PHP Developer in Chennai for Custom Web Apps & eCommerce

Laravel. My main framework for anything beyond a simple site — CRMs, booking systems, multi-tenant platforms, API-driven apps. Eloquent ORM, migrations, queues and Blade templating make for a maintainable codebase, but Laravel on Indian shared hosting (GoDaddy, Hostinger and similar) has real quirks: many hosts disable proc_open, which silently breaks Artisan commands, so cache and config clearing on a live server often has to be done by deleting the bootstrap/cache files directly rather than running php artisan cache:clear. A stale cached config is also a classic cause of "my fix isn't showing up" bugs — once config:cache has run, changes to your .env file are silently ignored until the cache is cleared, which catches out developers who aren't used to working without SSH.

WordPress. For content-driven sites, brochure sites and WooCommerce stores. The day-to-day work here is less "build a theme from scratch" and more plugin-conflict troubleshooting, functions.php customisation, Elementor/Divi page-builder fixes, and cleaning up sites after a malicious redirect or injected script — usually traced back to an outdated or poorly-sourced plugin installed by a previous developer.

CodeIgniter. Still running a fair number of Chennai business sites built 5-10 years ago, almost always CodeIgniter 3. It's lighter than Laravel and easier to reason about on constrained shared hosting, but CI3 is end-of-life, so this work usually means either patching it safely for now, or planning a controlled, staged migration to Laravel once the business can justify the rebuild — rewriting a live, revenue-generating site all at once is rarely the right call.

Core PHP without any framework still shows up too — legacy admin panels and internal tools built over the years that work fine and don't need a rewrite, just careful, backward-compatible fixes.

Who actually writes the code. Agencies often quote a fixed team but pass day-to-day work to whichever developer is free that week. Ask directly whether the person you're speaking to is the one who will build and maintain your application.

How they price and estimate. A vague quote ("we'll figure it out as we go") is a common source of budget overruns. Look for an hourly or fixed-price estimate given upfront, ideally after they've actually reviewed your requirements or existing code.

What happens after launch. PHP and Laravel applications need occasional maintenance — security patches, PHP version upgrades, small fixes as your business changes. Confirm whether ongoing support is available and roughly what it costs, rather than assuming the relationship ends at delivery.

My own answer to those three questions: I'm the one writing the code, I give an estimate before starting (with a free review of your first minor issue so you can judge the quality), and I stay on as a long-term developer for maintenance and new features afterward.

Being based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu means we work in the same hours. When your checkout breaks at 11am on a Tuesday, you get a reply in minutes — not a response from another continent the next morning. For local businesses, startups and agencies in Chennai, Tambaram, Avadi, OMR, Guindy, T. Nagar and across Tamil Nadu, I'm available for calls and screen-shares whenever a problem needs solving fast.

That said, distance is never a barrier — I also work with clients across India, the Middle East, the US and Europe entirely over WhatsApp and email. Wherever you are, the process is the same: message me, describe the problem, get a free review, and pay only when you're happy.

1. Message me on WhatsApp — describe your project or problem in your own words. Screenshots and links help.

2. Get a free review & honest estimate — I'll look at your site or requirements and tell you exactly what's needed, how long it will take, and what it will cost. If it's a minor issue, I'll fix it free.

3. Pay only when you're happy — work is delivered, you test it, and you pay once you're satisfied. Then I stay available as your long-term developer for anything that comes next.