CMS
A clean admin your team can use
Pages, publications, uploads and menus edited by your own staff, with a history of every change and an undo.
PHP developer · New Delhi
PHP that runs your site.Built, secured, handed over.
I build custom PHP websites and admin systems, upgrade old PHP sites to a supported version, and clean up after hacks. I have worked in web development since 2000, with policy research institutions, civil society networks and national campaigns. You deal with me, not a sales team.
01 What I build in PHP
Sites that last.
Admins people can use.
Portals
News, NGO and institutional sites
Archives, search, categories and downloads that stay quick when the content runs into thousands of pages.
Forms and payments
Enquiries, donations, members
Forms with spam protection, online payment through a standard gateway, and mail that actually reaches an inbox.
Upgrade
Old PHP to a supported version
A tested move off end-of-life PHP, done on a copy first, with a way back if anything misbehaves.
Security
A clean-up after a hack
Find how they got in, remove what was planted, close the gap, restore from a clean backup and set up monitoring.
Speed and search
Fast pages that Google can read
Clean addresses, sitemaps, structured data and compressed images, so the site loads quickly on a phone.
02 Why PHP
Still the
practical choice.
- It runs on almost every host, so you are never locked to one vendor.
- A modern version (8.2 to 8.5 are supported today) is fast and has current security fixes.
- Your data stays in a standard MySQL or MariaDB database that any developer can read.
- Plain PHP with prepared database queries avoids heavy frameworks you would have to keep patching.
03 How it works
Talk, read the code,
build on a copy, hand over.
Talk. It’s free.
You tell me what the site must do, or what is wrong with the one you have.
Read the code.
I look at the actual files, database and server settings before I say anything, and I check your PHP version.
Build on a copy.
Everything is made and tested on a staging copy. Your live site is not touched until you approve.
Go live, with a way back.
I take a full backup first, switch over, and keep a rollback ready.
Hand over.
Your team gets the admin, the notes and the passwords. Support continues if you want it.
04 Before you hire any PHP developer
Five questions
worth asking.
- Which PHP version will you build on, and who will update it later?
- Will you work on a staging copy before touching my live site?
- Where will the backups be kept, and have you tested restoring one?
- Who owns the code, the database and the hosting login at the end?
- Will I deal with you directly, or with someone I have not met?
05 Questions people ask
Straight
answers.
What does a PHP developer do?
Builds and maintains the server side of a website: pages, forms, logins, admin screens, payments, search and the database behind them. I also upgrade and secure older PHP sites so they keep running on a supported PHP version.
Is PHP still a good choice for a new website?
Yes, for content-heavy and database-driven sites such as news portals, NGO and institutional sites, directories and members' areas. It runs on almost every host, it is well understood, and a modern PHP version is fast and safe when it is kept up to date.
Which PHP version do you build on?
A currently supported one. At the time of writing PHP 8.2 to 8.5 are supported; anything older no longer gets security fixes. I check the official supported-versions page before each project and tell you if your host runs an end-of-life version.
Can you fix or upgrade my old PHP website?
Usually, yes. I start by reading the code and the server settings, take a backup, and then move it to a supported PHP version on a copy of the site first. Nothing changes on your live site until you have seen the copy working.
Do you build a CMS so my team can edit content?
Yes. I build a clean admin where your team edits pages, publications and uploads without touching code, with a record of who changed what and an undo for mistakes.
Do I deal with you or with a team?
With me, from the first conversation to the handover. If a task needs a specialist, I tell you before bringing anyone in.
How much does a PHP project cost?
It depends on the scope, so I give you a written price after a free conversation and before you commit. A small first stage keeps the first spend low.
Related reading: what server-side scripting is, web design vs web development, planning a website redesign and my web outsourcing team.
Tell me what the site needs to do.
A free conversation. You get a plain-language plan and a written price before you commit, and if you don’t need me, I’ll say so.