How Do I Get Back into Freelancing After a 9-Year Break as a PHP Developer?

Technology hasn’t drastically changed, to be honest. It's still about the same CRUD operations, but you might want to look into Laravel if you're sticking with PHP; it’s been a popular choice. Modern JS frameworks like React or Vue are also in demand, and it’s worth exploring them since they can help with front-end work. Oh, and consider ditching jQuery since modern JavaScript has improved a lot to cover those functionalities! Overall, stick with the basics and familiarize yourself with new frameworks when you're ready.

Honestly, I think it’s great that you want to return! If you stick to the fundamentals—vanilla PHP, JavaScript, and CSS—that could keep you versatile as a freelancer. Forget getting bogged down by frameworks if you don’t want to. Mastering CSS Grid and Flexbox can help you create amazing layouts. You could also check out hosting options like DigitalOcean for your projects. It'll be a reliable way to deploy what you develop.

Make sure to check job boards since they can give you a clear idea of the tech stacks companies are seeking. PHP hasn't gone out of style—especially with Laravel and the introduction of PHP 8, which has cool new features. You'll also want to understand a bit about modern CSS since it’s evolved massively, allowing for cleaner designs without heavy JS.

I second Laravel! It’s got a huge market and tons of jobs available. With your background, you should be able to transition back smoothly. It's all about marketing your skills; even if you've been away for a while, your experience still counts. Also, learning some TypeScript could really help since it’s gaining traction in many projects today, both frontend and backend.

Totally agree! Laravel is definitely worth it. It's easy to pick up if you already know PHP. For the frontend, I suggest diving into either Vue or React. It's not just about PHP and MySQL anymore; clients expect modern interfaces, so being familiar with these will really help your job prospects. And yeah, don’t stress about jQuery too much; it’s fading out in favor of more powerful libraries.