PHP powers 73.3% of all websites with a known server-side language. That figure includes WordPress, which alone accounts for 43.5% of the entire web, alongside every major CMS, countless eCommerce stores, and millions of bespoke web applications built on frameworks like Laravel and Symfony. PHP is not a language in decline. According to the JetBrains 2025 State of PHP report, nearly 1 in 5 backend developers use it, and PHP 8.x now runs on 89% of active PHP sites. When you hire PHP developers from KiwiCommerce, you get UK-based PHP specialists who build across Laravel, WordPress, Symfony, and custom PHP on current versions, to real standards, with code that holds up over time.
PHP covers a wider range of project types than almost any other server-side language. The businesses hiring our PHP web developers are just as varied, from eCommerce brands needing custom WooCommerce or Magento development, to SaaS businesses building on Laravel, to enterprises running legacy PHP systems that need modernising.
Get In TouchMagento 2, WooCommerce, and Shopify's backend integrations all sit on PHP stacks. Our PHP web developers build custom modules, extensions, integrations, and bespoke functionality for eCommerce stores that need to go beyond what out-of-the-box platform configurations can deliver.
When a hosted platform does not fit the requirement, a custom PHP application built on Laravel or Symfony is the right answer. Our dedicated PHP developers build from the right architecture, structure the code correctly, and produce applications that are genuinely maintainable after the first developer moves on.
PHP applications that have grown over many years, written without frameworks or on older versions, represent significant technical risk and development cost. Our senior PHP developers assess the existing setup, plan a migration path to modern PHP 8.x using a proper framework, and execute the upgrade in stages without requiring a complete rebuild.
You have a client work on a PHP stack and needs experienced developers to deliver it under your brand. We provide white-label PHP developers who attend your client calls, work in your tools, and produce all deliverables in your name. An NDA covers every engagement as standard.
PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) is an open-source, server-side scripting language first released in 1994 and now on version 8.4, with 8.5 in development. It runs on the server before a page is delivered to the browser, handling database queries, authentication logic, business rules, and everything that makes a web application actually work. The current version, PHP 8.4, brings significant performance improvements over PHP 7.x and includes features like named arguments, attributes, union types, read-only properties, and enums that make large PHP codebases considerably cleaner to write and maintain.
PHP is the language underneath WordPress, WooCommerce, Magento, Drupal, Joomla, and Laravel, all of which together account for a substantial portion of the web's total traffic. That ubiquity means PHP developers work across an unusually broad range of project types: content management, eCommerce, REST API development, SaaS applications, enterprise portals, and full-stack web application development.
Within PHP, framework choice matters. Laravel remains the most widely used PHP framework with 64% adoption among PHP developers. It provides the tools for building large, testable, maintainable applications. Symfony is more commonly found in enterprise and large-scale systems. WordPress handles the CMS and eCommerce (via WooCommerce) space. Our PHP development team works across all of these, and we assign the right framework to the project requirement rather than defaulting to one regardless of fit.
Our PHP and PHP Laravel developers build and maintain across:
Laravel web application development — Custom web applications built on Laravel with proper MVC architecture, Eloquent ORM, Blade or API-first frontends, authentication, queue jobs, and full test coverage.
Custom PHP web application development — Bespoke PHP applications where Laravel or Symfony provides the foundation, and the application logic is built to exact business requirements.
WordPress and WooCommerce development — Custom theme development, bespoke plugin builds, WooCommerce extensions, and performance work on WordPress and WooCommerce sites.
Magento and PHP eCommerce development — Custom Magento 2 modules, PHP integrations for eCommerce platforms, and bespoke PHP eCommerce backends that go beyond what platform configurations cover.
REST API development — PHP-built REST APIs using Laravel's resource routing and Sanctum/Passport authentication, or standalone PHP API development using Symfony components.
Legacy PHP application migration — Assessing older PHP codebases, identifying what to preserve and what to refactor, and migrating to PHP 8.x with a supported framework, in stages that do not require a full rebuild.
PHP performance optimisation — Profiling slow PHP applications, identifying bottlenecks in database queries, N+1 problems, caching gaps, and infrastructure configuration, and resolving them at the right layer.
PHP development team supply — Providing a full PHP development team for larger projects or client accounts, including frontend and backend PHP developers working to a shared standard.
Dedicated PHP developer retainers — Consistent, ongoing PHP development for applications that need a dedicated PHP developer who knows the codebase and maintains it rather than one-off project engagements.
Discuss Your Project2+ Experience Years
Writes clean PHP code for well-specified tasks under senior oversight. Understands OOP fundamentals, basic database work with MySQL, and the conventions of at least one PHP framework. Best suited for feature additions on existing applications where the architecture is already in place and the scope is clearly defined.
5+ Experience Years
Works independently on complete features from the database to the view layer. Comfortable with Laravel or Symfony, REST API development, query optimisation, Git, and testing. Writes code that other developers can maintain. Manages PHP projects of moderate complexity with appropriate judgement about when to build custom and when to use available tools.
7+ Experience Years
Architects PHP applications that remain maintainable at scale. Deep knowledge of at least one major PHP framework (Laravel or Symfony), performance profiling, database optimisation, caching, queue systems, and deployment pipelines. Makes the technical decisions that determine whether a PHP application stays well-structured three years after launch, or accumulates debt that eventually requires a rewrite.
5+ Experience Years
Combines strong PHP backend skills with frontend proficiency in JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and at least one modern frontend framework such as Vue.js or React. Builds complete web applications without the coordination overhead between separate frontend and backend teams. Well-suited for smaller teams, rapid builds, and applications where the interface and the logic are tightly coupled.
5+ Experience Years
A PHP developer assigned to your application consistently on a retainer basis rather than for a single defined project. Builds institutional knowledge of your codebase over time, making development faster and more accurate as the engagement continues. The dedicated model is most effective for applications with ongoing development needs where briefing a new developer for every task wastes time and introduces risk.
4+ Mixed levels
For larger PHP projects requiring multiple developers, backend, frontend, and a technical lead working as a coordinated team under a single point of contact. We assemble PHP development teams for build phases, replatforming projects, and client accounts that need more than one developer. Our white-label PHP developer teams operate fully under your brand for agency arrangements.
PHP 7.x is in decline, and PHP 8.x dominates active development for good reason modern PHP is faster, more expressive, and safer than older versions. Our PHP developers work on PHP 8.x as standard and write code that uses current language features: typed properties, match expressions, named arguments, and proper test coverage. Code written on outdated PHP patterns costs more to maintain over time.
Every developer on your PHP project is based in the UK. Communication happens during the working day. Questions get answered the same day. When a production PHP application develops an issue on a Tuesday morning, you reach someone who is at their desk and available to respond, not someone on the other side of the world, completing a different client's overnight queue.
KiwiCommerce's core business is eCommerce development. Our PHP developers bring both PHP expertise and real eCommerce platform knowledge: how Magento 2 is structured, how WooCommerce hooks and filters work, how payment gateway integrations should be built, and what good PHP looks like in an eCommerce context. That combination produces better outcomes than a pure PHP house without eCommerce depth.
For agencies that need PHP development delivered under their own brand, we provide white-label PHP developers and PHP development teams who work entirely under your name. We attend your client calls, use your project tools, and produce all files and documentation in your brand. An NDA covers every white-label arrangement as standard. Your client never needs to know we are involved unless you choose to tell them.
Whether you are a business hiring a dedicated PHP developer for your own application or an agency placing our PHP development team on a client account, non-disclosure agreements are signed as standard. Your codebase, business logic, client relationships, and commercial plans remain private.
Some PHP projects need a single dedicated PHP developer on a monthly retainer. Others need a full-stack PHP development team for a defined build phase. Some need part-time support on an ongoing basis. We structure the engagement around what the work actually requires and agree on the arrangement before development starts, not after.
From first contact to a PHP developer working on your project, the process is straightforward. You know who is building it, what they will deliver, and when, before anything starts.
Tell us about your project or application. The PHP framework you are using or planning to use, the current state of any existing codebase, the type of work you need custom development, legacy migration, eCommerce extension, API build, or ongoing retainer support and the timeline. The more context you give upfront, the more accurately we can assess the right developer and engagement model. We respond within one business day.
For projects involving an existing PHP application, our developer reviews the current codebase before agreeing on the scope. This covers the PHP version, framework, test coverage, code quality, existing technical debt, and any specific risks that would affect the planned work. For new PHP builds, we carry out a requirements discussion to establish the architecture, database design, and integration points before committing to a development approach.
Based on the PHP framework, project complexity, and engagement model, a dedicated retainer, project team, or part-time PHP web developer, we identify the most suitable developer or team configuration. You find out who will be working on the project before work starts, and can review their background. If you want a conversation with the developer before committing, we can arrange that.
PHP development work proceeds in agreed stages against clear deliverables, with a staging environment for review before anything reaches production. For dedicated retainer arrangements, the developer works from a maintained backlog with regular progress updates. For project-based work, each milestone is reviewed and approved before the next begins. All code is committed to version control throughout.
At the conclusion of a project phase, we produce technical documentation covering the architecture, key decisions, and the knowledge a future developer needs to work on the PHP application without a lengthy onboarding. For ongoing arrangements, the same PHP developer continues as the long-term technical lead. We also provide dedicated PHP developer retainers for applications needing consistent, knowledgeable ongoing support.
KIWI Commerce redeveloped my entire website, exactly to my requirements. They worked exactly along with my timeframe and were fantastic to work with. I would highly recommend this company. Thank you Sam and the team!
Great response to tickets. We feel our website is in safe hands with Kiwi. Any issues are fixed very quickly. Great value for money. We have been working with Kiwi for a couple of years now and find them very helpful and easy to get along with. Would highly recommend.
Working with Kiwi Commerce has been a very smooth experience. Their team is responsive, knowledgeable, and always willing to go the extra mile. From development to ongoing support, everything is handled efficiently and with great attention to detail. Highly recommended.
We’ve been working with Kiwi Commerce for ongoing website improvements and support, and the experience has been consistently positive. They are proactive, easy to work with, and quick to respond whenever we need assistance. Great team and great service.
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PHP developers build the server-side logic of web applications. In practice, that covers a very wide range of work: custom web applications and SaaS products built on Laravel or Symfony, WordPress and WooCommerce sites including custom theme and plugin development, Magento 2 modules and integrations, REST APIs that power mobile applications and third-party integrations, backend systems for eCommerce platforms, and legacy PHP application modernisation. PHP is the language underneath most of the world’s content management systems, eCommerce platforms, and a large proportion of bespoke web applications. A PHP developer is, in most cases, a backend specialist though many PHP developers also work across the frontend in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, particularly if they use a framework like Livewire.
PHP 8.4 is the current stable version as of late 2024. PHP 8.x overall now accounts for 89% of active PHP usage according to the JetBrains 2025 State of PHP report. If your application is still running on PHP 7.x, it is on a version that is no longer receiving security updates and is carrying known vulnerabilities. The PHP 7.4 branch reached end of life in November 2022. Any PHP application still running on 7.x should be treated as a security risk and scheduled for upgrading as a priority. Our PHP developers handle PHP version upgrades as part of their standard service, including compatibility testing against your existing code and third-party libraries.
PHP is a programming language. Laravel and Symfony are frameworks built on top of PHP that add structure, tooling, and conventions that make building large applications faster and more maintainable. A PHP developer who works without a framework on raw PHP can build working applications, but without the structure a framework provides, those applications tend to become increasingly difficult to maintain as they grow. Laravel brings an ORM, a templating engine, a queue system, a testing layer, and consistent conventions for routing, authentication, and configuration. Symfony provides similar tools with a different philosophy, more modular, more common in enterprise settings. When hiring a PHP developer, always ask which frameworks they use regularly, because raw PHP and framework PHP are significantly different in practice.
Yes to both. For ongoing PHP development needs on a single application, we provide a dedicated PHP developer on a monthly retainer. The same developer works on your application consistently, building knowledge of the codebase over time. For larger projects or client accounts that need multiple PHP developers working together, we assemble PHP development teams covering backend PHP, frontend, and a technical lead as required. Our white-label PHP developer service means the team operates under your agency brand for client-facing arrangements.
Yes. All of our PHP developers are UK-based and work remotely as standard. Remote PHP development functions reliably with version control through Git, a staging environment for review before production changes, a project management tool for task tracking, and agreed communication checkpoints. We structure remote PHP developer engagements so that progress is visible and feedback loops are short rather than allowing work to disappear into silence for weeks at a time.
Yes, and this is one of the areas where experience matters most. Legacy PHP applications written on PHP 5.x or 6.x, without frameworks, with mixed concerns and no test coverage, require a developer who can read and understand existing code before changing it, rather than one who rewrites what they do not understand. Our senior PHP developers carry out a structured assessment of legacy codebases, identify what is worth preserving versus what needs replacing, plan the migration in stages that do not require stopping the business, and execute the upgrade to modern PHP 8.x and a proper framework foundation.
Yes. Agencies that need PHP development capacity on client accounts without hiring permanently use our white-label PHP developer service. We provide PHP developers and PHP development teams who attend your client calls, work in your client-facing tools, and produce all code, documentation, and deliverables in your brand. KiwiCommerce is not visible to your end client in any deliverable unless you choose to mention us. Every white-label arrangement is covered by an NDA as standard.
Our UK-based PHP development team is ready to look at your project. Whether you need a dedicated PHP developer on a retainer, a full PHP development team for a project build, white-label PHP services for an agency account, or expert help with a legacy PHP system, get in touch today. We respond within one business day.
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