A lot of profitable software in India still runs on PHP written ten years ago — core PHP, old CodeIgniter, early Laravel. It works, until the host retires the PHP version or the one developer who understood it leaves.
I'm Arun Tyagi, a freelance PHP developer in Sector 58, Noida, working with businesses across Delhi NCR and remotely across India. This page covers both kinds of PHP work I do: keeping an existing PHP system safe and upgrading it, and building new PHP applications properly.
Signs your PHP system needs attention
- It runs on PHP 7.x or older, and your host has announced the end of support.
- Deprecated warnings fill the logs, or pages break after a server update.
- SQL is mixed into templates, and nobody wants to touch certain files.
- There is no staging server and no backup you have actually tested restoring.
- Adding a small feature takes weeks because every change breaks something else.
Upgrade, refactor or rebuild?
| Option | When it fits | Cost and risk |
|---|---|---|
| Careful upgrade | The code is reasonably organised and mainly needs PHP 8 compatibility and security fixes. | Lowest cost; tested on a staging copy before production switches. |
| Module-by-module move to Laravel | The business logic is valuable but the code is hard to change. | Medium cost; the old system keeps running while the riskiest modules move first. |
| Rebuild | The system is small, or so fragile that patching costs more than rewriting. | Highest upfront cost; cleanest result. |
I audit first and show you the options with costs. Often a careful upgrade plus a module-by-module rebuild is cheapest in the long run.
What a first audit covers
- PHP and framework versions, and every dependency that blocks an upgrade.
- Security: file uploads, admin access, SQL injection risks and exposed config files.
- Hosting, deployment and backups — including whether a restore actually works.
- A written list of risks in priority order, with a quote for each fix.
Common PHP jobs
- Payment gateway swap or a new integration with a CRM, ERP or courier.
- A new report or admin screen on an existing system.
- Performance fixes for slow pages and heavy queries.
- Moving off shared hosting to a server with proper deployments.
- New custom applications and APIs — almost always in Laravel, because it gives your next developer a recognisable structure.
PHP, Laravel or WordPress?
| Option | Use it when |
|---|---|
| Core PHP | Tiny scripts or maintaining an existing system. |
| Laravel | Custom apps, SaaS, APIs — anything that will grow. |
| WordPress | Content sites and simple stores — see WordPress development. |
| CodeIgniter / Yii | Existing projects already built on them; I rarely start new ones there. |
PHP developer in Delhi NCR
Across Delhi, Noida, Gurugram and Faridabad, the PHP work that reaches me follows a familiar pattern: distributors and manufacturers running a core-PHP order system from years ago, schools with a CodeIgniter portal nobody dares update, and agencies that need a senior PHP developer for one client project.
Most of this work runs remotely after one in-person meeting. Meetings in Noida and East Delhi are easy to arrange; for Noida businesses there is also a PHP developer in Noida page.
What the first month looks like
- Week 1: read the code or brief, list risks, agree on scope in writing.
- Week 2: set up staging, version control and a repeatable deployment.
- Weeks 3–4: first working module or fixes on staging for you to test.
Pricing
- Bug fixes and small features: Rs.5,000–40,000 each.
- Legacy audit and upgrade plan: Rs.15,000–35,000.
- Custom PHP or Laravel application: Rs.60,000–2,50,000+.
- Monthly care for an existing system: from Rs.8,000 — see maintenance and support.
Send your repository link, or a description if there is no code yet, on WhatsApp or book a free call. I will tell you honestly whether your PHP system should be repaired, upgraded or rebuilt.