools, and time has to be invested in supporting them. The good news is that they won’t abandon projects and sign a contract which ensures that the company retains them.

Clarion Technologies helps companies build offshore development teams for PHP projects. It delivers top IT services to businesses and empowers developers with a dynamic range of services.  Clarion Tech’s team builds fully customized PHP web solutions and caters to specific client requirements. It enables businesses to seamlessly manage their website content, images, videos, and other digital resources by leveraging popular CMS frameworks like Drupal, WordPress, and Joomla. Other PHP development services provided by Clarion Tech are – third-party integrations, AMP framework design and progressive web app development, PHP micro services, and cloud-based solutions.

Conclusion

When you hire a PHP developer through Clarion Technologies, you get access to high-quality auditing and software delivery services. The company has partnerships with ISTQB, Google Cloud Partner, CMMIDEV/3, and many other networks. Costs for PHP development services depend on the complexity of projects, development timelines, and customization requirements.