PHP was introduced in the year 1994, and it has been one of the most popular programming languages since then. Around 78% of the websites are based on PHP. PHP is rich in amazing features, add-ons, and frameworks, which makes it a favorite among developers.
To turn your ideas into reality, you need to hire a development firm. If you want your next venture to be developed in PHP, the following steps must be followed closely.
Steps to Choose a Development Company
The following steps are advisable for selecting a good PHP development firm for your next project. These steps include :
Step 1: Popular PHP Frameworks and Technologies
PHP has maintained its top position for so long because it's a dynamic programming language and keeps updating with time. Before finalizing a development firm, you must ensure that the developers have hands-on experience on the most popular PHP technologies such as :
Step 2: Commonly Used PHP Services
Each developer has the capability of developing a website. But before assigning this task to them, we must make sure that they are aware of the PHP web development services as well. They must be experienced in the following services:
- PHP based CMS Development
- Custom PHP Web Development
- PHP E-commerce Development
- Corporate Website Development
- Portal Web Development
- Support and Maintenance
- Web Marketing
Step 3: Features Offered by the PHP Development Company
If the development firms you have chosen offer the above-mentioned services and technologies, then you must focus on other important features. These include:
Agile Development Methodologies
In modern times, the development process is completed by the following agile methodologies. This methodology is comparatively faster and more flexible as compared to the waterfall method. As a result, both the developers and customers stay in the same loop, and requirements are updated throughout the process.
Before considering a development firm for your next PHP based project, you must ensure that they follow agile methods for completion of their projects. The stakeholders stay involved in all the development phases, and better outcomes are produced as a result.
High Security
The code of a website must be developed in such a manner that it is protected and secured against cyber attacks. The PHP development company must follow safety and security standards for keeping the client’s confidential information safe.
The information shared between the project manager, developers, and other stakeholders involved in the project must stay protected. An NDA must be signed by the team members involved in the project.
Superior Quality Development
The quality of the code can be analyzed by having a look at the past projects and portfolio of the development firm. Also, when you conduct a meeting with them and go through the methodologies and strategies followed by them, it gives you a clear insight into how they will handle the project.
You must also ask about their process of checking and maintaining the quality of code and performance of developers for achieving a high-quality end product.
Proficient Testing
The Testing phase is also extremely significant in determining the quality of the web-based project. You must ensure that the quality assurance team of the firm is as competent as the developers.
If testing is performed thoroughly and every detail is closely tested, the final product will be bug-free.
Strong Technical Skills
The most important thing to be considered while finalizing the IT firm is to inquire about the technical skills of the team working on the project. You must ask them whether they are aware of the latest trends and technologies.
In addition to that, the developer must have hands-on experience with PHP features, frameworks, add-ons, and all other related programming technologies.
Step 4: Analysis of Background of PHP Development Firm
If you want to be aware of how the development firm will handle your project, you must analyze the past projects and portfolio of the concerned company.
The background and portfolio of the PHP development company say a lot about the quality of the product they will deliver to the clients. The major points to keep in mind while analyzing the past performance are mentioned below:
Years of experience in your niche
The development company you are choosing for your project must have working experience in your niche. During the selection process, you might come across options that are technically strong and competitive, but they might not have working experience in your niche.
So if a company has already delivered good results in your niche, then they must be preferred while making a choice.
Company’s website and portfolio
The official website of a company is the face of the company, and it depicts what the company is about. You must review the website and portfolio of the PHP development company and perform a comprehensive analysis of the past projects before making a final decision.
Research on the market reputation of the company
The reviews and feedback of the past clients and the market reputation of an IT say a lot about how they handle a project. So, this factor must also be considered important while hiring the best PHP development company for your next business venture.
Step 5: Questions to Ask Before Finalizing the Development Company
After going through the above-mentioned steps, these five questions must be asked from the shortlisted development service providers:
Will the website be responsive?
A responsive website is mandatory in today’s world. People access websites from both desktops and mobile phones with various screen sizes and resolutions. To make sure that your website is displayed correctly, it must have a responsive design.
Are you utilizing the advanced toolkit for development?
PHP has maintained its top status because it is frequently updated. The team of developers must be using the updated version of the toolkit for the deliverance of high-quality development services. The developers must have hands-on experience working in tools including PHP 7, MySQL, CSS, HTML5, MongoDB, jQuery, and Amazon Web Services.
What is your approach to developing a PHP website?
The approach of the development firm must be to give top priority to the needs and demands of the esteemed customers. The agile process must be followed for project completion, and constant communication must be maintained among all stakeholders for seamless development and completion.
Who will choose the website design?
Several designs must be presented to the client based upon the niche and requirements of the client. The client then makes a choice and finalizes the design for the website.
What will be my mode of communication with your developers?
Interruption free communication must be maintained between the developers and the clients throughout all website development phases. The most commonly used channels are Skype, Teams, or Email.
Step 6: Review Shortlisted Options and Finalize One Choice
After receiving and scrutinizing the above-mentioned answers, the next step is to finalize your options and make a final decision. This is done on the following criteria:
Team size
The size of the team does not specify the proficiency and performance of the developers. But this factor is considered vital because the bigger the team size, the more experienced and authentic the resources will be.
For example, if the company comprises a team of 100 developers, then it means that they are strongly experienced and highly skilled. Also, there is a firm chance that some team members have worked on your niche.
Communication
Strong communication is key to the development of a product that satisfies the needs and demands of the clients. You must make sure that there is no communication gap between the stakeholders, and seamless communications are carried out between the developers and the clients.
The development firm must be very understanding about your goals and passion and must consult you for every detail related to the website.
Enthusiasm and passion
Development is a difficult task and needs strong skills, hard work, and dedication. The developers have to adopt an analytic and proactive approach for the completion of their tasks.
The team members of the finalized firm must be passionate and enthusiastic about their work and must work robustly to deliver the final product. They must be committed to meeting deadlines and satisfying customers.
Step 7: Start the Hiring Process
After consideration of all the above-mentioned steps, you must finalize the best PHP development company for your next web-based project. After finalizing, the initial meeting must be arranged with the project manager and development head, and all the requirements, milestones, and other such details must be finalized.
Conclusion
The best PHP development company chosen for your project must be able to deliver high-quality results and leave a positive impact on the minds of the customers.
Performing well on a project not only results in an increased profit but also improves the market reputation and client base of the company and opens doors for more work in the future. This guide lists down the strategy you must adopt to make the perfect decision.