Since it first appeared in the mid-1990s, PHP has gained popularity among developers as a server-side programming language. Nowadays, you might read headlines predicting its doom, but the data suggests this might be premature. PHP is utilized by 78.9% of all websites, including well-known ones like Facebook, Zoom, and Wikipedia, according to w3tech.com. Furthermore, the most recent PHP version (7.4) was released in November 2019 – hardly a hint that the language is in decline.

Therefore, even though Python and other rapidly expanding languages may be overshadowing it, there will likely still be a high demand for PHP developers in the near future. There are 5.7 million PHP developers, according to the recent Slashdata report, which is a problem.

Now, it goes without saying that you must first grasp the fundamentals of PHP in order to be a good PHP developer. This entails having a firm grasp of the PHP language and its processes, but after you have achieved that, you can boost your worth by becoming familiar with a variety of PHP apps and frameworks (such as Lavarel, Zend, and Symfony). As even experienced PHP developers might not be as proficient with the most recent technology, it’s also critical to stay up to date on upgrades and features. Due to a lack of resources, smaller firms and organizations frequently look for developers with a broad range of skills. As a result, it’s always a good idea; even though you might desire to be an expert t some advanced PHP chores

In light of this, the following information can help you as a PHP developer stand out from the competition:

What is a PHP Developer?

Business owners now view PHP developers differently than they did in the past. Due to comparable and more modern frameworks that offer nearly identical functionalities, the job is undervalued. However, 79.2% of all the websites whose server-side programming language we are aware of utilizing PHP, according to V3 Tech Data.

A talented programmer that creates websites, programmes, and apps using DSL (dynamic script language) PHP is known as a PHP developer. PHP developers are sometimes referred to as web developers or programmers due to the wide range of new technologies that are similar to it. However, PHP developers are skilled in a variety of areas, not just their framework.

What are the duties of a PHP developer?

PHP developers are given a sizable amount of duties to complete, most of which are dependent on the current project they are working on. The same obligations do, however, apply to everyone. Some of them are;

·        From designing to deploying an application

·        Identifying and correcting HTML and CSS compatibility issues across various platforms and browsers.

·        Testing many devices

·        Make a maintenance schedule and give information about the upcoming performance

·        Specifications for digital products in great detail (website, app, software)

·        Adapt your tech skills regularly to new developments and market trends.

Although everything appears to be quite clear-cut and straightforward, the complexity of their duties resides in the small print. With these duties, there are certain essential skills that one PHP developer should have. Let’s move ahead and learn those skills in detail.

Top Skills A PHP developer should have

Understanding of additional programming languages

To succeed as a PHP developer in a cutthroat employment market, you will need more than just a working knowledge of PHP code. TO identify and fix any mistakes in the site design, a strong command of front-end programming languages like JavaScript, CSS, and HTML is required. Knowing these languages well will also enable you to comprehend how they impact user experience (UX), which is the aim of the majority of programming projects. Additionally, it’s crucial to be familiar with databases (mainly MySQL but also common alternatives such as PostgreSQL and Oracle). The bottom line is that one key method to becoming a productive member of any development team is to build and maintain a broad range of technical skills.

Learn PHP design patterns and best practices.

All forms of software development, including PHP, benefit from design patterns. They can hasten development by providing reusable answers to frequent issues. As other developers will be able to recognize the patterns being utilized, they also help to improve code readability. There are many other design patterns to learn, but some of the most popular ones in PHP applications are Factory, Strategy, and Singleton. More broadly, you can save time by being familiar with the best practices for using several PHP frameworks. Take advantage of the language's long history and large user base to prevent repeating the mistakes made by those who came before you.

Familiarity with Composer, PSR, and PHP Unit

These are a few tools that will improve your PHP development skills. Your libraries, classes, and functions will be taken care of by Composer, dependency management that makes it simple to install various iterations of each for each project. These libraries, also known as "packages", will be checked for new updates by Composer, which will then update them as necessary. A list of pre-made Composer-compatible packages is also available here. A PHP specification called the PHP Standard Recommendation (PSR) aims to standardize PHP programming principles and enhance the compatibility of PHP components and frameworks. There are now 13 recognized standards, each with its unique purpose, released by the PHP Framework Interoperability Group (PHP-FIG).

Problem Solving

It’s good to learn the ‘Hard’ technical skills to become a high-level PHP developer in the UK. However, you need to learn soft skills also. One of these is problem-solving, which is crucial in the web development process. As a PHP developer, you know the problem or issue can occur at any point in time, how you are going to solve it is the major role that you will play in a development project. Also, critical thinking is a must, after analyzing and evaluating the problem, it is necessary to think in different ways to solve one problem.

Good Communication

You can be a genius behind the screens, but if you do not know how to communicate with others, you could be struggling to talk to your team. When you are a developer, you just do not need to sit behind the computer screen and work, you need to talk to your clients, colleagues, or even the boss to get clear with the project and your work within it. And remember, if you are good on the screen, you need to do calling, video calls, or in-person as well as through email and messaging. So, if you need to be a good PHP developer or get hire PHP developers in the UK, you need to gain this skill.

Adaptability

Finally, it’s good to be adjusting and learning new things. Through all programming languages, PHP is the one that always evolves, so the organization always are in search of PHP developers who are well updated with the latest language. Even if you think you are the best, there are a lot of things that you need to learn and adapt from others.

 

Conclusion

These are the skills that a PHP developer should have in 2022. They need to be updated and flexible while coding and handling a project. If these skills are within you, no one can stop you from becoming a high-level PHP developer in the UK.