Think PHP is a relic of the past? Think again! In 2025, PHP powers 77.4% of websites worldwide, driving platforms like WordPress (43.5% of the web), Wikipedia, and even parts of Slack’s infrastructure (Kinsta, 2025).

It’s not just surviving — it’s thriving, delivering fast, scalable, and cost-effective solutions for businesses of all sizes.

Let’s explore why PHP, especially with frameworks like Laravel, is a top choice for startups, enterprises, and decision-makers looking to build smarter and cheaper. Plus, we’ll clear up myths about PHP’s role in platforms like Shopify and Slack, and showcase its modern edge.

PHP’s Superpower: Building Web Apps with Speed and Scale 🌐

PHP excels at creating web applications, CMS platforms, and e-commerce systems. Its server-side scripting makes dynamic websites a breeze, and frameworks like Laravel enable rapid development of APIs and complex systems.

While Shopify itself is built on Ruby on Rails, developers widely use Laravel to create custom Shopify apps via its robust API, enhancing store functionality for tasks like inventory management or customer analytics (Eastside Co, 2019).

Slack, meanwhile, relies on PHP to handle web request processing and parts of its backend, proving its capability for high-traffic platforms (Citrusbug, 2024).

Case Study: A Monocubed client built an invoicing system with PHP and cut operational costs by 30% within a year, showcasing its ROI potential.

Compare this to Java or Python, where development cycles can be longer and hosting costs higher — PHP’s efficiency is hard to beat.

Cost-Effectiveness: Save Big Without Sacrificing Quality 💰

• Open-source = no licensing fees
• Cheap hosting (shared servers FTW)
• Lower labor costs: In the UK, PHP devs earn ~£42,000 vs. £58,000 for Python devs (The Knowledge Academy, 2025)

For businesses, this means faster builds and higher ROI. A Laravel-based e-commerce site can go live in weeks, not months, saving thousands in dev time.

Developer Experience: Modern, Smooth, and Fun 🛠️

Forget the old days of messy PHP code. In 2025:

• PhpStorm makes coding feel like cheating
• Laravel offers elegant syntax & batteries-included dev
• Git + Composer + Testing tools = silky workflow
• The PHP community is alive and kickin’, especially with the PHP Foundation & Stack Overflow helping devs daily

Code Example: A simple Laravel API endpoint:

<?php
use App\Models\Product;
use Illuminate\Http\Request;

Route::get('/products', function (Request $request) {
    return response()->json(Product::all());
});

This sets up a RESTful API in minutes — perfect for e-commerce or data-driven apps.

The Future: PHP’s Growth Trajectory 📈

The PHP framework market is projected to grow from $1.2B (2023) to $2.8B (2032) at a CAGR of 9.5% (Dataintelo, 2025).

Laravel continues leading the pack — fueling scalable e-commerce, headless architectures, and serverless setups.

Rewriting PHP’s Reputation ✍️

Gone are the days of spaghetti code.

• PHP 8.x brings JIT, union types, and robust security
• Laravel enforces best practices and modern standards
• Today’s PHP is secure, fast, and battle-tested

(Arfadia, 2025)

PHP vs. the Competition: Why It Wins

Feature	PHP	Java	Python	JavaScript
Market Share	77.4% of websites	Enterprise-heavy	10–15% web	62% (client-side)
Cost	Free, cheap hosting	Licensing fees	Free, pricier hosting	Free, hosting varies
Best For	Web apps, CMS, e-com	Large systems	Data science, backends	Front-end, Node.js
Speed to Market	Fast (Laravel)	Slower	Moderate	Fast (Node.js)

Clarifying Myths: Shopify and Slack’s PHP Connection

Shopify

While Shopify’s core is Ruby on Rails, Laravel is a go-to for custom app development via the Shopify API. Packages like kyon147/laravel-shopify Simplify integration for:

• Automated inventory updates
• Custom checkout flows

(Cloudways, 2023)

Slack

PHP handles critical backend tasks like web request processing, making it essential to Slack’s infrastructure, even if it’s not in the spotlight.

(Citrusbug, 2024)

Build Smarter with Witsberry 🌟

At Witsberry, we leverage PHP and Laravel to craft full-stack apps with unmatched speed and cost-efficiency. From e-commerce platforms to custom Shopify apps, we deliver solutions that maximize ROI and scale effortlessly.

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