A safer, supported PHP environment. A website that still works the way it should.
I help businesses upgrade WordPress, Joomla, and custom PHP websites—with compatibility fixes and careful testing built in.
Experienced developer. Clear scope. Hired through Upwork.
Have a question first? Ask me hereWordPress. Joomla. Custom PHP.
One experienced pair of hands.
PHP support has a lifecycle. Staying on a supported branch matters—but your website’s code and dependencies need to be ready for the move, too.
Updating PHP is one part of website security. Your CMS, extensions, application code, and hosting configuration need attention as well.
From a business website to a bespoke application, I handle the upgrade and the compatibility work that comes with it.
Keep your website moving forward.
Resolve plugin, theme, WordPress core, and WooCommerce compatibility issues.
A clear path for your Joomla website.
Navigate PHP changes alongside Joomla core, extensions, and templates.
Bring your business logic up to date.
Modernize bespoke applications and PHP frameworks with careful code-level fixes.
Changing a setting in your hosting panel is the easy part. Understanding why a website breaks—and knowing how to repair it—is where experience matters.
Work with me on UpworkHands-on work upgrading, maintaining, and troubleshooting hundreds of PHP-based websites.
Extensive freelance experience with business owners, teams, and the websites they depend on.
Practical knowledge of WordPress, Joomla, custom PHP, malware cleanup, and hosting migrations.
Start with an assessment. Make changes with a recovery plan. Test the features your business relies on.
Review your PHP version, CMS, extensions, themes, custom code, and hosting setup.
Create appropriate file and database backups and agree on a recovery plan.
Update the environment and resolve incompatible code, plugins, and extensions.
Check forms, authentication, checkout, database integrations, and other critical workflows.
Review errors, confirm the upgrade, and share a clear summary of the work performed.
You don’t need to know what’s wrong before we talk. These are good places to start.
I trace the error to its source, then repair incompatible code or dependencies.
I investigate the error logs and isolate the plugin, theme, or core compatibility issue.
I assess extension compatibility and identify suitable updates, fixes, or replacements.
I review the hosting notice and map out a supported upgrade path for your website.
I check deprecated features and removed functions, then scope the changes needed.
I update affected code and dependencies instead of simply hiding the notices.
I assess the legacy code and integrations and plan a practical migration to supported PHP.
I investigate checkout compatibility and test the purchase flow after the fix.
Every website is different.
Here’s what to know before upgrading.
Supported PHP branches receive fixes under the official PHP lifecycle. Upgrading helps address known runtime issues and maintain compatibility. Your CMS, extensions, custom code, and server still need their own security maintenance.
PHP 7.4 reached end of life on 28 November 2022 and no longer receives official PHP security fixes. A hosting provider may offer separate extended support, but you should plan a migration to an officially supported branch.
Official security support for PHP 8.1 ended on 31 December 2025. It is end of life. Check the official PHP supported versions page for the current lifecycle before choosing your target.
Choose an officially supported PHP branch compatible with your installed WordPress version, plugins, and theme. Check the current WordPress requirements and test your complete site in staging before changing production.
Yes. Removed functions, stricter type handling, and incompatible dependencies can cause errors. A compatibility assessment, backups, staging where available, and functional testing help reduce disruption.
Usually the existing design can stay. The work focuses on runtime compatibility and underlying code. If an unsupported theme or template needs replacement, I will explain the options before proceeding.
Yes. I can investigate logs, identify incompatible components, and scope the repairs. A temporary rollback may help restore service while a supported upgrade is prepared, if the host provides that option.
Yes. I assess custom code, dependencies, database access, and hosting requirements. Legacy applications can require substantial refactoring; the assessment establishes a realistic scope.
It depends on the age and complexity of the site and the condition of its dependencies. A maintained site can be straightforward; legacy code or abandoned extensions may need more work. I provide an estimate after assessment.
Yes. Open my Upwork profile to discuss your website, share your current PHP version and hosting notice if available, and agree on scope and milestones before work begins.
Not sure whether your website needs a PHP upgrade, what a hosting notice means, or what’s involved? Send me your question and a little context about your website. I can help clarify the next steps.
If useful, include your website URL, current PHP version, and whether you use WordPress, Joomla, or a custom application. Please don’t include passwords or other sensitive information.
WordPress, Joomla, or custom PHP—let’s identify what needs attention
and plan a reliable path forward.
16 years’ experience · 800+ clients · 900+ projects
Work through Upwork’s established hiring and payment platform.