Skills you need to be a php developer
10 skills a hiring manager would actually test for, each with the level this role expects and what it is used for. Not a syllabus — the shape of the job.
Build my path to this roleUpskili checks what you can already do, then sequences only what is missing. No account needed.
What the role requires
Ordered by how much the job depends on it. The bar is the proficiency expected of a competent php developer — not mastery, and not a passing acquaintance.
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PHP
Essential
Writes and maintains server-side logic, APIs, and web applications.
Strong -
SQL
Essential
Designs queries, optimizes performance, and manages relational databases.
Strong -
Laravel or Symfony
Essential
Builds applications using a modern PHP framework with MVC architecture.
Strong -
Git
Essential
Collaborates on code, manages branches, and performs code reviews.
Strong -
REST API design
Important
Designs and integrates RESTful services consumed by frontend and mobile apps.
Strong -
Docker
Important
Containerizes applications for consistent development and deployment environments.
Working -
PHPUnit
Important
Writes unit and integration tests to ensure code reliability.
Working -
Linux command line
Useful
Navigates servers, manages files, and troubleshoots deployment issues.
Working -
HTML/CSS/JavaScript
Useful
Collaborates with frontend developers and handles minor UI tasks.
Working -
Redis or Memcached
Useful
Implements caching strategies to improve application performance.
Working
An order worth learning it in
A list of ten skills is the same unhelpful answer a catalogue gives, just sorted. This is where to actually start.
Start here
Essential to the role, and reachable from a standing start. Everything below rests on these.
- SQL
- Laravel or Symfony
- Git
- REST API design
- Docker
- PHPUnit
Then this
The rest of what the role is assessed on. Harder, and it builds on the foundation above.
- PHP
What sets you apart
Not what gets you hired, but what separates doing the job from being trusted with it.
- Linux command line
- HTML/CSS/JavaScript
- Redis or Memcached
You almost certainly have some of this already.
That is the point of starting from the role rather than a course. Upskili checks what you can do, then builds a path across only the gap.
See my path to php developer