Service / 05
PHP.
Legacy.
Steady ground.
Senior PHP freelance support. Feature delivery, backend support, inherited systems, API work, and the cleanup that stops an older codebase from slowing everything else down.
Service / 05 / Capabilities
What's covered.
Legacy PHP support
Support for inherited PHP applications that still matter to the business. Fixes, upgrades, and practical cleanup without pretending the only answer is a rewrite.
Backend feature delivery
New backend features, integrations, and admin workflows built on top of existing PHP systems. Useful when the product still needs to move, even if the codebase is older.
API and integration work
REST APIs, third-party integrations, auth flows, and data handoffs between systems. The kind of backend work that usually becomes business-critical once it is live.
Safer modernization
Version upgrades, refactors, and gradual improvement plans that reduce risk. Better structure where it helps, without turning every change into a months-long migration.
10+ years senior delivery
Why me
Senior delivery you don't have to project-manage.
PHP work is rarely about the language on its own. It is usually about keeping a backend useful, stable, and changeable while the rest of the product keeps moving. I work in older systems without pretending the only answer is a rewrite.
- Existing PHP application that still needs active development
- Backend works, but changes feel slower and riskier than they should
- Comfortable in older or mixed PHP codebases
- API or integration work behind a frontend bottleneck
- Progress without committing to a full rebuild too early
Engagement / Snapshot
A typical php development engagement.
Lead time
<7
Days to start, contract permitting
Length
4-12
Weeks for fixed-scope work
Reply
<24
Hours, every working day
Day rate
POA
Quoted per engagement
FAQ / PHP Development
Frequently asked
Q · 01
Do you only work on modern PHP stacks?
No. A lot of useful PHP work lives in older systems. I am comfortable working with code that has history, as long as we are honest about the tradeoffs.
Q · 02
Can you improve a PHP app without rewriting it?
Yes. In most cases that is the sensible place to start. Clean up the risky areas, improve confidence, and make sure each change leaves the codebase in a better state.
Q · 03
Is this separate from Laravel work?
Laravel fits under the wider PHP umbrella, but this page is aimed at broader backend support, older codebases, and teams who need PHP help beyond one framework.
How I work
Remote-first. Async by default.
Inspired by Remote and the way Basecamp ran a distributed team without burning anyone out. Meetings are expensive, writing is cheap, and momentum belongs to whoever can make a decision without a calendar invite.
01 / Specs
Specs before code
A short written spec covering problem, scope, and acceptance before anything gets built. Cuts rework, makes review easier, and means we never argue about what was agreed.
02 / Workstreams
Workstreams over standups
Active work lives in tickets and PRs with running notes. Async updates instead of daily standups, so deep work is the default and meetings only happen when they earn it.
03 / Loom > Zoom
Loom over meetings
Most reviews and walkthroughs go out as a 5-minute Loom you can watch at 2× when convenient. We jump on Meet / Zoom / Teams when the topic actually needs a conversation.
Channels / Tools
Slack
Async, threaded, no expectation of instant reply
Loom
PR walkthroughs, demos, design reviews
Google Meet / Zoom / Teams
Booked when conversation > writing
Linear / Jira / GitHub
Source of truth for the work
Notion / Docs
Specs, decision records, retros
The pitch
I write the code, talk to your team, and ship what we agreed. No agencies. No PMs. No surprises.
James Donnelly
Freelance developer · Manchester