# Choose technology for the work it needs to do. > A practical view of Webvelopment’s approach to PHP, WordPress, custom software, integrations and static websites. Canonical page: https://webvelopment.co.za/about/technology-stack/ Language: en Technology choices Tell us what people need to publish, what staff need to do and where information needs to go. We use those tasks to assess PHP, Laravel, WordPress, integrations and static websites, alongside the work your team will take on after launch. [Let’s talk](https://webvelopment.co.za/contact/) ## Start with the operating requirements ![Two colleagues working side by side with laptops and notebooks.](https://webvelopment.co.za/images/lifestyle/pair-programming-1400.webp) Illustrative photography · [Christina @ wocintechchat.com M / Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/two-women-using-macbook-pro-KzU0ezL9tJo) Before discussing frameworks, we want to understand an ordinary day with the system. Who changes a service description? What needs approval? Where should an enquiry arrive? A publishing site and an internal workflow application may need different answers. Bring a representative page, form or task, along with the part that is difficult today. It gives us something concrete to assess, including whether your existing system could do the job with a smaller change. ## PHP and application development Our [PHP development](https://webvelopment.co.za/services/development/php-development/) and [Laravel development](https://webvelopment.co.za/services/development/laravel-development/) services cover business applications and existing codebases. We look at the rules the application must preserve as well as its code: which records staff can change, what makes a request valid and what happens when a step fails. For existing software, access, dependency support, data ownership and the release process help establish what can safely change. An upgrade or framework choice needs a reason tied to that application. ## WordPress and business publishing [WordPress development](https://webvelopment.co.za/services/websites/wordpress-development/) can suit teams that need ongoing content editing. We plan the content types, reusable templates and plugins around what editors actually update. For example, changing a service description and publishing an article should be demonstrated with representative content before the editing approach is agreed. That conversation also covers who approves content and who handles hosting, updates and backups after handover. ## Static websites and lightweight interfaces Where the publishing and interaction requirements fit, static output can simplify how public pages are delivered. This website uses Hugo and Bootstrap with a small amount of vanilla JavaScript. Important page content is rendered as HTML, with local assets and no dependency on a browser application framework. The editing workflow still matters. Consider who will make the next content change and how it reaches the live site. Forms and other business interactions also need their own delivery arrangements. ## Integrations and operational design [API integrations](https://webvelopment.co.za/services/development/api-integrations/) connect a technical interface to a task someone relies on. For a proposed enquiry-to-CRM connection, we would ask which fields sales needs, how to recognise a repeated delivery and where staff can find a failed record. Field mapping, authentication and retries follow from those requirements. We verify third-party API access and subscription requirements before making delivery commitments. ## What the proposal should explain A useful proposal explains why a technology fits your tasks, which alternatives were considered and what the choice will cost to operate. It should identify supplier dependencies, maintenance responsibilities and how the system can be recovered if a change goes wrong. [Bring us the technical challenge](https://webvelopment.co.za/contact/) and the business context behind it. ## Evaluate the operating model as well as the framework If a marketing colleague needs to change a page every week, include that task in the comparison. If a developer must publish each change, make sure that arrangement is workable for your team. Compare a suitable existing tool with custom implementation, including subscriptions and the work each leaves with your staff. A feature list alone will not tell you which option is easier to live with. ## Separate evidence of a service from a claim about a project Our service pages describe work we can discuss with you; they do not establish the technology behind every portfolio example. A project image alone cannot tell you its framework, and a technology logo does not establish certification or a maintenance arrangement. For your project, ask how the proposed tools meet the requirements. We check runtime and dependency support against current vendor information during discovery, rather than relying on a familiar name. [Review WordPress delivery](https://webvelopment.co.za/services/websites/wordpress-development/) · [Review PHP development](https://webvelopment.co.za/services/development/php-development/) · [Discuss your operating requirements](https://webvelopment.co.za/contact/). ## Questions for a better brief A few useful answers before you decide. ### How do you choose between WordPress and custom software? Start with the task. If your team mainly needs to publish service pages and articles, assess the editing experience. If staff must follow specialised business rules, assess the application workflow. WordPress, custom development or an existing product and integration may fit different parts of the requirement. We also consider who will maintain each option. ### Does an existing PHP application have to be replaced? Not automatically. We first need to see it running and understand its important business rules, dependencies and release process. Targeted improvements may preserve useful behaviour and reduce migration risk. If a rebuild is proposed, compare the work of moving data and keeping operations running as well as the new features. Age alone does not settle the decision. ### When is a static website a useful option? When the publishing and interaction requirements fit, and the team can manage the agreed editing and deployment workflow. Static output can simplify public pages, while forms or business interactions still need real server-side services. Include contact delivery and integrations in the plan so the website can support the tasks visitors came to complete. ### What should be checked before an API integration is promised? Check access, available interfaces, required subscriptions, data ownership and supplier constraints. Then agree which fields move, how access is authenticated and what happens to duplicates or failed deliveries. A successful sample request is useful evidence, but staff also need a way to find and resolve a record that did not arrive. ### What belongs in a technical handover? Include the agreed source and access, environment and deployment instructions, key decisions, dependencies and checks for future changes. Explain how to perform critical tasks, such as publishing an update or investigating a failed transfer where relevant. Identify who owns licences, hosting and maintenance so a new team can find both the instructions and the responsible people. ### Does a platform choice establish security or legal compliance? No general technology label provides that assurance. The actual application, data, permissions, deployment and operating practices need appropriate review. Business, legal and security owners determine the requirements for the engagement. We need to explain what must be checked for your implementation; a platform name cannot stand in for that review or establish certification. Let’s move things forward ## Start a conversation Tell us what you are working towards. We’ll help you find a practical next step. [Let’s talk](https://webvelopment.co.za/contact/)