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We know that it can be difficult, especially for those who aren’t experts in software development, to discern the differences between scripting languages, specific programming terms, and qualifications required for hiring the right software developer for your business or development team.

If you have arrived at this article, then it could be because you are looking to hire a PHP developer but aren’t sure where to start. In order to help you find the right PHP developer for your projects, this article is going to offer expert advice for understanding what PHP is, how a PHP developer can be useful to you or your business, and what you should expect when you want to hire PHP developers to help you feel ready to hire PHP developers with the right skills for your web development team.

What is PHP? 

First, let’s look at what PHP is and how it is commonly used.

PHP, which is an acronym for “Hypertext Preprocessor,” is an open source scripting language that is known for the development of dynamic websites and web applications. It was initially built to make personal web pages and to generate HTML code, but now it has expanded to offer a wide range of functions, options, and web services. On the technical side, what makes PHP unique is that the code is executed on the server which is embedded into the HTML and then sent to the user instead of being executed on the visitor's browser.

In this way, PHP is focused on the server-side of the development process, but can also be used to write desktop and cross-platform applications. PHP can be used on essentially all major operating systems (Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac OS X, etc.), which means that you have the ability to choose an operating system or web server that works best for you. Now that you have a general idea of what PHP is, next we will look at what it can do. 

What can PHP do?

PHP is known for being able to do a lot of different things. PHP is not just limited to output HTML, but can be used to complete a wide range of different tasks. For instance, PHP can be used to encrypt data, send and receive cookies, generate page content, and can even be used to output images, PDF files, and Flash movies.

PHP development tools are powerful enough to be at the center of Wordpress, which is one of the largest blogging systems online and is still used by websites as large as Facebook, Wikipedia, Etsy, Slack, and more!

Within the world of software development, PHP is considered to be one of the most widely-used and popular programming languages, while also being one of the most controversial programming languages out there. In the next section we are going to outline when PHP could be useful and when PHP may not be the best choice for your specific project or team.

Why should you hire PHP developers?

PHP is one of the top programming languages that are used by start ups and small businesses for a variety of reasons. As you are deciding what kind of software development you want for your company, it can be useful to understand exactly what makes PHP such a popular and widely-used programming language. Here are some examples of why PHP is such a highly used program:

• Firstly, one component that makes PHP frameworks so popular is that it is fast to use. Many developers appreciate PHP for project development because it increases the development speed compared to other programs. Because of this, sometimes expert developers will create prototypes in PHP and then use other languages later because of the speed of development when using PHP. 

• Another positive aspect of PHP development is that it is very dynamic in the different functions that it can perform. For instance, it can be used for basic website functions such as accepting passwords and usernames, or displaying photos and galleries on your website. 

• One of the strongest aspects of PHP web development is that it is supported by a wide range of databases and is compatible with almost all servers used today which makes it easier to fit your project requirements.

• PHP is free to download and use, and has a large community of programmers across the globe that continue to improve and innovate the language. If you run into an issue, there are many forums (like Stack Overflow), faqs, and PHP experts that have shared their knowledge online and offer free PHP classes.

• When you use PHP web development tools, it is easy to scale up websites or web application, and easy to customize to the specific needs of your project, business, or company. Furthermore, the user interface is fast and responsive when they are built by a competent PHP developer. 

• Finally, PHP web development is also great for newcomers, while also containing features that are suited for the advanced and expert developer. For a beginner developer, the basic elements of PHP can be learned in a short amount of time. It’s simplicity is something that is often attractive to developers who are just starting or marketing themselves on a job board. 

• Since it is so widely used, there is a high demand for PHP developers and there are a lot of dedicated PHP developers who are available to hire. 

These are just some of the benefits of using PHP or hiring PHP developers who are highly competent with PHP application development. Furthermore, PHP has made some major improvements with their release of PHP 7.0+  which have made it even more appealing to developers and clients. Considering how many developers and companies use PHP programmers, it seems to be a coding language that will be beneficial and useful for a long time to come, which makes it a great skill to consider when you are looking for the right developers to hire for your team. 

Common Criticisms of PHP

When you are trying to decide what kind of software developers you are going to hire, it is also important to recognize the downsides of using certain programming languages over others. PHP is the subject of a lot of criticism among software developers for a range of different reasons, which can be helpful to know before you decide to hire PHP developers for your project or company. Here are some common criticisms of PHP: 

• PHP doesn’t have clear rules or restrictions about parameters order. This has led some to say that operating with PHP can be sloppy and unpredictable as a programming language. This also means that only expert PHP developers can guarantee that the source code will be well designed and functional. This doesn’t mean that quality web applications can’t be designed using PHP, but it does require the attention of an experienced and skilled developer. However, just because it allows a developer to write “bad” code, doesn’t mean that the PHP is necessarily bad.

• One of the most common areas of concern is the fact that there are security issues that are often cited when looking at PHP. Since PHP is an open-source language, if there is a vulnerability in the code then others can access the information if they are skilled with getting into the code. This is another area where hiring an experienced and dedicated PHP developer will come in handy, as mistakes with security often come from inexperienced PHP developers. 

In conclusion, the concerns about security and quality of the coding related to PHP is largely dependent on the skills and experience level of the PHP developer that you choose to hire. If you hire a PHP developer who doesn’t have much experience with building secure and well-designed websites, then you may run into issues later down the line in the development process. This is why we suggest that you test possible candidates for the position in your company or project, which is something that we do here at Hiremotely before we list them on our site. 

What does a PHP Developer do? 

Dedicated PHP developers can be an essential part of your team for designing functional and dynamic web applications and websites. PHP developers are the part of the development team that works mostly with the server-side of development, which means that they primarily work with the back-end components of the development process. They would be responsible for laying the groundwork for web applications and doing the behind the scenes web services. PHP developers can use PHP to develop programs, websites and web applications among other things. This can range from blogs, forums, e commerce sites, or web applications. However, they also need to have a basic understanding of the front-end components of the development process in order to work better with the other developers in the project team.  

Role of a PHP Developer

Next it is essential to understand the specific duties and roles that PHP developers play in your business team. Some examples of the role of a PHP developer could be to:

• Develop programs, applications, and websites

• Work together with the development or project team to find software solutions

• Have a good understanding of back-end development and PHP frameworks

• Skills with building responsive and effective applications

• Write, test, code fix, and maintain the codes for the website

• Troubleshoot for source code issues or security problems

This list contains just some examples of the common duties that are done by PHP developers. In different companies, the role of the PHP developer could change depending on the needs of the client, specific project, or business. For instance, in some cases it could be expected that PHP developers would also have coding abilities in client-side development like Javascript or CSS. By having a knowledge of programming languages and web solutions, PHP developers can help to create a good customer experience for clients who use your application or website. 

Soft Skills of a PHP Developer 

In addition to hard skills like experience with PHP coding, there are soft skill sets that can help when considering hiring PHP developers. For instance, web developers who have clear and concise communication with the development team, good business and marketing sense, quick problem-solving skills, leadership qualities, and a knowledge of the project requirements are all important things to consider when looking to hire PHP web developers. With all of these skills, you can be sure that you will find a dedicated PHP developer for your web development projects and that you will be satisfied with their contribution to your business or startup. 

Average Salary of a PHP Developer

One of the first things to recognize when talking about the average salary of PHP developers is that there are many different factors that can make it difficult to accurately predict how much PHP developers would be paid. For instance, there is a difference in the country where the web developer is working from, whether they are a freelancer or an in-house PHP developer, the skill and experience level of the web developer, and the difficulty of the job or project that they are doing.

However, there are still ways of getting an average salary for PHP web development services through looking at averages on sites like ZipRecruiter. In 2021, ZipRecruiter estimated that the average salary for a PHP developer is around $86k per year. However, this number would vary between full-stack developers and junior developers and the country where web development is happening.

When compared to salaries of other programming languages, PHP is known for having a lower average salary for a few different reasons. Firstly, because PHP is so easy to use and quick to learn, there are many junior and beginner PHP developers out there. However, with more experience and a higher level of coding abilities, then the salary for PHP can increase significantly. Furthermore, despite the lower salary, there is a lot of demand for PHP web apps and sites which means that there are opportunities for finding well-paying jobs and quality PHP developers.

What To Know to Hire PHP Developers

Now that we have outlined the skills, duties, and average salary of PHP developers, the next step is to figure out what kind of web developer you are looking for for your project. For instance, one aspect to figure out is whether you are looking to hire an in-house PHP developer or a freelance PHP developer. In-house PHP developers would likely be someone that you want to bring into your company as a long-term hire and be a permanent part of your PHP development team.

The pricing model for hiring an in-house PHP developer is often higher because of the costs for insurance, workspace, training, etc. Often, freelance PHP developers are a better way to go for small businesses or startups that are still growing their companies. Freelancers are also a good choice if you only need a developer for one project or quick we services. Freelancers may not be as invested in the long-term development of your company or be the best experts in their field, but they can help to develop a specific project, application, or website. So the next question is, where can you find dedicated PHP developers?

Where to Hire a PHP Developer

There are many different job boards and sites that you can find PHP developers offering their skills across a large range of pricing models and options. Some of the most common websites to find freelance PHP developers are job sites like Toptal, Fiverr, Upwork, and Github Jobs. On these sites you can find a list of different app developers, PHP programmers, software development experts, and freelance PHP developers who are all offering their skills online. However, even though there are many options when you want to hire PHP developers, it can be difficult for job seekers to find a dedicated PHP developer that has the right skills, experience, and track record for your business. 

Of these sites, the most recognizable site is likely Toptal or Upwork. These web apps offer job boards of thousands of PHP freelancers that are searching for work. One of the main differences between Toptal and Upwork is that Toptal has a process of vetting PHP developers before they list them on their site. This is good because when you hire PHP programmers on Toptal, you can know that they will be qualified and dedicated PHP developers, however, it also means that the pricing model on their job board is much higher.

Upwork doesn't screen the freelance PHP developers on their site, which means that you can hire PHP programmers for less cost, but you don't have the same assurance that the freelancer will perform well or are as experienced as they may claim. For some, these sites can help them find PHP web developers that they need, but it can also be pricey or inefficient. If you want to learn more about the difference between Toptal, Upwork, and Hiremotely, follow the link here to learn more! 

Hire PHP Developers on Hiremotely

This is where Hiremotely can help to find the right PHP freelancer for your projects. Hiremotely aggregates some of the best programmers in the market today so you don’t have to look for them. Hiremotely has vetted and validated the claims and credentials of 8.300+ developers on the platform, and all of the PHP developers that you can find on our site or mobile app have to pass 5-step testing process before being accepted to Hiremotely.

Furthermore, Hiremotely offers PHP developers with varying levels of expertise and experience to meet the needs of any kind of startup or company. If you want to hire PHP developers on Hiremotely, you can sign up for an 8 hours risk-free trial to test out the skills of the candidates with zero hiring fees. Hiremotely makes hiring PHP developers quick and cost-effective while ensuring skilled and experienced developers for your company or projects.