Backend Developer (PHP & Laravel)

As a Backend Developer at Patchstack, your main responsibilities include developing web-based PHP applications using Laravel, refactoring existing code to align with the latest PHP 8 standards, and ensuring your code is well-documented and tested. You'll regularly coordinate with team members to provide updates on your progress, ensuring that everyone is aligned with project goals.

To be a successful Backend Developer at Patchstack, candidates should have strong proficiency in PHP and Laravel, experience with tools like PHPCS and PHPStan, and a good understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. A solid grasp of SQL and version control systems like Git is essential, along with excellent communication skills in English. Experience in remote teams is also a plus.

Absolutely! At Patchstack, we emphasize the importance of security because our primary mission is to help developers patch vulnerabilities in their applications. As a Backend Developer, you will be expected to write clean, reusable code with a strong focus on performance and security, ensuring that the web applications you work on are robust and secure.

Patchstack fosters a collaborative and supportive team culture. As a fully remote company, we prioritize communication and teamwork, ensuring that every member has the opportunity to contribute to discussions about the company’s direction. You’ll find that everyone is eager to help and share knowledge, creating an environment where you can grow alongside your peers.

The Backend Developer position at Patchstack comes with an array of benefits, including competitive salary with stock options, paid vacations, and support for work-from-home equipment. We also offer paid training for personal development, fitness club memberships, and a vibrant work atmosphere away from corporate constraints, allowing for greater flexibility and work-life balance.

When answering this question, highlight specific projects you've worked on using PHP and Laravel. Discuss your familiarity with the framework, the types of applications you’ve built, and any challenges you overcame. Mention any relevant tools or techniques, like unit testing or security considerations, that showcase your expertise.

To answer this, discuss your approach to security best practices, such as input validation, error handling, and implementing secure authentication methods. Highlight tools or methodologies you use, like OWASP guidelines or code reviews, to maintain security throughout the development process.

Discuss your familiarity with Git or any other version control systems. Emphasize its importance for team collaboration, code management, and historical tracking of changes. Provide examples of how you’ve used version control in past projects to resolve conflicts or manage multiple versions of code.

Share strategies you use to communicate effectively with remote teammates, such as regular check-ins, using project management tools, or video calls. Emphasize the importance of clear communication and setting expectations to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Be prepared to walk the interviewer through a specific coding challenge you've encountered. Explain the context, the steps you took to analyze the problem, the solution you implemented, and the outcome. This illustrates your problem-solving skills and technical expertise.

In your response, discuss the significance of clean code for maintainability and readability. Share your personal coding standards and any tools you use, such as PHPCS, to enforce coding style. Provide an example of how clean code practices have improved a project you’ve worked on.

Discuss various resources such as industry blogs, forums, online courses, or community groups. Mention any conferences or meetups you attend, as well as how you apply newly learned information and practices in your work.

Clearly articulate the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture and its purpose in structuring web applications. Provide examples of how you’ve implemented or utilized MVC in Laravel to separate concerns and improve application scalability.

Outline your approach to onboarding, such as understanding the team dynamics, familiarizing yourself with the codebase, and identifying any immediate areas for improvement. Highlight the importance of building relationships with team members and contributing to the company’s goals.

Discuss your familiarity with unit testing in PHP and any frameworks you've used (like PHPUnit). Describe your process for writing tests, how you incorporate them into your workflow, and any instances where testing saved you or your team from potential issues.