PHP Alive And Kicking: Episode 6 – Matt Stauffer

Matt takes us back to the mid-90s, learning HTML and PHP alongside his older brother – back when there was no CSS or JavaScript, and getting a header and footer to include across multiple pages felt like magic. Fast forward to today, and that early foundation still influences how he codes and thinks about technology.

Before there was an official Laravel partner program, there was just Matt and his buddy Taylor Otwell talking in IRC about turning Laravel into something sustainable. Hear how that friendship evolved into a partnership program that now spans the globe, and why being one of the first three partners was very different from being one of forty.

With 80% of the web running on PHP (yes, WordPress helps with that number), Matt breaks down why the language’s longevity and breadth matter more than Silicon Valley’s opinions. From ERPs to CMSs to bespoke applications, PHP does it all – and that’s exactly the point.

You’ve probably heard Matt reference “the pub fight” if you were at Laravel Live UK. Now get the full story: an attempted intervention, a violent drunk, and Matt’s wife swinging her purse like nunchucks. Spoiler: he learned an important lesson about paying attention to threats when you’re trying to help someone.

Matt shares his philosophy on managing developers: small full-stack teams, minimal meetings, maximum trust. Why does he think the entire agile world is toxic? How does he handle disagreements between developers? And what’s this upcoming free Laracasts course about building dev teams all about?

From choosing company insurance policies to resolving technical debates, Matt explains how having clear company values makes tough decisions easier. Keep it simple, ship features, and don’t build for futures you can’t predict.