PHP developers are responsible for developing the web app logic on the back-end components. These professionals are skilled in integrating or developing plugins for frameworks, connecting apps with third-party web services, and integrating the work of the front-end developers with the apps.
Today, we will take a brief look at PHP, how to become a PHP developer, and the full scope and career opportunities for them. Keep reading to find out!
Job Description
What is a PHP Developer?
PHP developers are professionals who develop programs, websites, and applications utilizing the dynamic scripting language called PHP.
PHP developers sometimes are referred to by more generic titles, such as “web developer” or “software developer.” However, these developers are a specialized subset of the developer position.
Roles and Responsibilities
PHP developers are quite busy because of the many tasks they have to deal with. These include, though are certainly not limited to:
- Creating, testing, and deploying new, innovative website apps efficiently and quickly. They also work with other developers to meet data acquisition requirements.
- Identifying and fixing compatibility issues involving HTML, CSS, and scripting, often between a series of different browsers and platforms.
- Testing websites on all browsers (notebook, tablet, or mobile) and addressing problems determined by customer feedback.
- Researching and exploring many architectural considerations relating to the system design process, including the website’s performance, web usability, database design, and more.
- Exploring and assessing different alternatives for implementing new app features.
- Communicating with and working alongside other development teams and company management to solve conflicts, establish priorities, pick the best solutions, and develop criteria for new content.
- Developing plans for keeping the web updated at all times, recommending improvements for performance, creating and fine-tuning style guidelines for the web’s content, and choosing the most effective design tools, applications, and programming languages.
- Providing detailed descriptions of web specifications such as budget, product features, communication protocols, programming languages, structure, functionalities, and deadlines.
- Keeping up with the latest web technologies and programming practices via reading, continuing education opportunities, and participating in relevant professional groups, conferences, and workshops.
Those responsibilities may vary from organization to organization, depending on factors like staff size. Small companies may hire PHP developers to handle all things related to programming, while larger organizations may have a full programming/IT department.
Education Requirements
A bachelor’s degree in some subjects like computer science or software engineering can deliver you a decent background to become a PHP developer.
A course can teach you essential programming languages, and some college degree programs let you focus on a specific computer programming area to prepare you for your career.
Essential Skills
Here are some skills you can use in your PHP development career:
Critical thinking.
These skills will help you in the following web development areas:
- Web app planning and design.
- Debugging code.
- Adaptability.
Problem-solving.
As a PHP developer, you can use these skills to handle code errors and make sure an app or website remains in working order. These skills also let you work with others to finish a web development project and find solutions for issues throughout a project.
Time management.
You can work on many projects, including writing new code and updating existing code for sites. These skills can help you stay focused at work and meet the project’s deadlines.
Organization.
Deadlines are common in web development careers. So organization skills can help you make accurate code for timely delivery. These skills can also enable you to manage your time successfully.
Collaboration.
Many projects for these professionals involve a team of other professionals. Working within a team can also help you contribute to projects effectively.
Business acumen.
Basic knowledge of finances and business processes will help you work as a prospective independent PHP development contractor. Also, it can allow you to write a more compelling cover letter because you can describe how your skills will help an organization accomplish its goals or troubleshoot a problem.
Project management.
Project management skills show employers that you can work independently to monitor and get the PHP tasks done. The following are some specific skills in project management:
- Quality management.
- Cost control.
- Risk management.
- Delegation.
- Leadership.
Communication.
These skills may be key to completing projects at work. These skills may help you provide information meaningfully via emails or chat with others.
Meanwhile, verbal communication will allow you to state your ideas with nonverbal cues and an appropriate tone.
Graphic design software.
As a PHP developer, you can use graphic design tools to make graphics for websites and apps. The ability to make every component of a web app can let you work independently as a freelancer or for a company.
CMS: Content management systems.
Experience working and knowledge of content management systems will help you make and maintain customized apps to streamline the content management processes of your company.
It is okay to use CMS knowledge to develop responsive plug-ins, and your work on CMS can also benefit others who use the system daily.
Web servers.
Knowledge of web servers can help PHP developers serve employers with a well-rounded approach to web development. It can also give you server-side PHP experience that will help you get a PHP developer job.
HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Getting a working knowledge of the languages used to create web pages like CSS, JavaScript, and HTML can help you gain a more in-depth knowledge of how coding languages work together on the web.
Those languages can also help you get experience in other web development areas that you can use to apply for a job.
Essential Tools
PHP Development Tools
The market is flooded with many PHP development tools to increase programming efficiency and enable PHP Developers to work on many feature-rich projects. Here are some popular PHP development tools that you might consider:
- Eclipse.
- Cloud9
- PhpStorm.
- NetBeans.
- Zend Studio.
- CodeLobster
- Sublime Text
- Aptana Studio
- PHP Debug Bar
- NuSphere PhpED.
Web Development Tools
Web Development tools are applications or software used by web developers to test, deploy, and debug applications. Here are some of the most used web development tools:
- Atom.
- Yarn
- Ember
- Svelte
- Vue.
- Vim.
- React.
- Angular.
- Django.
- Notepad++.
- Sublime Text.
- ASP.NET
- Meteor.
- Bootstrap.
- Semantic UI.
- Visual Code Studio.
Job Outlook
The demand for these professionals is humungous, all because of the mushrooming size of the internet. With more and more websites and web apps becoming popular, the increasing need for PHP developers that can ensure superior functionality is obvious.
PHP developers with five years of experience (or more) can apply for the role of an IT team lead or senior PHP developer. With the emergence of new organizations in the IT market, the opportunities for these professionals have grown significantly.
The BLS forecasts a 15% boost in web development positions, including PHP positions, by 2026. Many questions have arisen over whether this language is dying, but it is utilized by about 80% of the sites and has a big community of devoted adherents.
New programming languages may come and go, but the PHP language will be around, especially if it continues to evolve alongside the latest languages.
Salary
The annual salary for a PHP developer in the US is $88,323. It equates to $42.46 per hour, $1,698 per week, and $7,360 per month.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Pros
- PHP is versatile and can be utilized for various applications.
- The language is also easy to learn, making it a good option for beginners.
- Php can do everything you’ll probably ever need to do.
- Many jobs for developers using PHP.
Cons
- Finding a job may be more difficult than in other languages.
FAQs
Who Hire PHP Developers?
As a PHP developer, you can be hired by everyone, even big tech giants like Microsoft and Google to IT services providers like Infosys and TCS. Companies that require PHP developers usually belong to IT.
What Is PHP Used For?
This language is mostly used for developing the backend logic of websites and web apps. It is used for command-line scripting, software development, virtual reality, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). It also powers popular content management systems, including Drupal, WordPress, and Joomla.
How to Become Good at PHP?
The key is to practice. Whenever you learn something related to PHP, we recommend testing it by writing code and developing programs. That way, you’ll learn new concepts through practice. Furthermore, you should stay updated with the latest trends, such as the latest frameworks and newer PHP releases.
Are PHP Developers in Demand?
PHP is the popular scripting language for developing the backend for web apps and websites. More and more web apps and websites are entering the market every day. As a result, the demand for PHP developers is also increasing.
Is a PHP Developer a Web Developer?
Web developers expert who is responsible for developing web apps and websites. It could be backend, frontend, or full-stack development.
PHP is a scripting language for the backend, so PHP developers are typically responsible for developing backend logic, software, and apps using PHP.
How to Become a PHP Developer?
If you have decided to become a PHP dev, you need a spelled-out plan to succeed.
Step 1: Gain a Bachelor’s degree.
As a starter, you should have a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as software engineering, computer science, or programming.
Remember that this degree is optional. Sometimes, work experience in one of the above fields can be taken into consideration instead.
Step 2: Learn the PHP language.
Various PHP learning resources online and classes delivered by colleges, online learning institutes, and adult education programs are available.
Remember that there is not just a single PHP course; there are basic and advanced courses available.
Step 3: Put things you learned into practice.
The more you practice with PHP, the more comfortable you will become with it. Start small by making something in pure code, then start programming as you become more familiar with this language.
Step 4: Get a certificate.
Finally, as an aspiring PHP professional, you should get certified by taking a course and passing the certification exam. With certification, you can show your employer that you are well-versed in PHP programming.
Career Advice
As an aspiring PHP professional, you should consider gaining certification. It can be done by enrolling in a proper PHP course and cracking the certification exam.
The certification will help prove to future and prospective employers that you are well-versed in PHP programming. You can learn PHP from resources online, classes offered by colleges, education programs, or online learning institutes.
Thank you for your interest in the article!