PHP Developers: Striking Hard and Soft Skills

Build the website? It seems relatively general with the role of PHP developer. Utilizing PHP, the developer writes server-side web application logic, which develops back-end components, integrates the application to third-party systems, and supports front-end developers. Furthermore, to upgrade the website’s user experience, the PHP backend developer also plays a vital role in developing several plugins with extension functions. 

To ensure the application’s stability and performance, a PHP developer must be in-depth about PHP and unlock the optimal efficiency. Coding for server-side applications, PHP software developer or web developer specializing in using PHP and talented skills to create web applications. Here are several hard skills that a PHP developer must have: 

PHP frameworks

PHP framework, also called platform, is built on the open-source language PHP and add-on features to improve your software development process. Based on a proven framework, our PHP developers can help you speed up and improve performance as well as decrease workload time. There are several PHP frameworks that PHP developers usually use, like Laravel, Symfony, CodeIgniter, etc..… Of course, suppose the PHP developers have in-depth knowledge of frameworks and experience. In that case, they will assist you in enhancing productivity and coding accuracy, eliminating time for creating an application or fixing bugs. 

HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

As we know, web development languages like HTML, CSS, and Javascript are not strange to create web pages. It is excellent if your PHP developer has knowledge of the coding languages. The combination of these languages and knowledge of PHP can help you build a dynamic web application with optimal functions, from a responsive website to an engaging user experience. 

Database languages

PHP developers use the PHP GTK library with an extensive database store to deal with large, heavy applications. A good PHP developer will create, update and maintain databases on the Internet to help you perform these tasks conveniently. Commonly, the developers can use many database management systems like MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, etc…

Content management systems (CMS)

Whether you want to create or maintain tailored applications, a good PHP developer can assist you in accelerating your content management. Although developing responsive plug-ins or customizing the website is relatively complex, the PHP developer who utilizes the best practices and innovative technologies to help you work on CMS fluently has years of experience. 

Besides the hard skills that PHP developers must have, you should evaluate several soft skills of PHP developers like communication, collaboration, time management, problem-solving, etc…. To implement the PHP project successfully, PHP application developers require converged full elements not only strong in knowledge but also personal attributes. Let’s browse several soft skills of PHP developers:  

Fluent Communication

Possibly, a foreign language is a basic requirement for dedicated PHP developers because they need to work with collaborators and colleagues. For example, all AHT Tech PHP developers are qualified with foreign language skills ( English is needed) to deliver high-quality developers for partners. It is a fact that, unlike sales, BA, or PM, which require good English and another foreign language, most PHP developers just ensure that they speak or write legibly in emails or chat messages with their colleagues. As a result, they can avoid miscommunication to implement all tasks adapted to requirements.  

Project management

If you hire PHP developers from agencies, they can provide you with a team, including PM (project management), to manage project progress. On the contrary, you need to evaluate project management skills if you hire freelancers. We show some specific skills in project management below: 

• Leadership: Absolutely, leadership skill is essential for PM skills because they need to track and manage other team members and progress during a project, including tasks, time, assignment, etc.… 
• Risk management: With practical years of experience, PHP developers are able to guess the risks or unexpected cases to analyze and manage. Furthermore, they can utilize several innovative tools to streamline the tasks and log the bugs to avoid working repeatedly, making it take time and cost. 
• Quality management: A good PHP developer not only oversees the quality of your own work but also evaluates the quality of a project overall. It is better if you have a specific PM with a solid foundation and high expertise. However, don’t worry that PHP developers can’t be good at quality management; they must work and self-manage to ensure the work exceeds expectations. 
• Time management: Actually, PHP developers can work on multi-tasks or multi-projects, from creating a new web to updating existing websites. Therefore, time management becomes essential for adapting time delivery and staying focused at work.

Effective Collaboration

Good language and a fitted culture are known as a bridge to engage effective collaboration for PHP developers. In web projects, PHP developers must constantly work with other web development professionals to write accurate code for timely delivery. Furthermore, collaboration skill is vital in managing time and achieving the project’s success.

Problem-solving

After years of experience in IT, we affirm that PHP developers who handle better web projects have critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Actually, it is not true that web app projects could be more convenient and smoother, so with seasoned experience and sharp, PHP developers can be confident in troubleshooting code errors and ensuring a website or app meets business demands. Furthermore, by combining various essential hard and soft skills, a good PHP developer is ready to predict problems and find solutions for them. 

Related Articles: 

How to hire dedicated PHP developers to get successful projects

PHP framework: Top 15 powerful ones for your web development (2020)

PHP is divided into primary and advanced concepts like any programming language. When interviewing a PHP developer, you should access hard skills ( PHP knowledge, design patterns, practical cases, etc…) and soft skills. Below are several questions you can use to ask PHP developers: 

• Is PHP a case-sensitive language?
• How can PHP interact with HTML?
• How can you embed PHP code in an HTML page?
• What is the use of the function’ imagetypes()’?
• What is needed to be able to use the image function?

These are our sample questions, not just the ones that may be asked during your interview. Before interviewing, you must list several questions related to your projects to ask candidates to solve your case. It makes you evaluate “Are the PHP developers suitable for you?” or “ Are they the person you are looking for?”. Get the questions and answers above, and check out more top PHP interview questions and answers here.