Hire PHP developers remotely from our vetted global talent

PHP, short for Hypertext Preprocessor, is a popular programming language generally used for web development. However, it can be used to build a comprehensive range of features and applications, from APIs (application processing interfaces) to social media sites.

PHP is a scripting language, meaning it constructs web pages using scripts. Scripts are sequences of instructions that other applications and programs follow. Server-side software interprets PHP scripts during runtime and then sends the required data to the client to render into the web page.

Developers use PHP for more than website functionality. They can also add front-end design to a website by combining it with HTML and CSS. Additionally, they can manage databases at the application's backend using extensions like PDO and MySQL.

PHP is a prevalent programming language used by 77.5% of websites. It was launched in 1995, and web giants like Facebook, Wikipedia, Etsy, and Slack still choose it as part of their tech stack. But PHP isn’t only effective on a large scale. It’s also the language behind many smaller websites that rely on the premade structure of content management systems (CMS) such as WordPress.

PHP is prevalent because it’s powerful enough to facilitate dynamic, interactive web content and complete many complex tasks. For example, developers use it to send and receive cookies, update form data, manage user access, encrypt data, and more.

Let’s take a look why you should hire PHP developers to build your applications:

• Large community: PHP has been popular since the mid-90s, building an extensive and active developer community. As a result, developers have easy access to an abundance of tutorials, resources, and documentation. Choosing a language with a strong community enables developers to problem-solve efficiently, saving time and costs. Additionally, it makes PHP easier to learn, resulting in a wealth of PHP developers for hire.
• Excellent performance: Nowadays, users expect advanced and interactive websites with short loading times. Many of the largest websites choose PHP because of its high performance, resulting from features like caching, code optimization, and efficient database queries.
• High-quality customer experience: PHP’s quick data retrieval streamlines the customer experience and enables you to present user-specific, personalized content. Directly targeting groups of customers is particularly useful for e-commerce businesses as it promotes sales.
• Integrations and features: PHP is an established language that offers many valuable features and high compatibility with other technologies. For example, developers can run it on Apache or Nginx, and it works with frameworks like Laravel.  What's more, PHP offers various tools to facilitate quick problem-solving, and its error-handling system provides detailed responses about problems and solutions.
• Platform independent: PHP is compatible with most platforms, such as Linux, Windows, and Mac OS, allowing you to use PHP regardless of your favored infrastructure.
• Data-storage flexibility: PHP stores data in flat files, making it compatible with many popular databases, such as MongoDB and MySQL. This flexibility allows tech teams to prioritize cost-saving, speed, and other positives when choosing a database.
• Scalability: From WordPress to Facebook, PHP is a versatile choice for application development. Its ability to handle web pages of any size makes it a reliable option for businesses that plan to grow over time.
• Stay up-to-date: PHP is well-maintained and regularly updated, allowing websites that run on PHP to compete on speed and power while keeping up with the latest application trends.
• Low cost: PHP is an open-source technology that can be installed for free, making it affordable for developers and businesses.

PHP is a flexible, versatile, and scalable language with many benefits. Additionally, it provides you with a lot of flexibility in your digital infrastructure and a wide range of PHP developers for hire.

With such a large talent pool, it can take time to sort through and hire PHP developers. As such, it can be helpful to use talent platforms to find the right employees. Terminal’s deep pool of vetted developers with the expertise to create high-performing applications is a great resource that saves time and money.

In most businesses, developers are part of a broader tech team. Tech teams usually include a team lead who architects projects, senior developers with expert knowledge about in-depth technical and architectural tasks, mid-level developers who undertake a significant amount of coding work, and junior developers who take on less complex coding requirements.

Keep in mind the following responsibilities when seeking to hire dedicated PHP developers at mid-level:

• Coding components for web applications: Developers should be able to actively take a component through its entire lifecycle, from design to development to deployment. Throughout these processes, they should write clean, easily maintainable PHP code. Additionally, coding projects should be bug-free, meet the specifications suggested by the team lead, be delivered on time, and follow strong security practices.
• Code reviews and meetings: Mid-level developers should be able to add value during meetings. They must report accurately on their projects’ statuses, problem-solve technical challenges, and participate in code reviews to analyze code quality.
• Frontend development: PHP developers build web pages that are dynamic, responsive to all device types, well-designed, and comply with standards. To do this, they often work with front-end languages such as CSS, HTML, and Javascript.
• Collaboration: Developers often work with other teams to plan and design features. In larger businesses, UX designers, marketing, product managers, and the senior tech team will significantly influence how the application should function. An ability to work well with others and maintain open lines of communication is crucial here.
• Troubleshooting and testing: Critical thinking about problems in the codebase is vital.  Developers must identify problem areas, such as performance bottlenecks, to ensure the website performs optimally. A mid-level developer may also need the skills to handle problems within a live system. Many teams use test-driven development within the coding process, which makes testing a central part of coding from beginning to end.
• Trend-watching: All PHP developers should follow the latest updates about PHP and its connected frameworks to keep your business up-to-date with newly released technologies and features.
• Documentation:Maintaining technical documentation ensures the whole team is informed about new application features.
• Teaching junior developers: Mid-level developers’ primary role is coding, so they are usually responsible for educating junior developers and recent recruits on how the codebase works.
• Database integration: Most applications require PHP to interact with a database to store and retrieve data, such as customer logins. If this is the case, a PHP developer will be responsible for writing queries in a database-friendly language, such as SQL, designing database architecture, managing complex datasets, and ensuring the database and front end are well connected.

When looking to hire PHP developers, it’s essential to consider the specific requirements of the roles you have available. What technologies are part of your tech stack? What’s the makeup of your tech team? Developing a solid picture of your tech requirements will help you to choose an employee who fits your team.

Finding the right developers for your business is crucial for delivering error-free and performant web pages. While successful development teams keep your website functioning at its best, cutting costs to hire a developer who underperforms or writes poor code can leave you paying more now and in the future if the code needs re-organizing and debugging.

When looking to hire PHP engineers who excel in their roles, it's essential to understand that someone may be suitable for your business but not possess every single skill listed here. Regardless, consider each one and decide which attributes are indispensable for the position you have on offer.

Here are the key abilities PHP developers should have:

• Fit with your company: All developers should promote a positive work culture. Check whether a potential candidate has experience working with your current team’s style, for example, an agile development approach or remote or hybrid work patterns. Some knowledge of the industry and domains you operate within is also helpful.
• Soft skills: It might seem like technical skills are everything when hiring a PHP developer, but soft skills will make or break how well a developer performs. A mid-level developer must be able to communicate how their projects are progressing and possess sufficient listening and comprehension skills to understand direction properly. Additionally, communication skills are vital in explaining complex tech topics in simple terms to non-tech teams and junior developers.
• Coding skills: Technical tests during the interview process are a great way to identify whether a developer has sufficient coding ability. A mid-level PHP developer should have a strong grasp of the language - from object-oriented programming to server-client interactions. Additionally, they should follow best practices and produce clean, maintainable code.
• Database skills: PHP must interact with another language to manage the database. Therefore, developers need experience working with database languages, such as SQL or Python. Additionally, check for a comprehensive grasp of database design and a hands-on understanding of database systems’ functionality.
• Application programming interfaces:Your web application might use PHP-based APIs. If that’s the case, hire PHP developers who have previously worked with APIs.
• Research, tools, and learning: A good developer doesn’t do everything alone. They should be open to learning and exploring the extensive tools, add-ons, and documentation available. These premade tools and resources will save time and improve application performance.
• Security: Privacy and security are paramount for any business because data leaks through malicious attacks will negatively impact customer trust. Developers can prevent attacks by using coding best practices that secure data. Hire a PHP developer who knows common methods to increase security, such as sanitizing data and maintaining private error logs.
• Version control: Version control is essential for maintaining consistency when multiple developers work on a web page. Therefore, knowledge of version control systems like Git and SVN is crucial for effective collaboration. Additionally, version control lets developers test new features and solutions on branches before merging them into the live codebase. It’s especially important to prioritize effective version control if your business is growing because it organizes code and simplifies the maintenance of a complex codebase.
• Content management systems: If you’re using a CMS like WordPress or Magento, choose a developer with a strong understanding of its functionality throughout the entire pipeline and have the skills to build customized features.
• Frameworks: Hire a PHP developer who has experience using the PHP frameworks your business uses. Frameworks like Laravel or CodeIgniter speed up development by allowing engineers to bypass time-consuming tasks with prepreparedfunctions and built-in features. Additionally, these vast libraries help structure PHP code, increase security, streamline collaboration, and simplify tasks like debugging and caching. Many use the Model View Controller architecture, which divides the development process into separate parts.
• Frontend languages:Proficiency in languages such as HTML and CSS enables developers to manage the design elements of an application's front end. PHP can handle front-end features like forms and logins, but some systems employ JavaScript for that functionality.
• Project and time management: Mid-level developers should possess task delegation, risk management, and quality management skills. Another essential part of managing projects is time management. Developers should be able to prioritize tasks, adapt to urgent changes, and deliver projects on time.

After taking account of the skills a developer has, consider whether they have experience in a similar role. What responsibilities did they have in past projects? What was the scale of the application they worked on? Examining how their proficiencies match your requirements is the key to hiring a developer who fits your team.