Technologies
PHP: the language running most of the web, modernized
Seven in ten websites with a known server-side language run PHP — and over a third of them sit on an unsupported branch.
PHP runs 70.6% of the websites whose server-side programming language is known, according to W3Techs on 30 July 2026 — from blogs to platforms serving millions of users. Its poor reputation belongs to another era: PHP 8, the modern generation, runs several times faster than old versions and supports engineering practices on par with any current language. For businesses, PHP carries two economic arguments that are hard to beat: inexpensive hosting available everywhere and a broad developer market at reasonable rates. We use it through Laravel for business applications and WordPress for content sites, and we take over and modernize inherited PHP systems. Where we do not recommend it: applications with intense real-time communication, or teams standardizing on JavaScript — other technologies fit those cases more naturally.
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What you get
Economy at every level
Cheap hosting, a large developer market and mature free libraries — one of the lowest totals cost of ownership in the industry.
PHP 8: genuine performance
Modern versions run several times faster than the PHP of a decade ago — applications stay responsive without expensive infrastructure.
No problem without precedent
After decades in production across the web, every situation you hit already has documented solutions — debugging never starts from zero.
Frequently asked questions
Isn't PHP outdated?
The perception comes from old code, not the current language: PHP 8 with Laravel powers modern, fast, secure applications. What is outdated is code left untouched for years — exactly what we modernize.
We run a PHP system written 10 years ago — what now?
We assess before deciding anything: gradual modernization — new PHP version, security hardening, module-by-module refactoring — often costs a fraction of a rewrite and removes the major risks within months.
Which PHP version should we be running?
PHP 8.4 or 8.5 for anything new. Branch 8.2 only receives security fixes until 31 December 2026 according to php.net, so it is no longer a sensible floor for a project starting now. We plan the upgrade branch by branch, with a test environment ahead of production.
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Let’s talk about your project
Message us on WhatsApp or send an email — you talk directly to a developer.
office@northdan.com · +40 752 070 247