PHP Developers: 4 Questions To Ask

In recent years, as the online industry has grown, PHP developers are becoming more important and sought after. It is important to know just what you are looking for in a developer and what a PHP programmer can do for your business. The language is seeing popularity steadily trend upwards with no signs of slowing down and the amount of developers that want to get started in the industry are innumerable.

Integrating PHP into your website, given its customizable nature, is recommended for businesses in any field of any size.

Having a qualified PHP developer can make your life, and business, much happier and more efficient. That is why, it is becoming increasingly important to know what to ask of prospective PHP developers.

Here are 4 questions to ask to help find a PHP developer for your needs:

1. How do they fit?

When hiring any employee, least of all a PHP developer, it is important that the developer fit well into your company's culture and within the environment around them. If your business is centered around constant updates and daily interaction then make sure the developer shares in that philosophy.

Developers can range and styles dramatically and have different dispositions towards certain work environments. Determine early on if it will be an in-office position or a remote position. If it will have weekly goals or an overarching project deadline. If there needs to be constant communication or semi-regular updates.

These determinations will stamp out clearly what is expected of the PHP developer. while not a strictly technological line of questioning, it is arguably more important than anything else you could ask. There are many talented PHP developers, but, there are only a few that will fit within your business.

2. Is coding just a job?

Is important when hiring a PHP developer to determine their level of expertise and whether or not they keep a close eye to the new advancements in the language. Finding a PHP developer who has a love of programming, and specifically PHP, can dramatically increase the odds of finding a good programmer. You can even ask questions about what they do in their off time.

This can be important for gauging where they fit in your culture and whether or not programming is just a job to them. Some owners may not want overly involved programmers but many see it as a positive.

3. Do they know MySQL?

MySQL is the cornerstone of most companies’ databases and is typically integrated with PHP. MySQL is an important language for all web developers to know and is especially important for PHP Developers as it has a high-use variable.

Many times, a PHP written program will call to, or store, information in a mySQL database. Make sure the developer can query an SQL table and organize results in SQL based on data type or location. Knowledge of the database language is essential to assuring that the developer can accurately produce the results you want for your business.

4. Do they know the basics?

While it may seem trivial, asking potential PHP developers basic questions such as “What is PHP?” can be very revealing of their knowledge and programming philosophy. Determine if the developer knows the difference between a session and a cookie as these basic questions can lay out a clear path of understanding.

This is also a good method for spotting those who are trying to get a job without true fundamental knowledge. Any developer that cannot explain the difference between include and require or get and post in detail is most likely not the developer who will take your business to the next level.

Conclusion

It may seem strange on the outset, but hiring a developer is about how they fit within your company and how they work more than anything else. There is importance in determining the level of knowledge that a developer possesses. This can be accomplished by finding out how they describe the basics of the language and the types of projects in their portfolio.

As long as you know what you need for your business finding the right developer should be simple. It is always recommended to start with freelancers as you can give them a trial run without sacrificing too much. Nevertheless, PHP is an incredibly useful language and its integration into your business can be very beneficial. Hiring the right PHP developer can completely transform your online presence and the importance of that cannot be understated.