Hiring the right Laravel developer can be the difference between a fast, secure, scalable application and one that constantly struggles with performance or maintenance issues. Laravel, a PHP framework loved for its clean syntax and powerful features, is widely used for everything from small business websites to enterprise-grade platforms. But with so many developers in the market, how do you identify the right one?
The truth is, not every Laravel developer has the same skill set. Some may have strong coding abilities but lack experience in database management, testing, or deployment. Others may be great at building applications quickly but struggle when projects demand scalability. That’s why having a checklist before you hire Laravel developers is essential to ensure you evaluate candidates not just on technical skills but also on problem-solving ability, communication, and experience with real-world projects.
In this blog, we will walk through a practical checklist you can use to make confident hiring decisions. From assessing their technical skills to understanding their cost structures and collaboration styles, you will know exactly what to look for before onboarding your Laravel expert.
Key Skills and Qualities That Make a Laravel Developer Stand Out
1. Assess Core Laravel and PHP Proficiency
The foundation of hiring a great Laravel developer lies in their mastery of PHP and Laravel itself. Laravel is built on PHP, so fluency in the language is non-negotiable. A developer should understand core concepts like object-oriented programming, MVC architecture, and REST APIs.
But beyond PHP, Laravel comes with its own ecosystem of tools, Eloquent ORM, Blade templating, and Artisan CLI, to name a few. Can the developer create efficient queries using Eloquent? Do they know how to use Blade for building dynamic front-end views? Are they comfortable automating repetitive tasks with Artisan?
Asking these questions during an interview gives you insight into whether the candidate truly understands the framework or just has surface-level experience. Tech companies that hire Laravel developers without checking for depth often end up with applications that work—but aren’t optimized for long-term performance.
Check Database and Backend Management Skills
Laravel applications are only as strong as the database structures that support them. A skilled Laravel developer should not only know how to interact with MySQL or PostgreSQL but also understand advanced database design.
Why does this matter? Poorly designed databases can slow down queries, impact application speed, and even create vulnerabilities. An experienced developer will understand normalization, indexing, and database migrations. Laravel makes handling migrations easier, but only a knowledgeable developer can design schemas that scale with your business.
When hiring, ask candidates about their past experience with large-scale database management. For example: Have they worked with applications serving thousands of users simultaneously? How do they ensure efficient data retrieval under heavy load? These questions separate average coders from professionals who can future-proof your project.
At this stage, many businesses specifically look to hire expert Laravel developers who can balance coding efficiency with backend stability.
Evaluate Testing and Debugging Expertise
Even the cleanest code will encounter bugs. The real test of a Laravel developer’s skill is how effectively they handle testing and debugging. Laravel provides built-in tools like PHPUnit for automated testing, but not every developer knows how to leverage them fully.
Good developers write unit tests and functional tests to ensure every component of the application works as intended. This proactive approach reduces downtime and saves businesses from expensive fixes later. Debugging skills also matter, look for candidates who can quickly identify issues, trace errors, and apply efficient fixes without introducing new bugs.
If your project is mission-critical, say, an e-commerce platform handling payments, testing is non-negotiable. Many tech companies learned the hard way during peak sales events that skipping rigorous testing can result in crashes, leading to lost revenue and unhappy customers.
Verify Security Best Practices
With data breaches and cyber threats on the rise, security should never be an afterthought. Laravel provides developers with security features such as hashed passwords, CSRF protection, and SQL injection safeguards. But implementing them correctly requires expertise.
When evaluating candidates, ask them how they would secure an authentication system or prevent cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. Can they explain encryption methods and their role in protecting user data? Their answers will reveal whether they are capable of building applications that are not only functional but also safe for your users.
Strong security practices are particularly crucial if you are developing applications in industries like healthcare or fintech. Here, compliance and trust are just as important as functionality.
Explore Real-World Project Experience
Experience is often the best teacher. Developers who have worked on multiple Laravel projects bring insights that go beyond technical skills. They have likely faced real-world challenges like optimizing page load speeds, integrating third-party APIs, or scaling an app to handle traffic spikes.
When interviewing, request a portfolio or case studies of previous projects. For example: Did they build a multi-vendor marketplace? Or perhaps they integrated a payment gateway into an enterprise application? Reviewing these projects will help you gauge how prepared they are to handle the specific needs of your business.
For startups especially, hiring Laravel developers with a track record of building scalable apps can mean fewer roadblocks and faster growth.This is also why some organizations prefer to hire Laravel programmers with specialized experience instead of generalist developers.
Understand Collaboration and Communication Skills
Technical brilliance is wasted if the developer cannot work effectively with a team. Many Laravel projects involve designers, front-end developers, QA testers, and business analysts. Without strong communication, misalignment happens, deadlines get missed, and features are built incorrectly.
When hiring, evaluate how well the developer explains technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. Can they document their code in a way that others can easily follow? Do they show openness to feedback during a code review? These qualities can dramatically impact the success of your project.
Tech companies often highlight this as a top reason why some hires succeed while others don’t. Developers who communicate well make projects smoother, faster, and less stressful for everyone involved.
Compare Hiring Models and Costs
Finally, consider which hiring model best fits your project. Some businesses prefer full-time developers, while others rely on freelancers or agencies. Each model has pros and cons:
- Freelancers are cost-effective for short-term projects but may lack long-term commitment.
- Full-time developers bring stability but increase overhead costs.
- Agencies or tech companies offer complete teams, making them ideal for complex, large-scale applications.
Costs also vary by region. For example, hiring Laravel developers from North America may cost significantly more than from Asia or Eastern Europe. The key is balancing your budget with the level of expertise you require.
Closing Remarks
Laravel has proven itself as one of the most versatile PHP frameworks for building scalable, secure, and feature-rich web applications. But the real key to success lies in hiring the right talent.
By following this checklist, you will be able to assess whether a candidate has the technical skills, security awareness, real-world experience, and communication abilities needed for your project. Choosing to hire Laravel developers is not just about filling a technical role, it’s about finding a long-term partner who can help you scale and maintain your business-critical applications.
For companies serious about growth, investing in skilled Laravel talent is one of the smartest moves you can make today.