What To Look For In A PHP Development Company?

Nowadays, PHP is the most widely used language on the web. It has been with us for some time, but it is now the driving force in international technological advancement. Since PHP can be used to create applications and websites that are both scalable and robust, it is often the platform of choice for businesses of all sizes, regardless of the scope of the project. 

This is merely a scripting language. If you want your company to succeed, you need to hire a PHP development company. They have the right to provide top performance and favorable outcomes for your organization. Although picking the best can be a difficult task. Particularly those coming from a non-technical background, the hiring process for PHP is complicated by the fact that several key factors play a role. For your web development project to succeed, you need to know what makes a good PHP developer before you can go about finding one to hire.

Steps To Look For In A PHP Development Company

Step 1: Check if the PHP development company works on these essential and popular PHP technologies:

Because of its versatility, PHP has survived in this thriving industry. New PHP technologies’ enhanced features guarantee their ongoing success. It would help if you only collaborated with the top PHP developers as a business owner. Utilize the PHP frameworks listed below to gauge their degree of experience. 

1. Laravel

The most popular open-source PHP framework is Laravel, initially published in 2011. Why? For the straightforward reason that it handles complex web applications much faster and more securely than other frameworks. Moreover, its syntax is visually beautiful, and its major focus is on the quality of life for programmers.

By simplifying basic tasks like routing, sessions, caching, and authentication, Laravel lowers programming complexity. It features the Blade PHP template engine and integrates effectively with React and Vue.js, among other front-end JavaScript frameworks. 

• Routing: Laravel offers a robust framework for routing that enables programmers to specify application paths with a simple and expressive vocabulary.
• Model-View-Controller (MVC) Architecture: Laravel adheres to the MVC architectural pattern, which makes it simple to structure code and distinguish between business logic and presentation.
• Blade Templating Engine: The Blade templating engine by Laravel offers a simple syntax for developing reusable templates and components, making it simple to construct a consistent and maintained UI throughout an application.
• Eloquent ORM: Eloquent ORM, a component of Laravel, offers a straightforward and user-friendly interface for interacting with databases, making it simple to use object-oriented syntax.
• Artisan CLI: The command-line interface for Laravel’s Artisan framework offers several tools for automating routine development operations, including creating code, carrying out database migrations, and running tests.
• Authentication: User authentication and authorization are simple to add to an application, thanks to Laravel’s integrated authentication mechanism.
• Middleware: The middleware system in Laravel offers a versatile means to filter and alter HTTP requests before they reach an application’s routes, making it simple to add functions like rate restriction, authentication, and more.
• Security: CSRF protection, secure password hashing, and encryption are just a few of the security features that Laravel offers, making it simple to create secure online apps.
• Testing: Laravel has built-in testing capabilities, making creating and executing automated tests for an application simple. 

 

2. CodeIgniter

With a file size of about 2 MB, CodeIgniter is a small PHP framework for building dynamic websites (including documentation).

It offers a lot of pre-made modules that can make high-quality, reusable parts quickly.

• Model-View-Controller (MVC) Architecture: CodeIgniter adheres to the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern, which makes it simple to distinguish between business logic and presentation and to keep the code logically arranged and manageable.
• Lightweight and Fast: Lightweight and Quick: CodeIgniter is a great option for creating small to medium-sized web apps since it is both lightweight and quick.
• Support for many databases: CodeIgniter has support for several databases, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, and Microsoft SQL Server.
• Error Handling: CodeIgniter provides an effective error-handling mechanism that enables developers to identify and address faults and exceptions in their code.
• Filtration: Input filtering, XSS filtering, CSRF protection, and encryption are just a few of the security capabilities that CodeIgniter offers to assist developers to create safe online apps.
• Form Validation: Form validation is a simple way to validate user input and stop typical security problems like SQL injection and XSS attacks. CodeIgniter offers a built-in form validation module.
• Template Engine: CodeIgniter provides a template engine called “Blade” that makes constructing reusable templates and components easy.
• Libraries and Helpers: CodeIgniter offers a variety of libraries and helpers, such as email, file upload, session management, and more, to assist developers in creating online applications more quickly and effectively.
• Routing: CodeIgniter’s adaptable routing mechanism lets programmers create unique URLs and quickly map them to controller actions. 

3. Symfony

The Symfony framework has been around since 2005, making it the oldest framework on this list. It is a stable and well-tested option. Regarding PHP MVC frameworks, Symfony is the only one known to adhere to PHP and web standards strictly. 

•     MVC Architecture: Symfony follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern, making organizing code and separating business logic from presentation easy.
•     Dependency Injection: Symfony’s built-in dependency injection container makes managing dependencies and building modular applications quickly.
•     Doctrine ORM: Symfony comes with the Doctrine Object Relational Mapper (ORM), which provides a simple and intuitive interface for working with databases and allows developers to write queries using object-oriented syntax.
•     Security: Symfony provides a range of security features, including authentication, authorization, and CSRF protection, to help developers build secure web applications.
•     Translation: Symfony provides a powerful translation component that makes it easy to build multilingual applications.
•     Console: Symfony provides a command-line interface (CLI) called Console, which offers a range of tools for automating common development tasks.
•     Testing: Symfony provides built-in support for testing, making it easy to write and run automated tests for an application.
•     Bundles: Symfony uses a modular architecture called Bundles, which allows developers to reuse and share code across multiple applications.

4. CakePHP

Building visually stunning, feature-rich websites and applications is a breeze with CakePHP. It is a CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) framework makes it even more accessible to beginners. Since its release in the early 2000s, it has improved speed and gained many new features.

•     Code Generation: CakePHP provides a built-in code generation tool called “Bake”allowing quickly generation of code for models, controllers, and views based on your database schema.
•     ORM: CakePHP’s built-in Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) system makes it easy to work with databases and allows developers to write queries using object-oriented syntax.
•     Flexible Routing: CakePHP provides a flexible routing system that allows developers to define custom URLs and easily map them to controller actions.
•     Data Validation: CakePHP has a built-in data validation system that makes it easy to validate user input and prevent common security issues like SQL injection and XSS attacks.
•     Security: CakePHP provides a range of security features, including CSRF protection, input validation, and encryption, to help developers build secure web applications.
•     Flexible Caching: CakePHP provides a flexible caching system that allows developers to cache data at various levels of the application to improve performance.

5. Yii

The “Yes, it is!” acronym for “Yes, it is!” stands for the simple and flexible Yii framework. It is a PHP framework for building cutting-edge web applications renowned for its quick execution and modular structure. Although Yii may be used for any PHP project, it excels at producing large-scale web applications quickly.

• Code Generation: Based on your database design, Yii has a robust command-line tool called “Gii” that makes it simple to generate code for models, controllers, and views quickly.
• ORM: Yii has an integrated ORM system called “Active Record” that enables developers to interface with databases using an object-oriented syntax.
• Database Migration: Yii has a built-in database migration mechanism that makes handling version-controlled database schema changes simple.
• Security: To assist developers in creating secure web applications, Yii offers several security features, such as input validation, data filtering, and encryption.
• Caching: To enhance performance, Yii has a customizable caching mechanism that enables developers to cache data at various application levels.
• Restful API: RESTful API support is built into Yii, making constructing RESTful APIs for web and mobile apps simple.
• Form Builder: Yii has a built-in form builder that makes it simple to create and validate complicated forms with little to no coding.
• Widget: Yii has a built-in widget system that enables programmers to create reusable user interface elements and modify them as necessary.
• Extensions: The active and vast Yii community has produced a variety of extensions that may be quickly and easily added to the framework to add new features. 

6. Phalcon

Originally developed in C and C++ and released in 2012, Phalcon is a full-stack PHP framework that uses the MVC web architecture design pattern. The fact that it is distributed as a C-extension means that you can take advantage of the same low-level performance optimization found in native applications without learning C. 

• High performance: Falcon is designed to be fast and efficient, allowing developers to build high-performance REST APIs with minimal overhead.
• Built-in middleware support: Falcon provides built-in support for middleware, making it easy to add functionality such as authentication, logging, and caching to your API.
• Data serialization: Falcon provides built-in support for serializing data into JSON, XML, and other formats, making it easy to build APIs that various clients can consume.
• Testability: Falcon is designed to be highly testable, with built-in support for unit testing and integration testing.
• Composer support: Falcon is available as a Composer package, making installing and managing dependencies easy.
• Open-source: Falcon is an open-source project released under the MIT license, so developers can use and modify the framework as needed.

Step 2: Check if the Top PHP Developers are offering these Services

Each PHP programmer can create a website. Is there anyone you can count on? Without a doubt, not! It would help if you looked for the best PHP development firm that provides numerous PHP web development options. This section will shed light on a few of them:

• PHP-Based CMS Development

This includes some of the most well-known CMS, such as Drupal, Joomla, and WordPress. Content management systems facilitate centralized content creation, distribution, and modification management. All routine upkeep tasks can be performed using the same user interface with minimal effort.

Building e-commerce, blog, and news aggregation websites has increased demand for PHP-based content management system development services. Choose a PHP web development company with prior experience developing PHP-based content management systems if you’re interested in this service.

• Custom PHP Web Development

To stand out, your company needs a custom PHP web development strategy highlighting your unique selling proposition. Your web app, no doubt, will benefit from some specialized functions. Thus, choose a PHP web development firm willing to accommodate your specific requirements through tailor-made programming. 

The PHP developers you hire must fully grasp your specific needs and financial constraints. Assist them in understanding the functionality you need from your website and give them the freedom to implement your specifications.

• PHP Ecommerce Development

According to Statista’s projections, global e-commerce retail sales will total $4,927 billion by 2023. Many companies see potential in the booming industry. In light of this, if you’re considering opening an online shop, PHP may be the best option because it guarantees a quick loading time, smooth scrolling, and top-notch memory management.

• Corporate Website Development

Establishing a website for a corporation requires a different approach than creating a personal blog. Before taking on a new project, you need a lot of practical experience. Websites for corporations must be tailored precisely to the needs of the company. In addition, when looking to hire web developers, make sure they prioritize a secure website as a means of protecting sensitive company information. 

If you hire a company for this, ensure they have experience with corporate website development in PHP and that their developers are competent enough to provide top-notch security.

• Portal Web Development

You should aim for a platform that can handle heavy traffic if you have a web portal built. The portal is a specialized library that collects and organizes data from various resources. 

PHP is a suitable language for building such a portal. Setting up a portal is difficult, so you should get professional help. Be sure the web development company has worked with PHP before if you want a user-friendly portal.

• Support and Maintenance

Without regular care and upkeep, nothing will function properly. PHP websites need care and maintenance to function properly over time like humans, which is explicitly stated in the PHP web development manual. 

You can’t afford to hire a PHP development company that hasn’t dealt with providing PHP support and maintenance services before. If you hire a maintenance company, ensure their services guarantee your site runs smoothly.

• PHP Web Marketing

Imagine someone who makes chocolates every day but has no one to share them with. A website that needs to be promoted is in a similar position. You can have a fantastic PHP website, but if you don’t have a solid plan for promoting it, it may never be seen by its intended audience. 

Thus, it is essential to verify whether or not the company you are considering has the resources to expand the scope of its PHP web development offerings. Do they plan to supply PHP web marketing? You should hire them only if they have a well-thought-out plan for promoting your PHP site.

Step 3: Make sure the PHP development company offers the following features

Follow the first two steps to narrow your search for a PHP website development company that meets your needs. Following these instructions, you can locate the firms that provide top-tier PHP web development services. The following are the aspects that need your attention:

•     Agile Development

Agile Development, also known as the client and cross-functional team collaboration, is the modern approach to PHP web development. Incredibly useful for both the client and the developers. 

Employing PHP developers from a business that operates using agile methods will allow you to give them timely and frequent feedback on their progress. In addition, you will have a constant channel of communication open to exchange ideas throughout every phase of the PHP development cycle. This ensures the safety and better results after PHP development services are carried out without a hitch.

•     High Security

Businesses can only succeed in today’s market if they protect their customers’ personal information, and a website development project is complete if it meets the highest standards of Security. It would help if you keep your company’s intellectual property and data security as a business owner. 

Any information passed back and forth between your team, and the development company is likely to be protected. You need them to guarantee that every developer, tester, and professional involved in your project will maintain the confidentiality of your data.

•     Supreme Quality

By perusing their work samples, you can get an idea of the level of quality that the best PHP developers can provide. Furthermore, you can view the development process they use. No other method exists to guarantee efficiency. If they adhere to a strict quality checking process, you can rest assured that the PHP development you receive will be of the highest possible standard.

•     Rigorous PHP Testing

Before a website is ready for launch, it must undergo extensive testing, an essential part of the PHP development process. If you want to give your users a web app that is free of bugs, you must put it through extensive testing. Every possible technical detail will be checked twice before the big release, which safeguards your PHP web app after it has been released.

•     Technical Proficiency

What if the company you hire to do the PHP web development for you isn’t up-to-date on the latest PHP technologies? The firm you choose must use cutting-edge features in its custom PHP development. Hire developers from such a PHP development firm, and you can rest assured they are well-versed in the frameworks above and have worked with all the relevant programming technologies.

Step 4: Take a sneak peek at the BACKGROUND of the Best PHP development company

The most important criteria for evaluating a potential PHP development company are included in this section. From these elements, you can learn a lot about a company’s history and foundation.

•     Experience in Your Niche

There is no shortage of firms offering website development in PHP, but not all will have experience in your specific field of expertise. Both their portfolio and asking them directly will reveal this information. However, here’s the catch: even if you find a company excellent in every way, it may not have any experience in your particular field of expertise. These PHP development company websites are worth a shot, but only if you can verify they have substantial experience with PHP development across various industries. 

•     Have a Look at their Portfolio and Website

Whether it’s an individual or a business, nobody knows more about them than they do. Before hiring them for PHP web development, you should check out the PHP development company’s website and previous work, and it will reveal much about their company’s ethics, strategy, and professionalism. 

Everything you find on their website can be trusted because it contains only genuine details about them. The most trustworthy source for any information is the closest to the action, and you should learn as much as possible from this source.

•     Scrutinize the Market Reputation

Could you think of a time when you hired someone without first investigating their past? Those who have worked with the most reputable PHP developers in the past will always have something interesting to say. An endorsement of trustworthiness and superior quality is the retention of existing customers. 

In addition, ratings and reviews on search engines provide a window into the market’s general perception of a company’s standing. This is where you can learn about the team’s strengths and weaknesses.

Step 5: Ask these five questions to the team of the PHP development company

The problem arises if the student keeps the issue from the instructor. It’s a lesson we learn early on: talking things out makes everyone happier. The same holds for this PHP web development company guide. As a potential customer, you should ask the following five questions of the best PHP development firms, and here is what you can anticipate from their responses. 

• Have you upgraded to the latest and greatest toolkit for PHP development?

PHP is undergoing frequent upgrades. Our team uses a modern set of tools when providing PHP web development services. Our highly skilled PHP developers have years of experience working with modern frameworks and databases such as PHP 7, MySQL, CSS, HTML5, MongoDB, jQuery, and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

• Do you guarantee a mobile-friendly PHP design? 

Ideally, we would design a website that would work well on all devices. Every one of our users will have a fantastic time, thanks to the efforts of our developers. Your PHP site will look great and function correctly on any screen size.

• Which method do you use when creating websites with PHP? 

Your business needs are our top priority, so we put in our best effort to understand them. Our projects are special to us in their way, and you can weigh in at every turn as part of our iterative and collaborative “agile” methodology. Our staff will work to ensure that our PHP development solution is perfectly matched to your needs. 

• Can I choose the look and feel of my PHP site? 

The best solution is for us to create several designs for your PHP web app based on your business’s needs and goals. You can choose one of these layouts or offer feedback on improving the others. 

• How do I coordinate with your top PHP programmers? 

You will have direct access to our PHP web developers from start to finish. Skype and email, among others, can be used for communication.

Step 6: Review your final choice of PHP web development company under these three parameters

•     Size of Team

A PHP web development firm’s size is irrelevant to its competence. Nonetheless, it is indicative of their credibility and credibility standards. With 100 or more active developers on staff, you can rest assured that they are a competent team.

This implies that some programmers may have experience with your field of work. If the group is big enough, many perspectives and experiences will be drawn. One can infer a lot about the quality of the PHP website development company based on its size alone.

•     Communication

You should evaluate the PHP website development company’s developers’ ability to communicate with you and your team to ensure clear understanding and language barriers. 

Verify that they have grasped your requirements and expectations. If you want to have an agile development process, you need to be able to talk easily with your team. By coordinating in real-time, we can guarantee that our app builds will go off without a hitch.

•     Passion and Enthusiasm

Building software is a challenging endeavor that calls for enthusiasm and commitment. With them, it’s possible to achieve something remarkable. The eagerness of developers to work on your PHP web development project is more important than their skills or experience. Ensure the custom PHP development company you’re hiring is genuinely interested in your project before hiring them. This is the only guarantee of a new result. 

Conclusion

If you’ve followed the six steps outlined above, you should now realize that PHP development is a process that requires constant adaptation to changing conditions. Choosing a PHP development company that can keep up with the language’s flexibility is essential. 

Members of the PHP development team should be seasoned pros with in-depth familiarity with all relevant technologies and the most recent PHP frameworks. You aren’t hiring a PHP web development firm to have a website built quickly. 

You aim to use cutting-edge web technologies that will set your website apart from the rest. This is why working with enthusiastic PHP developers who can meet your needs from start to finish is so important.

FAQs

How can I pick the ideal PHP development company for my project?

When selecting a PHP development company, it’s essential to consider aspects like their level of customer support, pricing and payment methods, communication and project management procedures, experience and expertise in PHP development, and past project portfolio.

What are common PHP frameworks employed by PHP development company?

Laravel, CodeIgniter, Symfony, Yii, and CakePHP are some popular PHP frameworks utilized by PHP development businesses.

How much do PHP development services cost?

Several factors, like the project’s complexity, the job scope, the amount of experience required, and others, affect the price of PHP development services. To better understand the costs involved, reviewing your project’s requirements and budget with the PHP development business is crucial.

What advantages come from hiring a PHP development company?

Partnering with a PHP development business can give you access to a team of professional PHP developers who can bring your web development project to life. They can provide access to the newest tools and technologies, PHP programming knowledge, and a committed team to guarantee that your project is finished on schedule and to your satisfaction.