Technology

PHP Support & Upgrades
for Australian businesses.

PHP version upgrades, security patching, framework migrations, performance optimisation, and ongoing support. If your PHP app is on an old version or needs a developer, we can help.

We also take over PHP codebases from previous developers.

Book a 20-min scoping call Emergency PHP Fix

AU-built Australian owned and operated
PHP 5.6 → 8.x Upgrades Stack we work with daily
Security Patching & Audits New builds + modernisation
Fixed Price scopes, no surprises

PHP Support

Your PHP application needs attention. Let us handle it.

PHP powers 77% of the web. But a PHP application that has not been maintained is a ticking clock. Old PHP versions have known security vulnerabilities. Outdated Composer packages have unpatched CVEs. Deprecated functions start throwing warnings and then errors as versions advance.

The most common scenario: a PHP application was built years ago by a freelancer or agency. It works fine. Then the hosting provider announces PHP 7.x end-of-life. Or a security scan flags vulnerabilities. Or the developer has moved on and nobody understands the code.

We upgrade PHP versions, patch security issues, migrate frameworks, take over codebases, and provide ongoing support. If your PHP application needs a developer, we are that developer.

PHP code upgrade from old version to PHP 8 with compatibility fixes and testing

Week 0

PHP Audit

15-minute scoping call. We map your current PHP version, framework, Composer dependencies and security posture, and the upgrade or support path. Fixed-price quote inside 48 hours.
Weeks 1–N

Build / Upgrade & Parallel-Run

Work performed in a staging environment first. Parallel-run against your live application for safe iteration. Every compatibility fix and dependency update tested before production.
Cutover

Go-Live & Handover

Production cutover on a planned window. Team training, monitoring active, 30 days post-launch support. Documentation and source code handed over in full.

What We Do

PHP support services: by type

Version upgrades, security fixes, framework migrations, ongoing support, and performance optimisation. Whatever your PHP application needs.

PHP Version Upgrades

PHP 5.6, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4: all end-of-life. No security patches, no bug fixes. Hosting providers are dropping support. If your application runs on an EOL PHP version, upgrading is not optional. It is a security requirement.

We upgrade PHP applications to PHP 8.1, 8.2, or 8.3. This means fixing deprecated functions, updating type declarations, handling strict typing changes, resolving incompatible library versions, and testing everything. It is not just changing a version number.

Security Patching & Vulnerability Remediation

PHP applications with known vulnerabilities: SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, insecure file uploads, session management issues, or outdated dependencies with CVEs. We audit, identify, and fix security issues.

Composer dependency audit. Every package checked against known vulnerability databases. Outdated packages updated or replaced. Abandoned packages swapped for maintained alternatives.

Framework Version Upgrades

Laravel 5.x, 6.x, 7.x, 8.x to Laravel 10 or 11. CakePHP 2.x to 5.x. Symfony 3.x to 7.x. CodeIgniter 3 to 4. Framework upgrades require migrating deprecated features, updating routing, handling breaking changes, and testing.

Laravel upgrades are the most common request. Each major version introduces breaking changes: middleware, routing, authentication, queue configuration, and Eloquent. We follow the official upgrade guides and test thoroughly.

Ongoing PHP Application Support

Monthly support plans for PHP applications. Bug fixes, security patches, performance monitoring, and small feature requests. A developer who knows your codebase, available when you need them.

Proactive monitoring: uptime checks, error tracking, performance metrics, and dependency vulnerability scanning. Issues caught before they become outages. Monthly reports showing what was done and what needs attention.

PHP Performance Optimisation

Slow PHP application? We profile, identify bottlenecks, and fix them. Common issues: N+1 database queries, missing indexes, no caching, synchronous processing of heavy tasks, and unoptimised Composer autoloading.

OPcache configuration, query optimisation, Redis or Memcached caching, queue workers for background processing, and CDN configuration for static assets. The combination of these improvements is usually dramatic.

PHP version upgrade from PHP 5.6 or 7.x to PHP 8.x with compatibility fixes

PHP security patching with vulnerability audit and dependency updates

PHP framework upgrade from Laravel 5 or CakePHP 2 to current versions

Ongoing PHP application support with monitoring, bug fixes, and proactive maintenance

PHP performance optimisation with profiling, caching, and database query tuning

Accounting firm client portal — Case Study

Case Study

Client portal that cut email volume by 70%

We built a secure document exchange and task tracking portal for an accounting firm. Clients upload, review and approve, all in one place instead of email.

Read the full case study

70% Less email volume

3x Faster turnaround

400+ Active client accounts

Why Us

Why trust us with your PHP application

Experience No Lock-In Honest Advice Testing

PHP development experience across 20 years of versions and frameworks

Deep PHP experience across frameworks and versions

We have worked with PHP since version 4. Laravel, Symfony, CakePHP, CodeIgniter, WordPress, Drupal, and plain PHP applications. From PHP 5.2 procedural code to PHP 8.3 with Fibers and enums. We know the language inside out.

This matters because PHP upgrades are not straightforward. Each version introduced changes that can break existing code in subtle ways. PHP 7 changed error handling. PHP 7.4 added typed properties. PHP 8.0 changed string-to-number comparisons. PHP 8.1 deprecated passing null to non-nullable internal function parameters. Experience means knowing where to look.

We also understand the Australian hosting landscape. Shared hosting on cPanel, VPS providers like Vultr and DigitalOcean, AWS, and Azure. Each has different PHP configuration options and constraints.

No vendor lock-in for PHP support with transparent code ownership

No lock-in: your code, your hosting, your choice

We work on your existing hosting, your existing codebase, and your existing deployment process. We do not require you to move to our infrastructure or use our tools. The code and the server are yours.

If you want to bring another developer on later, or take development in-house, everything is documented and accessible. No proprietary frameworks, no encrypted code, no dependency on our continued involvement.

Source code in your Git repository. Documentation in your wiki. Deployment scripts that anyone can run. We set things up so you are not dependent on any single provider, including us.

Honest comparison of PHP upgrade vs rebuild options with cost analysis

Honest advice about when to upgrade vs rebuild

Not every PHP application should be upgraded. Sometimes the codebase is so old, so poorly structured, or so far behind that a rebuild is cheaper and faster than trying to upgrade. We will tell you honestly which path makes sense.

The decision depends on: how old the PHP version is, the quality of the existing code, whether the framework is still actively maintained, and how much the application needs to change. An upgrade is usually cheaper. A rebuild is sometimes necessary.

We scope both options and give you a fixed-price quote for each. On clean code, the upgrade is almost always cheaper. On a messy codebase with no tests, an upgrade and a rebuild can end up close — at that point the rebuild gives you a better long-term result.

PHP upgrade testing with PHPUnit, PHPStan, and staging environment verification

Thorough testing: upgrades do not break things

PHP upgrades can introduce subtle bugs. A function that returned false now throws an exception. A type coercion that worked in PHP 7 behaves differently in PHP 8. These are not always caught by automated tests.

We use a combination of automated testing (PHPUnit, Pest), static analysis (PHPStan, Psalm), and manual testing of critical workflows. Existing test suites are updated for the new PHP version. Missing tests are added for critical paths.

Staging environment testing before production deployment. The upgrade is verified on a copy of your production environment before touching the live system. Rollback plans in place. No surprises.

Support Services

PHP support and maintenance services

Emergency fixes, security audits, code takeovers, and monthly support plans. Whatever your PHP application needs, we handle it.

Emergency PHP Fixes

Site down? Security breach? Critical bug in production? We respond quickly to PHP emergencies. Diagnose, fix, and deploy, often same day.

Composer Dependency Management

Outdated packages, abandoned libraries, and version conflicts. We untangle Composer dependencies, update to maintained versions, and resolve conflicts.

Security Audit

Full security audit of your PHP application. SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, authentication, session management, file uploads, and dependency vulnerabilities.

Code Takeover

Previous developer left? We audit the PHP codebase, document the architecture, set up CI/CD, and start maintaining it. Bug fixes and feature development resume.

Server & Hosting Migration

Move from shared hosting to VPS, from old servers to AWS or DigitalOcean. PHP, database, files, cron jobs, and email configuration migrated with zero downtime.

Monthly Support Plans

Retainer-based support. Allocated hours for bug fixes, updates, security patches, and small feature requests. Proactive monitoring and regular dependency updates.

Common Scenarios

PHP support situations we handle regularly

If one of these sounds familiar, we can help.

PHP 5.6/7.x → PHP 8

End-of-life PHP version upgraded to a supported version. Hosting provider deadline approaching, or security audit flagged the old version.

Laravel 5/6/7 → Laravel 11

Older Laravel application upgraded to the latest version. Middleware, routing, authentication, queue, and Eloquent changes handled.

Security Vulnerability Fix

Penetration test or security scan flagged vulnerabilities. SQL injection, XSS, outdated dependencies, or insecure configuration fixed.

Developer Left. Need a Takeover

Previous PHP developer or agency gone. Code needs to be understood, documented, and maintained by a new team.

Slow PHP Application

Performance degradation. Slow page loads, high server CPU, or database timeouts. Profiling, query optimisation, and caching implemented.

Legacy PHP Modernisation

Old procedural PHP code incrementally modernised. Introduce namespaces, Composer, OOP patterns, and eventually a framework, without a full rewrite.

How It Works

PHP upgrade process: step by step

From audit to post-upgrade monitoring. No surprises, no untested changes to production.

1. Code & Dependency Audit

We clone the repository (or access the server), run static analysis, check PHP version compatibility, audit Composer packages, and identify deprecated function calls, removed features, and breaking changes. You get a detailed report.

2. Staging Environment Setup

A copy of your production environment with the target PHP version. The application runs on staging first. Issues identified and fixed without touching production.

3. Compatibility Fixes

Deprecated functions replaced. Type declarations updated. Composer packages upgraded to versions compatible with the target PHP version. Breaking changes in string handling, type coercion, and error handling addressed.

4. Testing

Automated tests run against the updated code. Static analysis with PHPStan or Psalm. Manual testing of critical user workflows. Regression testing for edge cases that automated tests miss.

5. Production Deployment

PHP version upgraded in production during a scheduled maintenance window. Deployment verified, monitoring active, rollback plan ready. Most upgrades deploy with zero issues because staging caught everything.

6. Post-Upgrade Monitoring

Monitoring for 2 to 4 weeks after the upgrade. Error tracking active. Performance compared to pre-upgrade baseline. Issues caught and resolved quickly.

Technical Context

Technologies alongside PHP support

PHP applications do not exist in isolation. These are the related technologies we handle as part of PHP support engagements.

Laravel

The most popular PHP framework. If your application is Laravel, version upgrades and PHP upgrades go hand in hand.

WordPress

WordPress sites need PHP upgrades too. Themes, plugins, and custom code all need to be compatible with the target PHP version.

MySQL / MariaDB

PHP application databases. MySQL version upgrades are often needed alongside PHP upgrades for compatibility and security.

Linux Server Administration

PHP runs on Linux. Server configuration, PHP-FPM tuning, OPcache, and security hardening.

AWS / DigitalOcean

Cloud hosting for PHP applications. EC2, Lightsail, or DigitalOcean droplets with proper PHP configuration.

PHPUnit / Pest

Testing frameworks for PHP. We write and maintain tests as part of the upgrade process to catch regressions.

Our hosting provider gave us 60 days to upgrade from PHP 7.2. Our old developer was gone. HELLO PEOPLE audited the codebase in a week, upgraded to PHP 8.2 in three weeks, and set us up with monthly monitoring. Smooth as. Should have called them sooner.

IT Manager Logistics company, Melbourne

FAQs

Common questions about PHP support and upgrades

My hosting provider says I need to upgrade PHP. Is it urgent?

If your hosting provider is removing support for your PHP version, yes. Once they drop the version, your site will stop working. More importantly, running an end-of-life PHP version means no security patches. Your application is vulnerable to known exploits. Treat it as urgent.

How do you scope and price a PHP upgrade?

We audit the codebase first (Composer dependencies, custom code, test coverage), then provide a fixed-price quote. A simple site (WordPress or small application) on clean code sits at the lower end of project size. Medium applications with Composer dependencies and some custom code are larger. Complex applications with heavy custom PHP run higher.

Will upgrading PHP break my website?

It can, which is why we never upgrade production directly. We set up a staging environment, run the upgrade there, fix all compatibility issues, test thoroughly, and only then deploy to production. The goal is zero issues on the day of the production upgrade.

My PHP app is on version 5.6. Can it be upgraded?

Usually, yes. The gap from 5.6 to 8.x is significant, with many deprecated functions, changed behaviour, and removed features. It takes more work than a 7.4 to 8.x upgrade. We audit the codebase and give you an honest assessment of whether an upgrade or rebuild is more cost-effective.

What about my WordPress plugins?

Each plugin needs to be compatible with the target PHP version. We check every active plugin. Most major plugins support PHP 8.x. Abandoned or poorly maintained plugins may need to be replaced with alternatives. We identify these during the audit.

Can you take over our PHP application from another developer?

Yes. We audit the codebase, document the architecture, set up proper version control (if missing), configure CI/CD, and start maintaining it. This is common. Developers move on, agencies close, and someone needs to pick up the code.

Do you offer ongoing PHP support plans?

Yes. Monthly retainer plans cover security monitoring, dependency updates, bug fixes, and small feature requests. Larger plans include proactive performance monitoring and more development hours. Plan size depends on the application complexity and traffic.

Should I upgrade my PHP application or rebuild it?

Upgrade if the code is reasonably clean, the framework is still maintained, and the application meets your business needs. Rebuild if the code is unmaintainable, the framework is abandoned, or the business has outgrown what the application does. We scope both options and give you the cost comparison.