How to Hire a PHP Developer in 2024

If you have been into programming for quite some time, you might have already been introduced to a language called PHP! You at least must have heard about it, for the minimum. In a nutshell, PHP can be defined as a server-side scripting language. It is an immensely popular language, which is well affirmed by a stat presented by W3Techs, which says nearly 76.7% of websites use PHP as their backend language! Github considers it among the top 10 languages in the PYPL(Popularity of Programming Languages).

Thus if your current business requirement demands PHP developers at the earliest, you should pay utmost attention to the task. There’s tough competition for grabbing the best talents in this field. This blog addresses this issue and guides you on the perfect way to hire a PHP Developer in 2024! But before digging that deep, let’s understand what is PHP and what are its pros.

Why is PHP named so? What advantages does the language provide?

PHP was originally used to design and create web pages and HTML code. The name “PHP” is somewhere derived from the phrase – Personal Home Page tools. As already mentioned, the programming language is primarily deployed on the server side as a renowned scripting language alongside Javascript. PHP is widely used in website development to connect the user side to the database without any requirement for client interaction.

Being a backend language, users can’t notice the magic of PHP as such. If you are looking forward to hiring dedicated web developers for PHP projects, you should logically keep your eyes on backend and full-stack programmers. One of the most preeminent edges of PHP is that it runs perfectly well on almost all operating systems, like, Microsoft Windows, macOS, RISC OS, Linux, and others. On the server side, the language is used for database management, cookies, and information encryption.

The top advantages of the language PHP are :

• Versatility – 

PHP is not limited to be used in one or two projects. Instead, you can construct a whole different gravies of complex work with PHP, ranging from simple, static web pages to dynamic and smart websites.

• Open-source – 

Being open-source, PHP is very easy to use and modify. Any qualified coder can utilize its development tools, and suggest changes to the PHP libraries quickly.

• Easy to grasp – 

One of the main reasons why PHP is the “developer’s choice” language is it is super easy to grasp and learn. It can even be suggested to any newbie stepping foot into the world of programming.

• Runs perfectly fine on a multitude of OS and web servers – 

Be it web servers like Apache, Microsoft IIS, etc, or operating systems like Windows, Mac, Linux, etc – PHP is compatible with a single system setup. It even allows database management software like PostgreSQL, Oracle, MySQL, etc to operate flawlessly.

• Based on Object-oriented programming(OOPs) – 

Being an object-oriented programming language, PHP developers have the privilege of writing reusable codes in a much shorter period. All thanks to the four pillars of OOPs – Encapsulation, Inheritance, Polymorphism, and Abstraction.

• High-speed performance – 

Since PHP is deployed on the server side, the execution speed of the language shall be quite fast. This is, of course, to ensure the high-speed traffic in dynamic webpages of today.

• Inspiring community forum –

An active and vibrant community forum is the reflection of a top-rated programming language or software(in general). With an interactive forum, productive suggestions and innovations are guaranteed, which in turn confirms the ever-growing nature of PHP.

• Sustained by useful libraries – 

PHP is a hub of several useful libraries like Laravel, Symfony, CakePHP, etc. These utility kits streamline better functioning of the language and execution time gets reduced.

What are the hallmarks of a stellar PHP programmer?

Proficient and seasoned PHP developers have several qualities in store, that make them the best in what they do. These attributes include mastery of technical and analytical skills in quite a many domains. Let’s analyze them in detail below.

1. First and foremost, the individual(s) has to be spot on with the PHP fundamentals, which includes syntaxes, and the latest PHP versions and features.
2. The developer should have substantial experience in working with PHP frameworks and libraries, like Laravel, Codelgniter, etc, and an understanding of MVC architecture.
3. Programmer needs to have great practical knowledge of database systems like SQL and others.
4. The developer must have built prior websites with strong server technology using PHP/Javascript and front-end using HTML, CSS, and Bootstrap.
5. The coder needs to possess great problem-solving, communication, and teamwork abilities to ace down any bug that arises in the working session.
6. Knowing to use Git and Github should be a must in the basket of the developer to host and share PHP codes and collaborate if needed.
7. Continuous learning and security awareness must also be quality in the PHP programmer.

Remember that these qualities may vary as per the project’s requirements. But if you are someone trying to hire a PHP developer in 2024, this set of idiosyncrasies shall be the standard mark sheet for evaluating a worthy programmer!

Want to hire a PHP developer in 2024? – Tips and tricks for the process!

Hiring a PHP developer can be a tricky business to undertake, as most beginners new to programming choose PHP as the kickstart to their career. Thus segregating passionate PHP developers from part-timers can be difficult. The recruitment process shall be uniform and the interview process needs to be conducted, with the same factors kept constant for all.

Before interviewing the candidate, you shall jot down the most important questions that will go on to test the critical skills of the interviewee.

Some of the most commonly asked questions in a PHP examination are as follows.

• What differences are there between server-side languages like Javascript and PHP?
• Explain the function of isset() in PHP.
• Explain the meaning of $_FILES.
• Compare the GET and POST methods in form submission. How can you access the data sent through the URL via the GET method?
• How does autoloading work in PHP?
• Tell how to establish a connection between the MySQL database with the PHP-based server.
• What is the use of the “final” keyword in PHP?
• How is it possible to extend PHP’s execution time? Explain the concept of sessions and cookies in PHP.
• State the purpose of “namespace”, “echo”, and “print” in PHP.
• How different are “include” and “require” in PHP?

These 10 are the hottest questionnaires for hiring a PHP developer for your next project. Apart from these skills, the candidate has to possess important soft skills like critical thinking problem-solving mentality, and patience.

Destinations where you can shop the most-worthy PHP developers

To spot the most-worthy PHP developer, you have a lot of places to operate your quest. Here are common such destinations for the purpose.

Freelancing websites – 

Popular freelancing websites like Freelancer, Upwork, and Fiver offer top-quality projects to technically skilled developers. You can post your PHP project and your chances of coming across your seasoned developer are great! Places like those mentioned above host developers of such great caliber.

In-office interviews –

You can organize walk-in interviews or hackathons in your office campus, and grab the best talents across the nation. This diversifies the talent pool of your organization. The interview shall be conducted professionally and uniformly for all candidates.

Alternatively, you can search for talents in the LinkedIn community or assign Talent Requisition HRs to the recruitment.

Outsourcing –

Another common way of getting things done is to outsource projects to dedicated companies. Your CTO or product owner can handle this business of communicating your needs and requirements before any reputed PHP Development company in India. This, in turn, subtracts much labor, which is a big burden in the case of in-house interviews.

Wrapping up

Even after the introduction of newer languages like Python, Node.js, and Ruby, PHP still continues to hold its ground and user base strong. Thanks to its versatility and flexibility, PHP remains a hot-favorite language for back-end developers to build dynamic and fast websites. Hourly costs of hiring a PHP developer vary from $30-$50, depending on the country you are searching for. However, the ways and techniques of recruiting such professionals remain more or less the same, as instructed in the blog. Although technical skills are a must, watch out for the relevant soft skills of the candidate as well!