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Hire Zend developers who modernize enterprise PHP without a risky rewrite.

Enterprise PHP built on Zend Framework or its successor, Laminas, engineers who specialize in reading a decade-old codebase carefully and moving it forward incrementally, module by module, instead of proposing a rewrite as the first answer.

48haverage match3%acceptance rate120+engineers placed, all roles
Legacy audit

Mapping what a Zend/Laminas codebase actually does before changing any of it.

Incremental modernization

PHP version upgrades and Zend-to-Laminas migration done route by route.

Module & service refactoring

Untangling MVC modules and service layers without breaking working behavior.

Test coverage backfill

Writing the tests a legacy module never had, before refactoring it.

Skills & tools

What strong Zend Developers know cold.

Core
Zend FrameworkLaminasPHP 8
Architecture
MVCService layerDependency injection
Migration
ComposerPSR standardsVersion upgrades
Testing
PHPUnitStatic analysis
Why hire through Code Elevator
Incremental by discipline, not default caution. We screen for engineers who plan a migration in shippable pieces behind feature flags, so the roadmap doesn't freeze for a quarter waiting on a rewrite.
Reads before it rewrites. Real comfort auditing a large, undocumented enterprise codebase and explaining what it does before proposing what changes.
Tests before refactoring, not after. Coverage gets backfilled on a module before it's touched, so a modernization pass doesn't quietly introduce regressions.
Typical rate

from $23/hr

A typical range. Your final rate depends on experience level, timezone overlap and how long you book for.

See engagement models
How we vet

Four stages. Three percent get through.

Floor 01 · pass rate38%Still standing after floor 01.
  1. 01Screening38%Résumé, background, and communication check, the fastest way to rule out a bad fit.
  2. 02Technical Deep Dive22%A senior engineer probes real system design and stack depth, not trivia.
  3. 03Live Build Test9%A timed, real-world task. We watch how they actually ship, not just what they claim.
  4. 04Client Fit Interview3%Ownership, reliability, and how they work inside your team on day one.
Every hire
  • Shortlist in 48 hoursProfiles, not a waiting list.
  • Free replacementWrong fit swapped at no cost.
  • No conversion feeHire them direct whenever you want.
  • IP yours from day oneAssigned in writing, not at handover.
  • Month to monthNo lock-in, and no notice period.
Proof

Shipped, not slideware.

What clients say

On camera, in their own words.

Client video

Why he brought his development work to Code Elevator.

MikePlays here
Related roles

Hiring for something adjacent?

Questions

Answered before you ask.

Zend Framework itself is end-of-life; its successor, Laminas, is the actively maintained continuation under the same architecture. Most engagements start with assessing how far a codebase is from that migration path.

In most cases, in place, a full rewrite is rarely justified once you weigh the risk against an incremental migration that ships in pieces and gets measured along the way. We'll say if your case is a genuine exception.

Manageable with the right approach: audit first, backfill test coverage on what you're about to touch, and migrate module by module behind flags so any regression is caught early and scoped small.

Depends entirely on codebase size and how much test coverage already exists. We'll give a real estimate after the audit, not before it.

What you're not risking

Every way out of this hire is already written down.

Two-week replacement

Not a fit? Replace anyone in the first two weeks. No questions asked, no replacement fee. We re-match from the same vetted pool.

No placement fee

You pay only for engineers who actually start. Seeing candidates costs nothing.

No lock-in

Dedicated and managed engagements run on a monthly rolling contract. Cancel with notice.

Rate agreed up front

You see the number before you commit. Nothing is added on top of it later.

Get started

Bring us the legacy system. Three matched engineers in 48 hours.

Tell us what it runs on today and what's breaking. We'll scope an honest migration path before recommending a rewrite.

We reply within an hour during our working day in India and the UAE.

Chat with our team