OpenLampTech - Developer Interview with Ryan Chandler
Veteran Software developer Ryan Chandler shares insights and information for the community in this OpenLampTech developer interview.
Welcome to this OpenLampTech text-based developer interview.
From Java and Visual Basic to Laravel and several open-source projects, longtime software developer Ryan Chandler is quite active in the PHP community.
I reached out to Ryan with the hopes he would share some developer tips and insights with the OpenLampTech readers and community, to which he agreed.
Needless to say, I'm very excited Ryan took the time to share his knowledge and experience with the OpenLampTech community.
And now without any further ado, on to the interview.
Q: Please introduce yourself and tell us what you currently do for a living.
My name is Ryan Chandler. I’m a software developer who is currently working as a full-time Laravel developer for a small agency in the United Kingdom.
I’ve been writing code since I was a kid, specifically Visual Basic and Java and slowly worked my way through various technologies until I became a full-time developer 6 years ago.
I maintain and contribute to multiple open-source projects on GitHub and also have a keen interest in systems programming and programming language theory, design and development.
Besides PHP, I have experience writing other languages (both professionally and for hobby purposes) including Go, C#, C++, Swift and Rust.
Q: What PHP framework(s) and/or CMS(s) are you interested in the most or currently using (if any) and why?
I spend most of my time working with Laravel, but have previously worked with WordPress and Symfony too. Laravel is my preferred framework of choice since it comes with a lot of things out of the box, beyond the standard features like authentication and database handling. There are plenty of first-party packages and an even bigger set of third-party packages.
Q: Do you think it is important for developers to know some SQL and not rely solely on an ORM? Why or why not?
Yes, I think it’s important for developers to know SQL, even if they do use a query builder or ORM in their projects. I think it’s important to have a good understanding of all technologies that they use, regardless of whether they’re being used directly or not. Abstraction layers like ORMs and query builders are great for developer experience and can definitely ease the process of interacting with databases, but they are still just generating SQL behind the scenes.
If one of your queries is running slow, or perhaps not working correctly, a good way to debug that is by taking the SQL and running it directly inside of a database tool like TablePlus. Without some knowledge of SQL, you’ll have a hard time deciphering the code and improving the query itself.
Q: What is one piece of software that you just cannot live without and why?
This is a tough question, because I use so many pieces of software! I think the only sensible answer to this question is my web browser, Chrome. We all rely on the internet so much these days, for reading documentation, interacting with colleagues, talking to friends on social media, etc. You could do all of those things without a web browser, but it would be a whole lot harder.
Q: You type all of your code in which IDE/Text Editor/Software?
My main editor is a heavily customised instance of Visual Studio Code, but I also spend some time using Neovim for quickly editing individual files or writing small scripts. I did use PhpStorm for a long time, but I don’t just write PHP so it was causing some friction with my development. I’d rather use a single tool that can do it all than multiple tools that each do their own thing.
I have Code setup to work with all of the language that I write day-to-day and have developed a couple of custom extensions to improve my own workflows.
Q: How has working as a web developer/designer/professional benefited you other than the obvious paycheck and monetary value?
I personally think that being a developer/programmer is a form of superpower. Technology is at the forefront of modern life and we all have the ability to shape the way we (and others) use said technology. Being able to write some code to perform a task or solve a problem is incredibly powerful, taking ideas in our minds and turning them into something real.
Beyond that, I’ve also met some wonderful people through Discord, GitHub and X (Twitter). We’ve collaborated on projects, helped each other out and ultimately become friends.
Q: Do you have a book, newsletter, blog, podcast, or other resource you would recommend to other developers?
Shameless piece of self-promotion, but my personal site (ryangjchandler.co.uk) has some useful blog posts and tutorials. I tend to write about things I’ve figured out in my own work or ideas that I’m playing around with in my spare time. I’d also highly recommend Freek Van der Herten’s blog on PHP, Laravel and JavaScript, he tends to post his own original articles for PHP and Laravel development, but there is also a community section where anybody can post their own links and be discovered - it’s a great way of finding new people and content to read.
Q: What hobbies or activities do you do for fun?
Although it’s quite cliche, I actually spend a lot of time writing code. I’m very lucky to have turned, what was, a hobby into a career, so working on side projects and experimenting with new ideas is what I consider fun.
Other than writing code, I do more normal stuff like binge-watch TV shows with my girlfriend and play video games.
Q: Where can readers go to learn more about you and any projects you may have going?
I have a site where I write blog posts, ryangjchandler.co.uk. I also post things on X (Twitter) @ryangjchandler when I’m looking for inspiration, feedback, or thoughts. You can also find me on GitHub under the same handle and check out some of the open-source things that I’m working on.
Q: Anything else you'd like to add or share with the OpenLampTech readers?
Knowledge is power. The more you understand something, the more powerful it can become. This doesn’t just apply to programming but life in general.
Thank you, Ryan Chandler, for sharing your knowledge and insights with the OpenLampTech newsletter readers and community!
Thank you for reading. I hope you have a great rest of your week.
Take care.
Josh Otwell