Laravel

Hire the Top 3% of Freelance Laravel Developers

Toptal connects you with expert Laravel developers and programmers skilled in building secure, scalable solutions. Whether you need custom web applications, RESTful APIs, e-commerce platforms, or real-time systems, our developers bring deep expertise in Laravel’s ecosystem to tackle your mission-critical projects.

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Brian Mason

Freelance Laravel Developer
UTC-08:00
United States
Toptal Member Since September 19, 2022

Brian is an engineer always seeking to understand and foster improvements. He specializes in various technologies, including JavaScript, PHP, Vue, React, Node.js, and MySQL. He has a good facility with technology but cares more about people and considers programming as teaching machines to serve humans better. Brian offers a broad and deep experience, a strong intellect, a calm demeanor, and a focus on value creation.

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Jelena Drobnjakovic

Freelance Laravel Developer
UTC-06:00
United States
Toptal Member Since December 7, 2015

Jelena has been actively working as a front-end developer for about eight years. Her job includes daily usage of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Angular/Vue, jQuery, Laravel, and Git. She loves creating beautiful web pages that are optimized and working smoothly on all devices. Besides programming, she has also overseen the organization of work for some projects, which she loves doing. Communication between colleagues is key to building good applications.

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Cohen Harvey

Freelance Laravel Developer
UTC-05:00
Jamaica
Toptal Member Since June 8, 2022

Cohen is a highly skilled full-stack developer with over 12 years of experience building and servicing software programs, systems, and web applications. He specializes in creating complex applications using modern technology stacks like Laravel and Vue. Cohen is also a proven project manager with a background in leading distributed teams in complex development projects.

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Gustavo Laita

Freelance Laravel Developer
UTC-03:00
Argentina
Toptal Member Since May 6, 2021

Gustavo is a full-stack web developer who's been in the industry for 17 years. He specializes in React, PHP, and Laravel, helping startups create and grow their apps. His biggest project was a digital transformation tool to help financial entities integrate their subsystems in one platform, used by companies like Santander and Zurich. He led a team of four front end developers from inception to launch and helped define the final product. Furthermore, he's been working as a freelancer since 2010.

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Barnabas Kecskes

Freelance Laravel Developer
UTC+00:00
United Kingdom
Toptal Member Since April 12, 2013

Barnabas is a skilled developer for both web and mobile platforms with a keen eye for detail. He is well experienced in PHP, MySQL, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and jQuery and uses robust frameworks such as Laravel and Vue. Barnabas is also proficient in API integrations, architecture, and front- and back-end development.

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Alessandro Pizzini

Freelance Laravel Developer
UTC+01:00
Italy
Toptal Member Since September 10, 2014

Alessandro has 10+ years of experience in development. He is a full-stack developer specialized in PHP (Laravel) and JavaScript (React and Angular). Alessandro always ensures that every detail offers a great user experience, and he writes clean and maintainable code.

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Hristo Antov

Freelance Laravel Developer
UTC+01:00
Spain
Toptal Member Since December 2, 2022

Hristo is a software engineer with over ten years of experience in front- and back-end development, agile processes, and software architecture. He is an expert in Laravel, Vue, REST APIs, Docker, and server environments and is interested in Node.js, Python, and Flutter mobile development. Throughout his career, Hristo has kept up with new and emerging technologies and shared his knowledge by mentoring junior developers.

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Saba Tkeshelashvili

Freelance Laravel Developer
UTC+04:00
Georgia
Toptal Member Since February 4, 2022

Saba has been a back-end developer since 2017, specializing in Laravel, PHP, and Go. As an enthusiastic and self-motivated professional, he thrives in a successful and productive team while achieving targets and delivering the highest standards. Saba has a proven track record of working on complex and diverse projects in various industries, including gambling and gaming, travel and hospitality, blockchain, and social media.

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Partharaj Deb

Freelance Laravel Developer
UTC+06:00
Bangladesh
Toptal Member Since May 30, 2022

Partharaj is a highly skilled software developer with extensive experience in PHP and Java, focusing on the Laravel and Spring Boot frameworks. He has a proven track record of working with both local and international companies in full-time and contractual roles, showcasing his exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills. Partharaj's exceptional knowledge, work speed, commitment, and dedication to delivering quality work have been recognized through various accolades.

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GanapathyRajan Rajendran

Freelance Laravel Developer
UTC+08:00
Malaysia
Toptal Member Since September 2, 2021

GanapathyRajan has seven years of experience in JavaScript, 3+ years in Node.js, and 5+ years in PHP (Laravel). He developed dozens of microservices using Node.js and he's built an entire application in three months. His commitment to critical thinking and attention to detail has led him to deliver dozens of microservices without fail. He is an experienced senior back-end developer excellent at delivering a distributed system with high performance and low latency.

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Enver Menadjiev

Freelance Laravel Developer
UTC+09:00
South Korea
Toptal Member Since January 19, 2022

Enver is a back-end developer with more than five years of experience. While his main stack is Python and Flask framework, he is also an expert in developing high-load systems with PHP and Laravel, and using Docker for deployment. As a passionate and responsible professional, Enver enjoys making a positive impact and collaborating with clients on new exciting products.

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A Hiring Guide

Guide to Hiring a Great Laravel Developer

Laravel programmers are experts at designing and developing high-end, reliable web applications. This hiring guide includes the best strategies for identifying top talent, including interview questions and answers and tips for crafting compelling job descriptions.

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THE TOPTAL ADVANTAGE

98% of Toptal clients choose to hire our talent after a risk-free trial.

Toptal's screening and matching process ensures exceptional talent are matched to your precise needs.

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Toptal in the press

... allows corporations to quickly assemble teams that have the right skills for specific projects.

Despite accelerating demand for coders, Toptal prides itself on almost Ivy League-level vetting.

Our clients
Creating an app for the game
Conor Kenney
Creating an app for the game
Leading a digital transformation
Elmar Platzer
Leading a digital transformation
Building a cross-platform app to be used worldwide
Building a cross-platform app to be used worldwide
Drilling into real-time data creates an industry game changer
Drilling into real-time data creates an industry game changer
Testimonials
Tripcents wouldn't exist without Toptal. Toptal Projects enabled us to rapidly develop our foundation with a product manager, lead developer, and senior designer. In just over 60 days we went from concept to Alpha. The speed, knowledge, expertise, and flexibility is second to none. The Toptal team were as part of Tripcents as any in-house team member of Tripcents. They contributed and took ownership of the development just like everyone else. We will continue to use Toptal. As a startup, they are our secret weapon.

Brantley Pace

CEO & Co-Founder

I am more than pleased with our experience with Toptal. The professional I got to work with was on the phone with me within a couple of hours. I knew after discussing my project with him that he was the candidate I wanted. I hired him immediately and he wasted no time in getting to my project, even going the extra mile by adding some great design elements that enhanced our overall look.

Paul Fenley

Director

The developers I was paired with were incredible -- smart, driven, and responsive. It used to be hard to find quality engineers and consultants. Now it isn't.

Ryan Rockefeller

CEO

Toptal understood our project needs immediately. We were matched with an exceptional freelancer from Argentina who, from Day 1, immersed himself in our industry, blended seamlessly with our team, understood our vision, and produced top-notch results. Toptal makes connecting with superior developers and programmers very easy.

Jason Kulik

Co-founder

As a small company with limited resources we can't afford to make expensive mistakes. Toptal provided us with an experienced programmer who was able to hit the ground running and begin contributing immediately. It has been a great experience and one we'd repeat again in a heartbeat.

Stuart Pocknee

Principal

How to Hire PHP Laravel Developers through Toptal

1

Talk to One of Our Industry Experts

A Toptal director of engineering will work with you to understand your goals, technical needs, and team dynamics.
2

Work With Hand-Selected Talent

Within days, we'll introduce you to the right Laravel developer for your project. Average time to match is under 24 hours.
3

The Right Fit, Guaranteed

Work with your new Laravel developer for a trial period (pay only if satisfied), ensuring they're the right fit before starting the engagement.

EXCEPTIONAL TALENT

How We Source the Top 3% of Laravel Developers

Our name “Toptal” comes from Top Talent—meaning we constantly strive to find and work with the best from around the world. Our rigorous screening process identifies experts in their domains who have passion and drive.

Of the thousands of applications Toptal sees each month, typically fewer than 3% are accepted.

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Capabilities of Laravel Developers

Harness the potential of custom Laravel applications with our expert developers, delivering scalable, secure, and high-performance web solutions tailored to your business needs.

Web Application Development

Laravel is a PHP-based framework designed for high-performance web applications. It follows the MVC architecture, making the codebase intuitive and easy to maintain. Toptal specialists have extensive experience with the platform’s suite of tools, allowing us to deliver efficient, scalable, and secure applications.

MVC Design

Laravel’s Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture separates business and presentation logic, promoting maintainability and simplifying collaboration. This separation of concerns also allows for easier scalability. Our engineers have a deep understanding of best practices and advanced techniques when working with frameworks based on the MVC architecture.

Security-Conscious Developers

As cyber threats become more sophisticated, ensuring security is essential. Toptal experts take full advantage of Laravel’s security features, protecting against threats such as SQL injection, cross-site request forgery (CSRF), and cross-site scripting (XSS). The platform also provides built-in encryption capabilities and its own authentication system.

Database Management

Laravel’s Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) tool, Eloquent, integrates seamlessly with a variety of databases, providing an elegant interface for queries, management, and performance optimization. Our coders use their expertise in Eloquent to implement scalable and efficient database-driven applications.

Integrated Unit Testing

By utilizing test-driven development and comprehensive unit testing, developers can catch and resolve potential issues early in the process. Toptal specialists have in-depth knowledge of testing frameworks such as PHPUnit, Laravel Dusk, and Mockery, leveraging them to deliver dependable and maintainable applications.

Cloud Integration and Deployment

Laravel is supported by leading cloud platforms, including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Our developers are well versed in cloud deployment, integrating tools like load balancing, auto-scaling, containers, and content delivery networks (CDN) to enhance scalability and streamline deployment.

API Development and Integration

Laravel’s API resources simplify building robust and maintainable RESTful APIs and make it a top choice for modern applications. Toptal specialists leverage the platform’s API capabilities, including Passport and Sanctum for secure authentication, to deliver seamless integration and scalable solutions.

Real-Time Applications with Laravel Echo

Laravel Echo enhances real-time event broadcasting and enables responsive and interactive web applications. Our engineers harness Echo and WebSockets to deliver advanced real-time features like live notifications, chat systems, and data streaming.

Advanced Routing Capabilities

Laravel’s advanced routing system, with features like route caching and middleware, ensures efficient request handling and flexibility in application design. Toptal coders expertly configure routing to optimize performance, security, and user experience in complex applications.

Blade Template Engine

The Blade templating engine simplifies UI development with clean syntax, reusable components, and dynamic data binding. Our engineers use Blade to craft user-friendly interfaces that are both visually appealing and efficient.

Find Experts With Related Skills

Access a vast pool of skilled developers in our talent network and hire the top 3% within just 48 hours.

Trusted by 25,000+ Clients Worldwide

Find the Right Talent for Every Project

Accelerate your project with versatile, expert talent. From short-term solutions to long-term collaboration, Toptal delivers impactful results.

Senior Laravel Developers

Senior Laravel developers bring deep technical expertise and advanced problem-solving skills to address your most complex challenges. Toptal’s rigorous vetting process provides access to professionals who combine robust technical experience with proven leadership.

Dedicated Laravel Developers

Dedicated Laravel developers focus exclusively on your projects, leverage advanced Laravel expertise, and align with your long-term objectives to enable seamless integration and deliver high-quality outcomes.

Offshore Laravel Developers

Offshore Laravel developers combine exceptional expertise with competitive rates, making them ideal for scaling projects efficiently. Operating across multiple time zones, they provide global coverage and 24/7 support for time-sensitive requests.

Remote Laravel Developers

Remote Laravel developers offer top-tier expertise worldwide, removing location barriers to connect you with the best talent for your projects. They integrate seamlessly with distributed or hybrid teams, enabling flexible collaboration from anywhere.

FAQs

  • How much does it cost to hire a Laravel developer?

    The cost associated with hiring a Laravel developer depends on various factors, including preferred talent location, complexity and size of the project you’re hiring for, seniority, engagement commitment (hourly, part-time, or full-time), and more. In the US, for example, Glassdoor’s reported average total annual pay for Laravel developers is $106,000 as of October 2024. With Toptal, you can speak with an expert talent matcher who will help you understand the cost of talent with the right skills and seniority level for your needs. To get started, schedule a call with us — it’s free, and there’s no obligation to hire with Toptal.

  • To hire the right Laravel developer, it’s important to evaluate a candidate’s experience, technical skills, and communication skills. You’ll also want to consider the fit with your particular industry, company, and project. Toptal’s rigorous screening process ensures that every member of our network has excellent experience and skills, and our team will match you with the perfect Laravel developers for your project.

  • Hiring a developer with this skillset can bring numerous benefits to your business, including efficient web development, scalability, and performance. With built-in security features, your applications will be more secure and reliable. Additionally, a developer can ensure your business stays future-ready by integrating these modern technologies into applications. The platform’s vibrant community and ecosystem provides a wide range of resources and prebuilt solutions. Overall, hiring a developer empowers your business with streamlined processes, improved performance, enhanced security, and access to a supportive community.

  • When choosing a programmer online, consider candidates’ experience, development skills, and soft skills. Look for:

    • Experience – Prioritize developers with relevant programming experience. To gauge their expertise, consider their portfolio, past projects, and client testimonials.
    • Hard skills – Ensure the developer has a strong foundation in Laravel and related technologies such as PHP, OOP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and database management. Look for proficiency in features like routing, migrations, Eloquent ORM, and caching mechanisms.
    • Soft skills – Seek developers who possess effective communication skills, teamwork abilities, problem-solving aptitude, and the ability to adapt to changing project requirements to optimize opportunities for successful collaboration.
  • Engineers with hands-on experience are highly sought after in today’s market. This demand may be attributed to the framework’s widespread adoption and the need for efficient web development. Boasting exceptional compatibility with other modern technologies, a user-friendly nature, extensive documentation, and a junior-friendly and active community, Laravel has become a popular choice among developers for building robust web applications. In addition to being a fully fledged full-stack framework, its consistent compatibility with other technologies further contributes to Laravel’s demand. Hiring an experienced professional is an excellent choice for developing robust back-end systems that can be used by mobile apps.

  • Typically, you can hire a Laravel developer with Toptal in about 48 hours. For larger teams of talent or Managed Delivery, timelines may vary. Our talent matchers are highly skilled in the same fields they’re matching in—they’re not recruiters or HR reps. They’ll work with you to understand your goals, technical needs, and team dynamics, and match you with ideal candidates from our vetted global talent network.

    Once you select your Laravel developer, you’ll have a no-risk trial period to ensure they’re the perfect fit. Our matching process has a 98% trial-to-hire rate, so you can rest assured that you’re getting the best fit every time.

  • While there are a handful of frameworks for PHP—Symfony, Yii, CodeIgniter, Phalcon, CakePHP—Laravel remains the most popular. Laravel can be used as a full-stack framework to build monolithic applications or as a powerful API back-end for your microservices.

    Among the platform’s many strengths, you’ll find that its large, dedicated community has built a wide array of tools and services. Packages like Cashier, Breeze, and Echo, and services like Forge and Vapor make building scalable applications fast and efficient.

  • At Toptal, we thoroughly screen our Laravel developers to ensure we only match you with the highest caliber of talent. Of the more than 200,000 people who apply to join the Toptal network each year, fewer than 3% make the cut.

    In addition to screening for industry-leading expertise, we also assess candidates’ language and interpersonal skills to ensure that you have a smooth working relationship.

    When you hire with Toptal, you’ll always work with world-class, custom-matched Laravel developers ready to help you achieve your goals.

  • You can hire Laravel developers on an hourly, part-time, or full-time basis. Toptal can also manage the entire project from end-to-end with our Managed Delivery offering. Whether you hire an expert for a full- or part-time position, you’ll have the control and flexibility to scale your team up or down as your needs evolve. Our Laravel developers can fully integrate into your existing team for a seamless working experience.

  • We make sure that each engagement between you and your Laravel developer begins with a trial period of up to two weeks. This means that you have time to confirm the engagement will be successful. If you’re completely satisfied with the results, we’ll bill you for the time and continue the engagement for as long as you’d like. If you’re not completely satisfied, you won’t be billed. From there, we can either part ways, or we can provide you with another expert who may be a better fit and with whom we will begin a second, no-risk trial.

Leonard Hîrja
Verified Expert in Engineering
13 Years of Experience

Leonard is a full-stack developer with more than nine years of experience using Laravel to build applications. He has worked on projects ranging from e-commerce, API, and UX development to migrations and software architecture design. At St. Jude Hospitals for Children, he provided key enhancements to the Visualization and PeCan platforms.

Previously at

St. Jude Cloud
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Laravel

How to Hire Laravel Developers

Laravel Developers Are in High Demand in the Web Development Industry

In today’s development market, Laravel, known for its robust design and agile development capabilities, has cemented its status as one of the most sought-after PHP frameworks. Its growth in popularity originates from its diverse ecosystem, user-friendly syntax, and solid community support, which have made it an attractive choice for many businesses aiming to build scalable and reliable web applications. Laravel remains a prevalent framework and ranked as one of the top 20 development technologies in a recent Stack Overflow survey of more than 56,000 professional developers. Additionally, the platform’s programming language—PHP—is the language of choice for 77% of all live and active websites.

Leveraging Laravel’s methodology enables businesses to create scalable web applications that meet modern standards for performance and reliability, making it an essential component in today’s tech stack.

However, the increasing demand for Laravel experts can present challenges for companies and startups looking for candidates to fill these highly technical roles. Businesses seeking to hire dedicated Laravel developers must engage in a competitive market to recruit and retain top talent that will help them bring their projects and business goals to success. To hire the best fit for your in-house team, it is important to understand your business requirements. If your goal is to hire a developer with basic knowledge to maintain an existing app, finding good candidates shouldn’t be too challenging. However, if you aim to hire top experts who have mastered the framework’s intricacies and who can take your project to the next level, locating the right candidates for the job becomes more daunting.

The Laravel logo over a global map, with blue developer icons in various locations and a magnifying glass over a green developer icon.

Developing a tailored recruitment and evaluation process is crucial for finding a Laravel developer who not only aligns with your specific project needs but also seamlessly integrates with your team to achieve your business goals. This guide offers comprehensive tools and strategies to help you identify, evaluate, and hire top Laravel developers, ensuring your projects are executed with expertise and precision.

What Attributes Distinguish Quality Laravel Developers From Others?

The best Laravel developers can demonstrate deep familiarity with Laravel’s core concepts, apply theoretical know-how to develop well-rounded web applications, and communicate effectively with the rest of the team, contributing to an inclusive and creative environment. Consider these essential developer skills and qualities that set a dedicated developer apart in their field:

Technical Skills
  • Proficiency in the Laravel framework and its core concepts
  • Expert knowledge in building reliable and safe web applications using Laravel and PHP
  • Strong understanding of PHP programming language and software development fundamentals—top Laravel programmers are PHP developers first and foremost
  • Familiarity with front-end technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
  • Knowledge of databases and SQL for data management
  • Adeptness at using version control systems like Git for collaborative development
Theoretical Skills
  • Deep understanding of refactoring methods and design patterns
  • Knowledge of object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts and their implementation in Laravel
  • Awareness of security practices and measures to protect web and mobile apps
  • Understanding of testing approaches and Laravel-specific testing frameworks
  • Proficiency in unit testing, which is crucial for ensuring individual components of an application function as intended, contributing to a more reliable and maintainable codebase
  • Knowledge of performance optimization techniques
Soft Skills

  • Ability to analyze and resolve complex issues, i.e., problem-solving
  • Attention to detail, especially related to code quality and code review
  • Effective communication with team members and stakeholders
  • Willingness to adapt to new technologies and workflows as the project grows and the requirements evolve
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a development team, successfully balancing deadlines and priorities

By considering these attributes, you can identify developers who are not only equipped with the technical know-how needed for the job, but also bring the communication and soft skills necessary to become a highly valuable addition to your team.

Priority Skills by Business Case

To get the most out of your interview process, ensure you are aiming to hire a dedicated Laravel specialist who can demonstrate expertise in the areas most relevant to your business and project needs. Here are some examples of experience you can look for in candidates, depending on your sector.

E-commerce Platform Development
  • Experienced in building high-performance, scalable web applications and secure e-commerce platforms
  • Highly skilled at implementing features, such as product catalogs, shopping carts, payment gateways, and order management systems using Laravel’s robust ecosystem
Custom App Development
  • Proficient in building custom web applications to meet your evolving business requirements
  • Possesses expertise in Laravel’s Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture and everything about routing, database integration, and handling complex logic
API Development and Integration
  • Experienced and proactive in designing and developing RESTful APIs using the platform’s built-in features, like Laravel API Resources and Passport
  • Leveraging Laravel's robust API development services, expert candidates can integrate cutting-edge solutions into your Laravel project while maintaining scalability and performance.
  • Experienced in integrating third-party REST APIs and building reliable and secure API-driven applications
Performance Optimization
  • Understands techniques for optimizing performance
  • Skilled in database query optimization, code profiling, caching, and employing performance monitoring tools to ensure that your application runs smoothly
Migration and System Integration
  • Experienced in migrating legacy systems to Laravel and integrating applications with other systems as well as third-party software
  • Knowledgeable in data migration, managing compatibility issues, and ensuring a smooth transition to Laravel where needed
User Experience and Front-end Integration
  • Expertise with front-end technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, along with popular front-end frameworks such as Vue.js or React
  • Capable of creating seamless and user-friendly experiences by integrating Laravel’s back-end components with well-thought-out and responsive front-end interfaces

Priority Skills by Complementary Technology

To take full advantage of the capabilities of a complex framework like Laravel, an engineer needs a range of essential complementary developer skills, including a solid understanding of front-end technologies like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP, as well as the basics of back-end development, such as OOP and database management. These technologies encompass several facets of development, each playing a vital role in the creation of an application. When combined, they facilitate the development and enhancement of Laravel applications, enabling responsive user interfaces, interactive features, elegant and dependable code, and efficient data management.

HTML
Experienced developers use HTML to structure the application’s user interface and define the layout and content of web pages. They also use HTML in Laravel’s Blade templating engine to create dynamic templates that support a consistent UI across the various features of an application.
CSS
CSS is essential for the design of web pages, providing control over the style and layout. In Laravel, a developer uses CSS to customize visually appealing interfaces. They integrate CSS frameworks like Tailwind CSS with Laravel to ensure cross-browser compatibility and responsiveness.
JavaScript
JavaScript adds interactivity and dynamic functionalities to web applications. Programmers use JavaScript to optimize user experience by integrating features such as client-side form submission, form validation, AJAX requests, and real-time updates. They may integrate popular JavaScript frameworks and libraries like Vue.js and React with Laravel to build sophisticated and interactive front-end features. Moreover, using Inertia.js to bridge Laravel and a front-end framework allows developers to write single-page-application (SPA)-like platforms while utilizing the powerful Laravel Monolith engine.
PHP
PHP, the server-side programming language on which Laravel is built and that it relies on, provides the backbone for processing requests and handling server-side operations. It is necessary for a developer to have a strong foundation of PHP to properly develop applications and to take full advantage of the framework’s wide range of features. In Laravel, a developer uses PHP to interact with databases, define routes, implement logic, and manage application configurations.
Object-oriented Programming
Laravel is designed with an object-oriented architecture in mind. Understanding OOP principles enables developers to write efficient and easily maintainable code by organizing its features into classes and objects. In Laravel, developers use OOP to create controllers, models, and services, as well as to facilitate code organization, inheritance, encapsulation, and polymorphism.
Database Management Systems
Databases are required for storing and managing application data. A Laravel programmer makes use of various database environments such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, or SQLite. They need to be proficient in database design, writing SQL queries, and working with Laravel’s database abstraction layer, Eloquent ORM.

How Can You Identify the Ideal Laravel Developer for You?

Whether you’re hiring full-time or looking for remote Laravel developers, identifying the right candidate requires an understanding of your business needs and the required level of expertise. For instance, a high-performance Laravel project might benefit from top talent experienced in end-to-end development, while smaller-scale tasks could be handled effectively by mid-level professionals.

Junior Developers

Junior developers are well-versed in the fundamentals of PHP programming and are capable of executing more straightforward operations in areas such as application development and database management. They often need guidance from senior developers and project managers. This can be an advantage, as having the senior members of the team mentor a junior allows for targeted training in the specific skills required for your project.

A junior developer is a cost-effective solution for a project that is relatively small, straightforward, and in need of minimal features. For example, a developer can create a CRM from scratch using Laravel Jetstream with minimum complexity, mainly using first-party packages.

Mid-level Developers

Mid-level developers can solve commonly encountered issues and implement more advanced features and applications than juniors but may require oversight when working on more sophisticated operations. Mid-level developers can provide professional opinions and good problem-solving skills. They are also capable of writing comprehensive documentation and implementing proper testing, and are likely a good choice for a mentor if you are looking to train a more junior developer.

A mid-level developer strikes a balance between cost and years of experience. They are capable of working on relatively complex web applications, require less guidance than juniors, and can manage their priorities successfully.

Senior Developers

Senior developers have an extensive background specializing in Laravel development and are uniquely qualified to identify and direct project initiatives. They are proficient in PHP and the rest of the back-end ecosystem and often have familiarity with front-end technologies as well. A senior developer is also able to get involved with your business processes and select the most appropriate tools to integrate with your existing infrastructure. They know how to properly implement tests—like using Laravel Dusk for end-to-end testing and PHPUnit for unit and feature testing. Their in-depth knowledge of cloud and deployment strategies (e.g., Amazon Web Services with Laravel Vapor or Laravel Forge) is important for scaling projects.

Highly skilled senior developers are ideal for handling larger and more complex projects with unique requirements and strict deadlines. Their extensive experience and expertise position them to deliver effective and high-quality solutions that fit your project’s needs. These may include refactoring an existing codebase or designing an adequate architecture for a project. A senior developer’s proven capacity to provide architectural design, advanced problem-solving, and operational insights is more than worth the investment.

Whether to choose a junior, mid-level, or senior developer depends on factors such as project requirements, budget, and timelines. Junior developers tend to be the most cost-effective choice, followed by mid-level developers. Experienced Laravel developers with credible and demonstrated track records in software architecture, process optimization, and creative problem-solving typically command a higher salary, but they can prove a valuable investment if their advanced knowledge allows you to cut costs later in the development process. You might find that a flexible hiring model allows you to work on an as-needed basis with the most appropriate developer to accomplish your company’s priorities.

How to Write a Job Description for Your Project

To target the right developer in the talent pool, it is important to know what sort of skills you are looking for. Once you have your requirements defined, choose a suitable title for the position. A job title should reflect the main job area of responsibility. Potential job titles could include:

  • Laravel programmer – Responsible for developing and maintaining Laravel-based web apps, ensuring code quality and performance with security in mind.
  • Full-stack developer – Involved in end-to-end web development and an expert in front-end technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
  • Back-end developer – Focused on server-side development, including API design and development and database management.
  • E-commerce developer – Specializing in developing and customizing e-commerce platforms and implementing features like payment gateways, shopping carts, and order management systems.
  • Project lead – Responsible for leading a team of experienced developers, coordinating project requirements with stakeholders, ensuring timely delivery, and providing technical guidance and mentorship to more junior developers.

Clearly outline the required developer skills and level of experience sought, as well as the responsibilities of the position.

  • Emphasize any required proficiency in Laravel, PHP, OOP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, database management, or any other core skill depending on your goals. It is important that the developer is well aware of the main technical skills you are looking for.
  • Provide any additional skills or frameworks relevant to your project that you may wish to see in a candidate.
  • Mention if you’d like candidates to provide case studies or examples of past projects to demonstrate their ability to address challenges similar to those in your Laravel project.
  • Give a clear overview of the job duties. These may include developing and/or maintaining Laravel applications and features, working with cross-functional teams, and ensuring security.
  • Mention any specific project requirements or industry knowledge that may be helpful or even a necessity. This might include specific hands-on experience in building e-commerce platforms or developing API integrations.

By formulating a job description—listing the required skills for your specific development project and concisely outlining the position’s responsibilities—you will be able to attract suitable candidates and hire an expert to help meet business goals in record time.

What Are the Most Important Interview Questions?

It is essential for the interviewer to have a list of questions to use during the hiring process to test a candidate’s proficiency. Here are some examples of technical questions that allow you to assess the candidate’s fit.

What are some of the advantages of Laravel over other PHP frameworks?

  • Simple, elegant syntax and sensible coding conventions that facilitate code maintainability, helping legacy code stay agile.
  • The platform’s built-in features and libraries, such as authentication, routing, and caching, used to speed up development and reduce the need for third-party packages when developing web and mobile applications.
  • The robust ORM system, Eloquent, which simplifies database interactions and provides a user-friendly way to work with databases.
  • A large and active community that offers extensive support, resources, and external packages.
  • Easy integration with popular tools, allowing for seamless development and scalability of your application.
  • A focus on security, as shown by its built-in security features: secure authentication and authorization mechanisms, protection against XSS and SQL injection attacks, and data encryption.

Does PHP support method overloading?

PHP does not support method overloading in the traditional sense, where a developer can define multiple functions with the same name but using different parameters. However, PHP supports optional and variable-length arguments, which achieve similar functionalities. Optional arguments allow defining default values for each parameter, while variable-length arguments support the handling of a varying number of arguments within a single method.

What is a closure in Laravel?

In PHP, a closure refers to an anonymous function that can be assigned to a variable. It can also be passed as an argument to another function. It is often used as a callback method, providing flexibility in executing code at the stage of execution. PHP closures are most often used in Laravel for tasks like specifying route actions or defining inline behavior for the Eloquent ORM query builder. Closures encapsulate behavior and allow passing behavior as data, enabling a flexible execution of code.

You may consult additional resources, such as essential PHP interview questions, to supplement core topics.

Why Do Companies Hire Laravel Developers?

Companies and startups choose to hire skilled Laravel programmers due to the platform’s extreme versatility and unique features as a PHP framework. Laravel stands out among other types of frameworks due to its ability to support feature-rich web and mobile app development by offering top-notch security, high-quality performance, and an open-source platform and community. These factors make it a compelling choice for businesses.

A Laravel logo points to Laravel’s many benefits, such as scalability and flexibility, adaptability, security, and performance.

Hiring expert Laravel developers allows companies to gain access to a community of professionals rich in specialized skill sets that are essential for building reliable and modern web applications. The platform’s many benefits, including its comprehensive ecosystem, streamlined database management system, and dependable community support, make it an attractive option for leveraging PHP’s capabilities and creating advanced web solutions.

The technical content presented in this article was reviewed by Hristo Antov.

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