PHP 8.5 Laravel · Symfony · WordPress

PHP development that powers fast, secure websites and web apps

We build Laravel applications, WordPress and WooCommerce sites, and APIs in modern PHP, and we upgrade old PHP 7 sites to PHP 8.5 so they are faster and safer.

By the numbers

PHP still runs most of the web

Live figures from W3Techs, 13 October 2026.

69.7%of websites with a known server-side language use PHP

Which PHP version do those sites run?

64.7% PHP 827.4% PHP 77.8% PHP 5

About 35% of PHP websites still run PHP 7 or older — versions with no security fixes. Upgrade and maintenance plans

42.4%of all websites run on WordPress, which is built in PHP
PHP 8.5

The new pipe operator, step by step

PHP 8.5 lets you pass a value through a chain of functions from left to right, so code reads in the order it runs. Watch a page title turn into a clean URL slug.

  1. ' techtarn web 'Input
  2. |> trim(...)'techtarn web'
  3. |> ucwords(...)'Techtarn Web'
  4. |> fn($s) => str_replace(' ', '-', $s)'Techtarn-Web'
  5. |> strtolower(...)'techtarn-web'
Support timeline

Is your PHP version still getting security fixes?

Each PHP release gets two years of active support and then two years of security fixes only.

2022202320242025202620272028202920302031
PHP 8.1
Ended Dec 2025
PHP 8.2
Security fixes until Dec 2026
PHP 8.3
Security fixes until Dec 2027
PHP 8.4
Active until Dec 2026, security to Dec 2028
PHP 8.5
Active until Dec 2027, security to Dec 2029
PHP 8.6
Expected 19 Nov 2026
Today
Speed

Newer PHP is much faster

PHP 7 roughly doubled speed over PHP 5, and every PHP 8 release has kept improving. Upgrading is often the cheapest performance win. Bars are an illustrative relative speed index.

  1. PHP 5.6
  2. PHP 7.0
  3. PHP 7.4
  4. PHP 8.0
  5. PHP 8.5
PHP or another stack?

Choosing your web technology

We work across stacks and recommend what fits your product and hosting.

TechnologyStrengthsWhen we choose it
PHP / LaravelRuns almost everywhere, huge CMS and e-commerce ecosystem, affordable hostingWebsites, stores, SaaS, CMS-driven products
Node.jsJavaScript end to end, real-timeChat, live dashboards, JS-first teams
Python / DjangoBatteries included plus AI librariesData- and AI-heavy products
Ruby on RailsFastest MVPs with strong conventionsStartups and internal tools
C# / .NETEnterprise Microsoft ecosystemAzure and Microsoft-centric companies
FAQ

PHP development questions

Straight answers to what clients ask us most.

Is PHP still a good choice in 2026?

Yes. PHP powers about 70% of websites whose server-side language is known, including WordPress, and modern PHP 8 is fast, typed and well supported. Laravel and Symfony make it a strong choice for SaaS, portals and APIs.

Which PHP version should we use?

PHP 8.5 for new work, or at least PHP 8.4. PHP 8.1 stopped receiving security fixes at the end of 2025, and PHP 8.2 stops at the end of 2026. PHP 8.6 is expected on 19 November 2026.

Our site runs PHP 7. Is that a problem?

Yes. PHP 7 has had no security fixes since 2022, yet about a quarter of PHP websites still run it. Upgrading improves security, speed and compatibility with modern plugins. We test everything on a staging copy first.

What is new in PHP 8.5?

PHP 8.5 (November 2025) added the pipe operator (|>) for readable chains of function calls, a built-in URI extension, clone-with for updating properties while cloning, the #[\NoDiscard] attribute and many smaller improvements.

Laravel or WordPress?

WordPress is best when content and marketing pages are the core. Laravel is best for custom applications with users, workflows and business logic. Many clients use both: WordPress for the website and Laravel for the app.

Can you speed up our slow PHP website?

Usually, yes. Common wins are upgrading PHP, enabling OPcache, fixing slow database queries, adding caching and optimising images. We measure Core Web Vitals before and after.

Do you maintain existing PHP sites?

Yes. We offer monthly maintenance with PHP and plugin updates, security monitoring, backups and small changes.

How much does PHP development cost?

It depends on scope. We give a fixed price per milestone after discovery, or provide dedicated PHP developers monthly.

Get In Touch

Ready to build with PHP?

Tell us what you want to build, your data and integrations, and your timeline. We reply within 4 business hours with honest advice.

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Response TimeWithin 4 business hours (your timezone)
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