Choosing a PHP Development Company or PHP Developers to Work With
To write and implement PHP in your website, you will need to hire a PHP development company or freelance PHP programmers. This article shares some valuable tips to help you choose the right freelance PHP programmer.
What Do PHP Developers Do?
Now that you have an idea about what PHP is, it's time to take a look at what PHP programmers do. A developer of PHP can either work freelance or for a development company. Firms that specialize in web development and web design will typically have PHP programmers as part of their staff as well. Aside from writing the PHP code itself, a developer will also be responsible for testing the code and handling any troubleshooting work that may be required.
How Do You Hire PHP Developers?
Whether you decide to work with a PHP development company or you prefer to hire freelance developers instead, there are certain steps that you should take in order to ensure that you are choosing the right contractor. After all, your website is important to your business or organization so it's only right that you try and find someone who can professionally manage it in the best way possible. Here are some factors to keep in mind when choosing a development company or freelance developers.
€ Decide between hiring freelance PHP developers and working with a PHP development company.
Obviously, the first thing you need to do would be to decide between hiring a freelance contractor or a PHP development company. Each option can have its own benefits and downsides, and the decision ultimately depends on your own unique needs. For instance, hiring a freelance contractor is generally cheaper than going with a development company. So if you're working with a budget then this could be the right choice for you. However, the best freelance PHP programmers usually work with numerous clients so don't expect your site to be completed in the shortest time possible.
A development company, on the other hand, will be much more able to deliver results in a shorter period of time since there is a staff of developers working on the project. However, hiring a company to write and implement your PHP code for you can set you back a higher cost. One of the benefits of working with development companies is the fact that they may be able to offer you a wider range of services that go beyond development of PHP. These services may include content and graphic design.
€ Choose a company or contractor that has at least three years of experience.
Experience is another significant factor to consider when choosing a PHP development company or contractor. PHP takes time to learn and you don't want to hire someone who has just finished getting hang of this complex scripting language. Having said that, there are still some developers that are able to do an excellent job even with less than three years of experience. The best way to gauge the developer's abilities is to take at look at his portfolio or the websites that he has developed in the past. If the sites are similar to what you want for yourself then you may consider working with that developer.
€ Seek testimonies from past clients.
If you have the time to do so, then you should definitely try and seek testimonies from former clients of the developer or company. Ask the clients if they were satisfied with the service they receive, if they got good value for their money and if they receive continuing support from the PHP developers.
€ Choose a company or contractor that can integrate e-commerce features on your site.
This is extremely important if you are also using your website as an online store. Your site should have a shopping cart, possibly a forum where customers can discuss and review your products and of course, secured methods that can let customers send payment.
€ Consider customer support.
A good PHP development company should not only be able to serve you well at the time of building your website, but should also be available for support after the project has been completed. In case you need any updates, extra features or troubleshooting help, your PHP programmer should be able to help you by phone, chat or email. A good PHP developer should also be able to explain technical matters to you in a manner that you can easily understand.
What Do PHP Developers Do?
Now that you have an idea about what PHP is, it's time to take a look at what PHP programmers do. A developer of PHP can either work freelance or for a development company. Firms that specialize in web development and web design will typically have PHP programmers as part of their staff as well. Aside from writing the PHP code itself, a developer will also be responsible for testing the code and handling any troubleshooting work that may be required.
How Do You Hire PHP Developers?
Whether you decide to work with a PHP development company or you prefer to hire freelance developers instead, there are certain steps that you should take in order to ensure that you are choosing the right contractor. After all, your website is important to your business or organization so it's only right that you try and find someone who can professionally manage it in the best way possible. Here are some factors to keep in mind when choosing a development company or freelance developers.
€ Decide between hiring freelance PHP developers and working with a PHP development company.
Obviously, the first thing you need to do would be to decide between hiring a freelance contractor or a PHP development company. Each option can have its own benefits and downsides, and the decision ultimately depends on your own unique needs. For instance, hiring a freelance contractor is generally cheaper than going with a development company. So if you're working with a budget then this could be the right choice for you. However, the best freelance PHP programmers usually work with numerous clients so don't expect your site to be completed in the shortest time possible.
A development company, on the other hand, will be much more able to deliver results in a shorter period of time since there is a staff of developers working on the project. However, hiring a company to write and implement your PHP code for you can set you back a higher cost. One of the benefits of working with development companies is the fact that they may be able to offer you a wider range of services that go beyond development of PHP. These services may include content and graphic design.
€ Choose a company or contractor that has at least three years of experience.
Experience is another significant factor to consider when choosing a PHP development company or contractor. PHP takes time to learn and you don't want to hire someone who has just finished getting hang of this complex scripting language. Having said that, there are still some developers that are able to do an excellent job even with less than three years of experience. The best way to gauge the developer's abilities is to take at look at his portfolio or the websites that he has developed in the past. If the sites are similar to what you want for yourself then you may consider working with that developer.
€ Seek testimonies from past clients.
If you have the time to do so, then you should definitely try and seek testimonies from former clients of the developer or company. Ask the clients if they were satisfied with the service they receive, if they got good value for their money and if they receive continuing support from the PHP developers.
€ Choose a company or contractor that can integrate e-commerce features on your site.
This is extremely important if you are also using your website as an online store. Your site should have a shopping cart, possibly a forum where customers can discuss and review your products and of course, secured methods that can let customers send payment.
€ Consider customer support.
A good PHP development company should not only be able to serve you well at the time of building your website, but should also be available for support after the project has been completed. In case you need any updates, extra features or troubleshooting help, your PHP programmer should be able to help you by phone, chat or email. A good PHP developer should also be able to explain technical matters to you in a manner that you can easily understand.
Source...