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Lead Backend Developer

Richard Keen

Every year, some of the backend development team head off to <a href="https://www.phpconference.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">PHP UK Conference at The Brewery in London</a>. With over 300 sponsors, <a href="https://www.phpconference.co.uk/speakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">speakers</a>, and delegates, the conference is all about the latest tips, tricks, and technologies relating to PHP programming. We asked some of the team what their key takeaways were; here’s what they had to say, as well as some behind-the-scenes photos!

Our first takeaway is from Wim Godden from Cu.be Solutions. His talk covered <a href="https://www.redhat.com/en/ansible-collaborative" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ansible</a>, an open-source IT automation tool that simplifies tasks like system configuration, software deployment and workflow orchestration. Ansible is written in Python and uses a human-readable language, so it’s great to work with.Wim gave us an insight into how his company uses Ansible to deploy code to hundreds of different Linux-based machines all over the globe, all with varying states of network connectivity. It was interesting to learn how flexible Ansible is for use cases like this, and a really unique take on code deployment.

01. Unique uses for Ansible

Our next takeaway is from Katy Ereira from Personio. Her talk titled ‘Shrek, Onions and Architecture’ was a great analogy and a good listen, especially when it came to ‘hexagonal architecture’, a software design pattern that aims to create a flexible, maintainable, and loosely coupled system. She also highlighted some useful tips for working with legacy and monolith codebases and how to refactor and organise them to modernise and reduce complexity.We often have clients come to us with complex, dated codebases, so this is something we can’t wait to try out, and we think the benefits for our clients will be great.

02. Codebase efficiencies

Our third takeaway was from Lorna Mitchell, a technology leader and developer experience expert from Yorkshire. She gave an in-depth talk about the latest developments in the OpenAPI Spec, which we’ve recently been using to document some APIs we’ve been working on.OpenAPI Spec can be used for so much more, like documenting 3rd party APIs, while giving you the ability to overlay changes on top of new revisions. Or, you can use software like <a href="https://microcks.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Microcks</a> to run a mock server based off an OpenAPI Spec to rate your spec out of five. This is also really useful for allowing frontend and backend teams to work simultaneously, improving efficiency across the board.

03. More OpenAPI Spec uses

Our final takeaway was from Nils Adermann, co-creator of a powerful tool we use called <a href="https://getcomposer.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Composer</a>. He gave an interesting talk about supply chain security, where he emphasised the importance of not only making our own code secure, but also the third-party code your own code depends on. Securing our own code is the first step, but many people forget about securing third-party code, so hackers often target this code first.Composer manages the metadata of the third-party code used in projects, but pulls the code from the source, like GitHub, where there are lots of ways malicious attackers can control the code, such as GitHub Repo hijacking.Nils goes on to talk about how a lot of these issues can be mitigated and minimised by using tools like Private Packagist in order to secure your own version of both the code and metadata, giving you total control of your security.

04. Supply chain security

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It looks like it’s going to be a good year ahead for PHP, and we can’t wait to bring some of these exciting new features to our client projects in the future to make their websites more secure, streamlined and reliable.We’re already looking forward to PHP UK Conference 2026!

Lead Designer

Sam Leonard-Rendell

Last year was a tough year for WordPress, with seemingly never-ending dramas, publicity nightmares and websites going down all over the web. So, in 2025, we think we’ll begin to see a shift away from WordPress over to more modern, more secure content management system (CMS) options like Payload.WordPress has definitely had its place in the digital world over the last 20 years or so, and is used for just over <a href="https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/cm-wordpress" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">43% of all sites you see on the web</a>. But, it’s become outdated, difficult to manage and insecure. A lot of clients that come across to us here at Si digital often bring their old WordPress builds with them, and they’re often blown away by their new site and CMS when we’ve finished the build and launched. From improved site speed to the simplicity of the CMS to the enhanced site security, CMS’ like Payload are advancing in areas that WordPress has fallen behind in.We made the move across from WordPress to Payload back in 2023, and throughout 2024 we saw the rewards of the move for our clients. You can learn <a href="https://sidigital.co/lab-notes/why-weve-swapped-wordpress-for-payload">more about our move here</a>.

Content Management Systems

Motion UI design is an upcoming 2025 digital trend that we think will take off throughout the year. It’s designed to improve website usability through subtle animation cues, and can help to guide users through a website or user flow with more ease. Animations can help to draw attention to key elements like buttons, or enhance user engagement through dynamic experiences. A few websites are already utilising motion UI design. Take <a href="https://www.apple.com/uk/airpods-pro/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple’s AirPod Pro 2 landing page</a>.

Motion UI

This is a great example of how to draw a user to your page through subtle and dynamic animation and motion. While motion UI design can be time consuming, the rewards for the user can be worth it, especially when it helps users get to the content you want them to see.

90% of people say that using <a href="https://www.demandsage.com/voice-search-statistics/#:~:text=Voice%20Search%20Statistics%202024%20(Top,anticipated%20to%20use%20voice%20assistants." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">voice search is easier than searching online</a>, and with voice assistants like Siri and Alexa becoming increasingly integrated with AI, businesses will need to ensure their websites are optimised for voice search. Throughout 2025, we expect to see websites adapting their content to make it suitable for voice search.This involves some work from both developers and copywriters. Content needs to be clear, direct and optimised for natural language processing (NPL) for voice assistants to be able to return useful results to users.It’s also worth remembering that <a href="https://www.demandsage.com/voice-search-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">27% of users use voice search on mobile devices</a>, so ensuring your site is optimised for mobile is also an important factor when it comes to voice search

Voice Search

The market for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) devices <a href="https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/infographics/virtual-reality-market-101378" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">gradually picked up throughout 2024</a>, and it’s expected to be a $244 billion industry by 2032. In 2025, we’re expecting to see some exciting new VR and AR experiences launching. From entertainment to healthcare to education, VR will begin to integrate into new areas of life, bringing with it new accessible, user-friendly experiences.We also think the line between AR and VR will begin to blur, as both technologies begin to share more and more features.We’re just down the road from one of the <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/research/research-groups-and-centres/ccixr" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">UK’s first VR & AR facilities</a> at the University of Portsmouth, so we’ll be testing out some experiences throughout the year.

Virtual & Augmented Reality

With cyber threats and hacking becoming increasingly sophisticated, digital security will be a top priority for web developers in 2025. With so many potential security threats, developers and businesses will need to introduce more robust security measures, like AI-powered security detection, stronger encryption and two-factor authentication. This is especially important for business that collect sensitive user data.General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) are also <a href="https://www.formiti.com/preparing-for-uk-and-eu-gdpr-compliance-in-2025-navigating-post-brexit-changes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">becoming stricter worldwide</a> in 2025, so staying ahead of the game could be key to ensuring your website’s security this year.

Cybersecurity

We can’t really talk about 2025 digital trends without mentioning AI. We’re excited to see how AI progresses over the next year. As a company, we are investigating the different ways we think we can leverage AI in the future to help both us and our clients, so watch this space.

2025 looks to be an exciting year for digital trends. From Payload through to voice search, it’s going to be a year of exciting opportunities for the world of digital. Keep up to date with our latest news and updates <a href="https://links.sidigital.co/socials">on our socials</a>.

Conclusion

Have a read of some of our other articles

The 2025 digital trends to look out for

Lead Frontend Developer

Danny Walker

You may have <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2024/10/wordpress-wpengine-matt-mullenweg-drama-explained.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">seen the news surrounding WordPress</a> lately. If you haven’t, WordPress has been at the centre of a media storm, causing confusion and concern amongst developers, as well as people who have sites built on WordPress.In September, WordPress CEO, Matt Mullenweg, went after WP Engine (WPE), calling it a “cancer to WordPress”, accusing WPE of taking hundreds of millions of dollars from the WordPress platform. WordPress then sent cease and desist letters to WPE before banning it from accessing WordPress.com entirely. This move has left significant numbers of websites vulnerable to cyberattacks or left them completely unusable.As a result of the issues with WordPress, we’ve been exploring some CMS alternatives. Here’s our top five:

The WordPress whirlwind

Created in 2021, Payload was designed to showcase what can be done when using modern frameworks to build a CMS. Payload can be used for any type of website thanks to it’s easy to use application programming interface (API). It also integrates seamlessly with popular frameworks like Next.js, so it’s a good all-round solution. Here at Si digital, Payload empowers us to create beautiful websites that are fast, easy to manage and highly customisable. If you want to find out more about why we’ve moved to Payload, <a href="https://sidigital.co/lab-notes/why-weve-swapped-wordpress-for-payload" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">have a read of this Lab Note</a>.Advantages:<ul class="list-bullet"><li value=1>It’s simple layout makes its easy to built new pages and navigate</li><li value=2>It’s very fast—creating new pages is rapid, a real time-saver</li><li value=3>Excellent SEO tools make it easy to use and its visual aides help you determine whether your SEO content is working to its full potential</li><li value=4>eCommerce product management means running your online store is simple</li><li value=5>Live previews, see the page you’re building as you build it</li><li value=6>Create your own forms directly in the CMS—really powerful</li><li value=7>Top-quality editorial tools make your content stand out</li></ul>Disadvantages:<ul class="list-bullet"><li value=1>It’s plugin ecosystem is quite small at the moment, and they have to be installed manually rather than through a user interface, meaning development time is required</li><li value=2>Due to its infancy there are some features which require plugins or modification, where other CMSs have these as native features</li></ul>

01. Payload

Released in 2001, Drupal is a developer-focused CMS known for its scalability and customisation capabilities. Drupal has an extensive library of plugins, making it a good option for large or complex websites. It can take time to master due to its complexity, but it allows for granular content management, user roles and internationalisation.Advantages:<ul class="list-bullet"><li value=1>Large plugin library</li><li value=2>Enterprise backing—Drupal is used by lots of government websites and non-profits</li><li value=3>Drupal offers out-of-the-box user and permission management tools, providing security from the get-go</li><li value=4>Large online community makes it easy to get support if you need it</li></ul>Disadvantages:<ul class="list-bullet"><li value=1>It’s a steep learning curve for both developers and users. Its complex CMS can be quite complicated in places</li><li value=2>Hosting can be expensive compared to other options</li><li value=3>Performance is slower than many alternatives</li></ul>

02. Drupal

Craft CMS is similar to both Drupal and WordPress, but it’s much newer, so it has more modern features such as multiple post authors, in-editor live preview and headless support. It also features a fairly neutral user interface, meaning that you’ll feel right at home if you’re moving from other CMS’s. It’s built using PHP, just like WordPress and Drupal, meaning developers can get up to speed quickly and easily.Advantages:<ul class="list-bullet"><li value=1>Easy-to-use user interface makes it easy to pick up if you’re moving from another CMS</li><li value=2>Large plugin directory</li><li value=3>Extremely customisable fields make the CMS a breeze to use</li><li value=4>Easy localisation makes your website accessible anywhere in the world</li></ul>Disadvantages:<ul class="list-bullet"><li value=1>Not free for commercial use, creating an additional cost to your business</li><li value=2>Relies heavily on plugins for what would be considered standard features in other CMSs, such as forms and SEO</li><li value=3>Multiple users are only supported in paid versions</li></ul>

03. Craft CMS

Contentful is a headless CMS, meaning your website and CMS are kept separate, rather than being kept together like the other CMSs we’ve looked at so far. Contentful is hosted in the cloud, so your content is highly available all over the globe.Its headless CMS structure is ideal if you have a fully custom website. Decoupling the CMS and frontend offers countless benefits, including improved security, speed and flexibility. However, it does require a bit more work in the project build phase.Advantages:<ul class="list-bullet"><li value=1>Simple, easy to use user interface</li><li value=2>Fast, and globally available</li><li value=3>AI integration makes for easy content generation and automated routine tasks</li><li value=4>Highly customisable</li><li value=5>It's low maintenance thanks to its cloud-based hosting. Contentful manage and maintain the platform</li></ul>Disadvantages:<ul class="list-bullet"><li value=1>Contentful’s free tier is quite restrictive, which limits what you can achieve without paying</li><li value=2>Interface usability is dependant on how you chose to structure your data, so it can become messy without proper upfront planning</li><li value=3>Standalone CMS which requires an entirely separate frontend build</li></ul>

04. Contentful

While MDX is not a CMS, it’s a different approach to managing website content. With MDX, you edit your content by editing files, like a Word or Notion document, making it a familiar and easy experience for editors to add or change content. MDX extends the functionality provided by Markdown, allowing the addition of custom blocks in and around content. It is also super fast and can be embedded directly into your Next.js project. MDX is best suited for technical marketing teams, developers and solo maintainer projects.Advantages:<ul class="list-bullet"><li value=1>Content loads very quickly</li><li value=2>Pages and posts are editable in a familiar document style, so it is quick and easy to update content</li><li value=3>Not reliant on a separate CMS stack, so less to maintain</li></ul>Disadvantages:<ul class="list-bullet"><li value=1>No user interface whatsoever—you can only edit a file</li><li value=2>If there’s an error in the file, the page won’t load on the frontend</li><li value=3>No user or permissions management</li></ul>

05. MDX

While PHP-based CMSs like WordPress and Drupal have become the go-to option, they are gradually being replaced by faster, lighter and more modern CMSs like Payload and Contentful. PHP based CMSs have shaped the way we build websites over the last 20 years, and have allowed marketeers to independently manage website content without having to continually turn to developers for basic updates. They’ve also allowed people to install themes to start building a site through a ‘full-site editor’ experience without the need to write any code. This is really useful for small companies and individuals, but often come at the cost of flexibility, customisation and site speed, all of which are vital for a website’s success.On the flip-side, setting up a headless CMS will require technical ability, but in return you’ll have a flexible, fully-bespoke website with better security and quicker page load speeds. Our own website, and the <a href="https://www.harwin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website we’ve designed and built for Harwin</a> are both built using Payload and Next.js. The speed of both the frontend and CMS for these sites is unmatched when compared to traditional CMS options.If you’ve got an existing site that uses a traditional CMS, it might be a good time to start thinking moving across to something more modern. So <a href="https://sidigital.co/contact" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">get in touch</a> if you’re ready to make the jump from WordPress to a new, drama-free CMS.

Lab Notes