What PHP Developers Actually Build
PHP is everywhere on the web. Before you write a job description, understand where your PHP developer will work:
Content Management Systems (CMS)
The most common use case. PHP powers:
- WordPress - Powers 43% of all websites globally
- Drupal - Enterprise CMS used by governments and large organizations
- Custom CMS - Many companies build their own content management systems
Companies: WordPress.com, Acquia (Drupal), countless agencies and publishers
E-Commerce Platforms
PHP is dominant in online retail:
- Magento - Enterprise e-commerce platform
- WooCommerce - WordPress-based e-commerce (powers millions of stores)
- Custom e-commerce - Many companies build on PHP frameworks
Companies: Adobe (Magento), thousands of online retailers
Modern Web Applications
Using frameworks like Laravel and Symfony:
- SaaS applications - CRM, project management, collaboration tools
- APIs - RESTful APIs serving mobile apps and frontend applications
- Microservices - PHP services in larger distributed systems
Companies: Laravel (framework creators), many startups and scale-ups
Legacy System Maintenance
Many established companies have PHP codebases:
- Legacy applications - PHP 5/7 applications needing updates
- System migrations - Moving from legacy PHP to modern frameworks
- Feature additions - Extending existing PHP systems
The Modern PHP Developer (2024-2026)
PHP has evolved significantly. Here's what separates modern PHP developers:
PHP 8+ Is Non-Negotiable
If a candidate's code looks like this:
function get_user($id) {
$user = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = $id");
return mysql_fetch_array($user);
}
They're writing 2005-era PHP. Modern PHP looks like:
public function getUser(int $id): ?User
{
return $this->userRepository->find($id);
}
Framework Mastery
Modern PHP development means frameworks:
- Laravel - Most popular, excellent for rapid development
- Symfony - Enterprise-grade, component-based architecture
- WordPress - For CMS-specific development (different skill set)
Red flag: "I write pure PHP, no frameworks" (unless they're building frameworks)
Type Safety and Standards
Modern PHP developers:
- Use type hints (PHP 7.4+ property types, PHP 8+ union types)
- Follow PSR standards (PSR-12 for coding style, PSR-4 for autoloading)
- Write testable code (PHPUnit, Pest)
- Use dependency injection and SOLID principles
Understanding Legacy vs Modern
The best PHP developers can:
- Work with legacy codebases when needed
- Recognize when to modernize vs maintain
- Migrate legacy systems to modern frameworks
- Explain the differences between PHP 5, 7, and 8
Skills Assessment by Business Need
If You're Building a Modern Web Application
- Priority skills: Laravel or Symfony, testing, API development
- Interview signal: "How would you structure a Laravel application?"
- Red flag: Can't explain MVC pattern or dependency injection
If You're Building WordPress Sites
- Priority skills: WordPress hooks, themes, plugins, Gutenberg blocks
- Interview signal: "How do you customize WordPress without modifying core?"
- Red flag: Modifies WordPress core files directly
If You're Maintaining Legacy Systems
- Priority skills: Debugging legacy code, gradual modernization
- Interview signal: "How would you refactor this PHP 5 code?"
- Red flag: Wants to rewrite everything immediately
If You're Building E-Commerce
- Priority skills: Magento or WooCommerce, payment integration, performance
- Interview signal: "How do you optimize a slow Magento store?"
- Red flag: No understanding of caching or database optimization
Common Hiring Mistakes
1. Assuming All PHP Developers Are the Same
WordPress developers, Laravel developers, and legacy PHP maintainers are different roles. A WordPress expert might struggle with Laravel, and vice versa. Be specific about what you need.
2. Ignoring Modern PHP Features
PHP 8+ has union types, attributes, enums, and JIT compilation. Developers who don't know these features are working with outdated knowledge. Test for modern PHP understanding.
3. Underestimating Framework Knowledge
"PHP developer" often means "Laravel developer" or "Symfony developer" in practice. Framework expertise matters more than raw PHP syntax. Test framework-specific knowledge.
4. Not Distinguishing Legacy vs Modern
A developer with 10 years of PHP 5 experience might be less valuable than someone with 3 years of modern PHP 8+ and Laravel. Years of experience don't equal modern skills.
5. Ignoring Testing Culture
Modern PHP development includes testing. Developers who don't write tests or understand TDD are working with outdated practices. Look for PHPUnit or Pest experience.
Recruiter's Cheat Sheet
Questions That Reveal Skill Level
| Question | Junior Answer | Senior Answer |
|---|---|---|
| "Explain namespaces" | "They organize code" | Explains PSR-4 autoloading, use statements, and namespace resolution |
| "What's dependency injection?" | "Passing variables to functions" | Explains constructor injection, service containers, and SOLID principles |
| "How do you handle errors?" | "try/catch" | Discusses exceptions vs errors, error handling strategies, logging, and graceful degradation |
Resume Green Flags
- Specific framework mentions (Laravel 10, Symfony 6)
- PHP version numbers (PHP 8.1+, not just "PHP")
- Testing frameworks (PHPUnit, Pest)
- PSR standards mentioned
- Performance improvements ("Reduced page load time by 60%")
- Open source contributions (Laravel packages, WordPress plugins)
Resume Red Flags
- Only lists "PHP" without version or framework
- "Expert in PHP" but no modern frameworks
- Only WordPress experience for a Laravel role (or vice versa)
- No mention of testing or code quality tools
- Only tutorial projects (blog, todo app)
- Lists PHP 5 or earlier versions prominently
Framework-Specific Signals
Laravel Developers:
- Should know Eloquent ORM, Blade templating, Artisan commands
- Understand Laravel's service container and facades
- Familiar with Laravel's ecosystem (Laravel Nova, Horizon, etc.)
Symfony Developers:
- Should know Symfony components, Twig templating, Doctrine ORM
- Understand Symfony's dependency injection container
- Familiar with Symfony's event system and console commands
WordPress Developers:
- Should know hooks (actions and filters), theme hierarchy, plugin architecture
- Understand WordPress database structure and WP_Query
- Familiar with Gutenberg blocks and modern WordPress development
Market Context: PHP's Reputation Problem
PHP has a reputation problem—often unfairly. Many developers judge PHP based on:
- PHP 4/5 code from 15+ years ago
- Poor code examples in tutorials
- Legacy codebases they've inherited
Reality: Modern PHP 8+ is:
- Faster than Python and Ruby (comparable to Node.js)
- Type-safe with union types and property types
- Well-architected with frameworks like Laravel and Symfony
- Used by major companies (Facebook, Wikipedia, Slack)
When hiring, look for developers who understand modern PHP, not those who dismiss it based on outdated information.