How much does it cost to hire an offshore PHP developer?

PHP is an open-source scripting language that can be used for web development and embedded into HTML. The language was created in 1994 and has since been used in web development extensively.

The programming language is relatively simple and entry-level programmers can write their first running program within a few hours. It is often the first developers' server-side programming language to start coding.

PHP is powerful enough to run blogging sites such as WordPress, and social media networks as well.

PHP is mainly used for building web applications and websites. Since it is a general-purpose language, it can also be used to make several projects and graphical user interfaces (GUI).

The great thing about using PHP is that you are not limited to giving out HTML outputs, you can also use PDFs, Flash movies, XHTML, and XML texts as output. This enables developers to create immersive web programs.

PHP is free to use and works with almost every major operating system (Windows, Linux, Mac). It is also compatible with almost every online server used today and runs seamlessly with databases.

PHP has given rise to a number of frameworks used to develop websites and web applications. Here are some of the most popular PHP frameworks that developers use on a regular basis:

Laravel

Laravel aims to provide a foundation for building high-end web applications. It uses a number of other tools such as Ruby on Rails, CodeIgniter, and ASP.Net MVC. It also comes with application architecture to help reduce the time needed to develop applications from scratch.

Symfony

Symfony is a PHP framework that is used for building websites. It is one of the best options for web apps that need to be scalable. If you are projecting a big improvement in your web application in the future, then using Symfony will help in making the entire system much more flexible.

CakePHP

CakePHP is mainly used for quick and easy PHP development. Since the configuration process is very minimal, you don't have to mess around with XML or YAML files. You can begin coding right away with CakePHP's own inbuilt ORM.

Due to its low cost, efficiency, and maintainability, it is used by several top Fortune 500 companies such as Facebook, Tumblr, Wikipedia, and Yahoo.

PHP developer job has a list of requirements and responsibilities:

• Building websites and web applications with PHP frameworks.
• Coordinating with a team of developers to create effective solutions.
• Updating the software and ensuring that the user interface is working smoothly.
• Maintaining website functionality. As part of the maintenance process, PHP developers might have to analyze the code, point out and fix the shortcomings with it.

Depending on the qualification and the years of experience, a PHP developer can be classified into three categories.

Junior developers

Entry-level PHP developers are working on their first few projects with PHP. They usually work with their senior colleagues to gain experience. At the start of their coding career, they might not be fully aware of many other languages and operate only with basic coding tasks.

Middle developers

PHP developers with 2-4 years of experience are expected to lead the execution of the project. They are also supposed to pitch in ideas for the way the project should go. They also need to know some other languages and frameworks to use alongside PHP to build more efficient and flexible solutions.

Senior Developers

Senior PHP developers have much more responsibility for their projects. They are usually the project leaders or managers and have to set the foundation and direction for the development process. Being the head of the team, they have to guide their juniors and take responsibility for the core development.

The responsibilities of a PHP developer depend on their skill level and experience. However, all of them build websites and web applications, and maintain them depending on the project needs.

Depending on the projects, PHP developers can build websites and apps from scratch, maintain the existing web products, fix bugs, and work on implementing new features.

PHP developers are usually employed as front-end developers to work on the user interface while back-end developers in their team are responsible for the functionality of the app or website.

To work as PHP developers, programmers are usually required to have a bachelor's degree in computer science or any relevant field, or certifications to prove their qualification.

Apart from having a solid understanding of the language, PHP web development also requires a basic knowledge of other languages such as JavaScript, HTML5, Go, AJAX, MySQL, and jQuery.

PHP developers need to have solid knowledge and experience in computing architecture, algorithms, OOP, and web programming on a more fundamental level.

A full-stack PHP developer also knows APIs, AJAX, jQuery, JavaScript, CSS, and HTML to be able to work on both front-end and back-end development.

There are three types of PHP programmers depending on your needs and hiring models that work best for you.

Freelancers

Freelance developers often work alone through different freelance platforms and have multiple projects at the same time. They can be hired for different secondary tasks like adding some features to the existing projects. Freelances are not a good choice for core development and long-term projects – they are not deeply interested in the product, as they can change leave the project without notice. But it's a great option to quickly hire an additional developer for a short-term task.

In-house engineers

In-house software engineers are formal employees of the company, and they are usually interested in a project and take part in core product development. As it is not an easy and quick process to find and hire in-house developers, they are usually hired for long-term tasks to stay on the project throughout the entire process.

Outsourced developers

Outsourced developers are often offshored from different countries as it's a cost-effective solution to hiring quality tech talent for the long run. Businesses often outsource an entire dedicated team to work on the project or hire full-time contractors as additional help for their in-house development team.

Outsourced software developers work best for long-term projects as they are usually dedicated to that one role and are deeply interested in the project compared to freelancers. It's also a great solution for companies that face a challenge hiring in-house developers due to tech talent shortages in their location.

With the outsourcing model, businesses have access to worldwide tech talent.

Employers should let the engineer know about the project, their goals, and the responsibilities of the developer.

Clients should mention the industry of the project, clearly explain its scope, and what is planned to be done in the future. It's important to list the requirements for the developer and the tasks they expect the developer to solve. It would also be helpful to mention the team that is already working on the project, so the candidates can clearly understand their role in the development process.

While looking for a PHP developer, it is very important to ensure they will be able to meet the client's needs and cope with the required tasks. Here are some of the assessment questions you can ask to evaluate their tech skills during the interview.

• What are the main error types in PHP and how are they different from each other?
• How can we get the number of elements in an array?
• What is the difference between static and dynamic websites?
• Would you say PHP is a case-sensitive language?
• What are the characteristics of PHP variables?
• What is the difference between PHP4 and PHP5?

Employers can also offer the candidates to pass online coding tests to prove their expertise.