Alternate Titles:
- Essential Tips On How To Hire PHP Developers For Your Web Development Project
- Looking To Hire PHP Developers For Your Next Web Development Project? Read This!
PHP is one of the most popular scripting languages. It is an open-source language used to build robust websites. The language is credited for its ability to create dynamic websites, ease of use interface, and flexibility. This makes it crucial for companies to hire PHP developers to ensure the development of dynamic web applications. Some of the popular websites that use PHP include Facebook, WordPress, Wikipedia, Yahoo, etc. In this article, you’ll find out what is required for a proficient PHP developer and how to hire PHP developers for your web app development.
Why is PHP a vital part of web development?
It is hard not to question the importance of the PHP programming language.With so many different options to choose from it is natural for doubts to creep into your mind. However, if you are looking to create a perfect website, it is important to hire PHP developers. Here are some of the reasons why:
● PHP is Fast
Software developed using PHP frameworks usually has rapid loading speeds. This is because software products developed with PHP can run through their own memory space, thus improving the loading speed of the product.
● It is feasible
Not only does PHP run on any default server, but it can also be utilized for a number of other things. Whether you need server-side scripting or full software development, PHP makes it possible.
● It offers database flexibility
PHP is flexible for database connectivity. It has the ability to connect to multiple database servers, and the most commonly used is MySQL, which can be used for free in PHP.
● Cost-effective execution
One of the valuable features of PHP is cost-effective execution. Most of the associated tools of PHP are open-sourced, so the cost automatically reduces when working with PHP frameworks.
● Object-oriented nature
The releases after 5.0 of PHP have introduced the object-oriented features in the language. This way, PHP can allow OOP concepts, making development extremely efficient
Critical Skills To Lookout for while hiring PHP Developers
A developer plays a crucial role in a business, and to make your web development process successful, you need to carefully hire a programmer. Here are the essential skills you can check for before you proceed to hire PHP developers.
● Ample knowledge of PHP frameworks
The basic qualification for any PHP developer is obviously PHP itself. But PHP doesn’t work alone, it uses various frameworks and these frameworks provide code libraries for commonly used functions, cutting down on the amount of original code needed for developers to write. Although there are several PHP frameworks available, the following are the most widely used ones. So, when you’re looking to hire PHP developers for your project, make sure that he or she has a high proficiency in frameworks like Laravel, Symfony, CodeIgniter, Zend, CakePHP, etc.
● Understanding of HTML and CSS
While back-end web development focuses on PHP, front-end web development focuses on HTML & CSS. Though both PHP and HTML/CSS work on the opposite end of web development, when you hire PHP developers with great expertise, they should have a basic understanding of the whole spectrum. Otherwise, they might just face the pitfalls while trying to appropriately set the HTML/CSS for the browsers.
● High-level proficiency in control systems (SVN / Git)
Every software development team needs a reliable way to manage changes and version codes in the database. In PHP source control tools like Git, SVN, Perforce Helix Core, ClearCase, Team Foundation Server, Mercurial, etc. are used to maintain and manage code versioning. So, if you are planning to have multiple PHP developers in your team, high proficiency in control systems will help facilitate collaboration and accelerate teamwork.
● Working knowledge of CMS platforms like Drupal, Joomla, and WordPress
A content management system (CMS) helps developers create, manage, and modify the contents of any website without needing any HTML or CSS coding skills. Expertise in Drupal, Joomla, or WordPress is a must-have skill for any senior-level PHP developer, but if you want your projects to excel and shine among competitors, you should also look for a working knowledge of other software tools such as MySQL and XHTML in candidates.
● Portfolio of completed past projects
Past projects are also another crucial aspect to consider when you choose to hire PHP developers. By asking for a previously completed project done by the developer, you can analyze the potentialities of the candidate. Ask what the previous client has to say about the work and the website’s performance to reassess the skills of the PHP developer.
● Exceptional creative skills
Beyond programming and testing, creating a web solution that properly fits the target users is a particular skill on its own. When you hire PHP developers, they should have the capability to think out of the box and build quality products that gain user traction.
Technical Interview Questions to Hire PHP Developers
To define the level of the developers’ expertise, you can assess their skills during the interview phase with certain technical questions. They include;
- What is your practical experience in PHP development and list the projects you participated in?
This question will help you to identify the working experience of a candidate and understand their skill level.
- What were the most interesting projects and why? What technologies did you have to use when working on that project?
This will help you to understand better the tech stack of the PHP developer and to find out the most interesting areas of their work.
- Which technologies and frameworks do you know? Which of them do you use in your daily work?
These questions will specify the tech stack and all the tech skills a developer has. For example, knowledge of most wide-spread frameworks like Yii, Laravel, CodeIgniter, object-oriented PHP programming, code versioning tools like Git, Mercurial, CVS, and databases like relational and NoSQL is a must for expert PHP developers.
- What was the most challenging development issue in one of your projects? How did you solve it?
These questions show a software developer’s course of action in case of unpredictable situations.
- What was the most creative solution you implemented in your past projects?
This question shows how creative a PHP developer can be in their work. The more they blend in the technologies the more unconventional and modern a product can be.
- Differentiate Between Abstract Class and Interface in PHP.
Before explaining each one individually, the developer will lay out the basics – These are two completely different classes, and they cannot be used as an alternative to one another. Now deep-diving into both, the developer will list the differences one by one and with the answer, you can gauge the candidate’s confidence and expertise.
- Differentiate between the include() and require() functions in PHP.
Though this is a basic question, the developer will show a stronghold on his/her fundamentals by answering this. For example, the developer may say that the include() function produces a warning, but the script will continue execution, while the require() function produces a warning and a fatal error, and the script will not continue execution.
- How would you define MVC in PHP?
With this question, you can indirectly test how efficient the developer is in coding. As MVC, (Model, View & Controller) an application design pattern separates the application data and business logic from the presentation layer, the ‘Separation of Concerns’ allows developers to find and edit portions of the code quickly.
- Can you mention the main types of errors in PHP and how do they differ?
Testing is an unavoidable part of the software development process. So it is obvious for any software developer to know and understand. When you throw this question at the candidate, he/she should be able to approach this answer in a confident manner
- What are the __construct() and __destruct() methods in a PHP class?
All objects in PHP have Constructor and Destructor methods built in. Understanding these two in PHP means that the candidate knows the very basics of object-oriented programming in PHP. The Constructor method is called immediately after a new instance of the class is being created, and it’s used to initialize class properties, while the Destructor method takes no parameters.
Roles and Responsibilities of a PHP Developer
PHP developers have an expensive range of responsibilities and tasks in web development projects. They usually include but are not limited to:
- The efficient development and deployment of web apps while meeting all the deadlines
- Handle compatibility issues with various platforms, browsers, or software program versions
- Cooperating and collaborating with all project stakeholders
- Work closely in a team on the software development according to the product requirements
- Consistently add new features to the existing apps or scale them up
- Improving skills and keeping up with the latest and most advanced technical practices and methodologies
- Building scalable apps and performing automation testing
Costs required to hire PHP developers
There are many factors that influence the process and price to hire PHP developers. Thus, businesses need to examine the market proposal and consider all the available options. Here are some of the key components that determine pricing to hire PHP developers.
Type of Contractor
Hiring freelancers is always cheaper than onboarding an in-house team or referring to an outsourcing PHP development company. However, with freelancers, you may run into further expenses if a project appears to be too complex, requires deep engagement, or demands extensive expertise. If you’re hesitating between an in-house team and an outsourcing company, study all the pros and cons of your project.
For example, in-house teams work great for long-term projects with high participation levels. While outsourcing providers can offer lower PHP developer hourly rates, wider access to a PHP developer’s talent pool, full-cycle development projects, and many more.
Proficiency Levels of PHP Developers
Beginners have the lowest rates, while mid-level to expert level developers are usually highly expensive. Therefore, as a business manager, you have to evaluate your project and decide how many developers are needed, as well as the required level of expertise. For example:
Beginner PHP Developers
Beginner-level PHP developers are suitable for simple and medium-sized projects. They have low development rates and can be hired for fulfilling some monotonous work. Basic beginner’s skill set includes:
- PHP and HTML programming languages
- Major PHP functions and MVC design pattern
- Working with Content management systems (CMS)
- Knowledge of one of the major PHP frameworks
Mid-Level PHP Developers
Mid-levels already have some development projects in their portfolios and can build effective web apps. These developers are quite autonomous and can work on an app without explicit monitoring. A mid-level developer’s skill set includes:
- Knowledge of more than one PHP framework, like CodeIgniter, Laravel, or CakePHP
- Analysis of product requirements
- Implementation of various databases
- Adding back-end features for improved app performance
- Troubleshooting code
- Implementing PHP object-oriented programming (OOP)
- Following some development standards for easy code refactoring and debugging
Expert PHP Developers
PHP experts work in specific areas, using the latest web development technologies and practices. They are highly proficient in analyzing product requirements and suggesting how to make them more effective and secure. Besides that, they can give advice on which features to add and how to improve the product source code. An experts’ skill set involves:
- Knowledge of most, if not all PHP frameworks
- Solid expertise in all basic and advanced technology, like PHP for IoT, Blockchain, Machine learning, and other solutions
Technology Implemented
It is common knowledge that the complexity of an implemented technology determines the price of the final product. To understand how well a particular technology will suit your product, you need to first perform a deep project and product analysis. A PHP development company will provide this service to their customers, calculating expenses, selecting the best technologies for an app, and gathering the best development teams.
Where to Hire the Best PHP Developers?
Once your mind is finally made up to hire PHP developers, here are some pointers on how you can find and hire a dedicated one.
- PHP has a huge community and you can leverage these communities to find and hire PHP developers. You can also hire PHP programmers through a software development company.
- You can search for PHP development companies on different platforms like LinkedIn or Job portals like glassdoor and Indeed to receive great and suitable leads.
- Reach out to agencies to hire PHP developers full-time. A dedicated programmer will work on your project, and the agency will handle the resource. A great deep jobs platform helping companies spin up their engineering teams with thoroughly vetted software developers that is Turing.com. Turing hiring method allows companies to hire PHP developers or other Silicon Valley-caliber remote software talent all at the push of a button on the Turing jobs platform.
Conclusion
Now, you are fully aware of all the things to consider in the process to hire PHP developers. Therefore, to develop a web-based solution that stands out from the competition, you need to hire PHP developers who are exceptional in their field of work. In other words, the experience, skillset, and expertise of developers are the backbones of any good web-based solution.
Author bio:
Joy Nwaiwu is a professional content writer with experience developing meaningful, well-articulated content spanning various industry verticals. She is an avid learner and a technology enthusiast with interests ranging from books, environment, and arts.
