PHP upgrade service
Website broken after a PHP upgrade?
A PHP change has taken the site down or broken an important feature. Send me the runtime version and the relevant error-log excerpt so I can assess where to start.
Send the PHP version and the relevant error-log excerpt. Remove credentials and personal data first.
I’m Stefan Pilz, a PHP and Shopware developer based in Paphos, Cyprus. I help companies and agencies take over, upgrade and maintain existing PHP software remotely across Europe and worldwide.
- Building PHP websites since 2004
- Work directly with the developer
- Custom applications welcome
- Framework optional
Capture the information that helps diagnosis
Note the previous and new PHP versions, the time of the change and the affected URL or action. An error-log entry is usually more useful than a screenshot of a blank screen. If you cannot access logs, ask the host for the error around the relevant time.
Remove passwords, tokens and personal data before sending an excerpt by email or through the contact form. The initial enquiry needs the error, not a full database export.
Symptoms are clues, not a diagnosis
HTTP 500, fatal error or a blank page
These indicate a failed request, not a single known cause. Incompatible code, a missing extension or configuration can be involved. The log helps narrow it down.
Broken login, form or database operation
A partial failure needs a check of that particular workflow. Sessions, input, drivers or libraries may be involved. A working homepage does not rule these issues out.
Deprecation notices and warnings
Not every message explains the outage. I separate the immediate fault from other compatibility work. Hiding messages does not make the application compatible.
Diagnose before making changes
- Match the failure to the runtime, time and affected action.
- Inspect code and environment in a suitable test setup.
- Correct the cause and check related workflows.
- Release the agreed change and observe the logs.
Whether a temporary runtime rollback is possible and appropriate depends on the host and the incident. It is not a long-term answer for an unsupported version. Changing production without a backup can make recovery harder.
I do not promise that every error has a quick fix. One failure may be isolated; another may reveal an outdated dependency affecting more of the application. Findings determine the next scope of work.
From incident response to a maintainable runtime
A PHP upgrade can focus on keeping the existing application operational. A framework or complete rewrite is not automatically required. See the specific guidance for PHP 7.4 to PHP 8 or custom PHP without a framework.
FAQ
Can you assess anything without server access?
The version and error can often indicate where to investigate. Confirming the cause and scope may require access to code or the environment.
The homepage works but a form does not. Could PHP still be the cause?
Yes. Different features execute different code paths. The specific error and its timing help distinguish a compatibility issue from another fault.
Tell me what your PHP application needs
Send the PHP version and the relevant error-log excerpt. Remove credentials and personal data first.
If available, include the target PHP version and a short description of the application. You do not need a complete specification to get in touch.
