PHP & Symfony
Senior PHP/Symfony engineering with 20+ years of project experience — from greenfield systems to historically grown system landscapes.
Symfony as primary framework since 2016; stack: Symfony, Doctrine, REST, MySQL, Docker.
Ilya Khanataev
Senior PHP/Symfony Engineer — System Architecture · API Development & Integration · Agentic Engineering
PHP, Symfony, API development, agentic engineering. Complex systems and integrations — delivered with an architect's perspective, direct delivery ownership, and an agent-driven development process that measurably accelerates delivery. Not a contractor who only executes. Not a consultant who only designs.
- years of software engineering
- 25+
- years freelancing
- 20+
- projects
- 40+
- faster delivery through AI-first
- 3–5×
Profile
Senior PHP/Symfony engineer with 20+ years of project experience — from greenfield systems to historically grown system landscapes and complex API integrations. Deployed in teams of 1 to 18, in projects at every level of complexity.
Technical architecture and implementation in one role: system-level thinking and full delivery ownership, no gap between design and code. No handover, no translation loss between concept and implementation — and direct coordination with stakeholders and external partners wherever the project needs it.
The development process is AI-first and agent-driven: Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, and OpenAI Codex as standard tools, automation as the default. The result: 3–5× faster delivery — more output per euro, or the same result in less time. On request including knowledge transfer: I show your team how AI-assisted development works in practice, inside the running project rather than in a seminar.
Expertise
API Design and Integration
API development and integration at senior level — from concept to go-live, including direct coordination with external partners.
APIs planned and built from scratch; REST APIs for mobile apps and external partners; payment integration as lead dev; OAuth2/OpenID Connect.
System Architecture with Full Ownership
Technical architecture and implementation in one person — system-level thinking and delivery ownership, no gap between design and code.
Architecture, database design, backend, frontend, deployment, CI pipeline, and staff training.
AI-First & Agentic Engineering
AI-first and agent-driven development process — Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, and OpenAI Codex as standard tools. Result: 3–5× faster delivery (own measurement).
Consistent use across all projects since 2024.
Heterogeneous Systems & Legacy Modernization
Experienced in complex heterogeneous system landscapes — including technically demanding, historically grown environments.
Multiple frameworks in parallel in production (incl. Symfony 1 + 5.4); framework migrations under live operation.
eCommerce & Payment Integration
Years of eCommerce practice — backend and API in online shops and order portals, with a focus on payment integration and scaling.
Rocket Internet, KiK, ABOUT YOU, The Platform Group, Volkswagen Financial Services, Memodo.
Proofs
Four projects that show how architecture, implementation, and delivery ownership come together in my work.
Greenfield · AI-First
Outdoor quest system — from zero to operation, single-handed
riQuest · mevatex
A new product from zero: a geocaching and outdoor quest system, built as a complete heterogeneous application — sole responsibility from architecture to delivery.
Architecture, data model, backend, CI/CD pipeline, and Telegram bot designed, implemented, and operated by one person. Developed AI-first and agent-driven throughout. The AI component — a self-hosted open-source LLM — lives inside the system: inference under own operation, independent of external providers.
Architecture + fullstack
- PHP 8.5
- Symfony 7.4
- TypeScript
- Vue.js 3
- REST
- Telegram API
- Docker
- Kubernetes
- Self-hosted LLM
- Claude Code
Testing · Evaluation + PoC
Behavior tests for energy-market communication — evaluation and PoC
EnWiCore · EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG
An internal system for energy-market communication — a complex, heterogeneous, monolithic PHP application whose behavior testing had been manual, time- and cost-intensive. As part of a company-wide automation initiative: shifting to automated behavior tests — with the questions of viable feasibility and the right technology.
A solid, documented basis for the technology decision — from a direct functional and performance comparison and a working PoC across the key scenarios of the full processing cycle of an EDIFACT message. As a by-product, a fully set-up, AI-first-developed sandbox project — one variant each for Behat and Codeception — left with the client as a reusable foundation.
Technical evaluation + PoC implementation
- PHP 8.3
- Codeception
- Behat
- EDIFACT
- REST
- Swagger
- Docker
Solo architecture · 4 engagements
Order portal for file-transfer interfaces — solo with full ownership
AutoFIT · DB Systel GmbH
An order portal for file-transfer interfaces in an enterprise environment — across four consecutive engagements, team size 1 throughout, in direct coordination with the client team using the product.
Sole responsibility for technical design, database design, backend, frontend, deployment, and CI pipeline — including staff training. Implemented OpenID Connect authentication, secured the application with integration and controller tests, and migrated it across two framework generations under live operation.
Design + architecture + implementation
- PHP 7
- Zend Framework / Laminas
- Doctrine 2
- OAuth2
- OpenID Connect
- PHPUnit
- Jenkins
- MySQL
Payment · Lead
Klarna integration in an online shop — design and lead
KiK online shop · ISA GmbH
A grown online shop (team size 12) needed a new payment integration: Klarna — with technical design, data modeling, and coordination across company boundaries.
Leading role in the integration: concept, architecture, task breakdown, and implementation as lead dev — in direct coordination with Klarna on one side and the client on the other.
Technical design + lead + implementation
- PHP 7
- Symfony 3
- Doctrine 2
- Klarna API
- UML
- MySQL
- ArangoDB
- Jenkins
Projects
Project engagements since 2002 — a selection from recent years, focused on backend, API, and eCommerce. Repeat engagements are marked.
- since 2026Team 1
riQuest — geocaching / outdoor quest system
mevatex
Greenfield: architecture, data modeling, fullstack development, and AI development process optimization — solo, AI-first.
- PHP 8.5
- Symfony 7.4
- TypeScript
- Vue.js 3
- Telegram API
- Kubernetes
- 2025 – 20262 engagementsTeam 12
EnWiCore — energy market communication
EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG
Further development of the internal system; automation of manual behavioral testing.
- PHP 8.3
- REST
- Codeception
- Behat
- Swagger
- Docker
EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG- 2025 – 20262 engagementsTeam 12
EnWiCore — energy market communication
EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG
Further development of the internal system; automation of manual behavioral testing.
- PHP 8.3
- REST
- Codeception
- Behat
- Swagger
- Docker
- 2024Team 7
Online shop system
The Platform Group AG
Backend development: feature implementation, bug fixing, refactoring.
- PHP 7.3
- Symfony 4
- REST
- Akeneo PIM
- Docker
- 2023 – 20242 engagementsTeam 5–12
Multi-tenant order portal for photovoltaics
Memodo GmbH
Backend development and feature implementation.
- PHP 8.1
- REST
- PHPUnit
- Docker
- GitLab
The Platform Group AG
Memodo GmbH- 2023 – 20242 engagementsTeam 5–12
Multi-tenant order portal for photovoltaics
Memodo GmbH
Backend development and feature implementation.
- PHP 8.1
- REST
- PHPUnit
- Docker
- GitLab
- 2021 – 20233 engagementsTeam 5–15
Tickeos — public transport ticketing and routing, multi-tenant
eos.uptrade / Siemens Mobility
Backend development in a multi-client system — Symfony 1 and Symfony 5.4 running in parallel in production.
- PHP 7.4/8.2
- Symfony 1 + 5.4
- Propel
- Doctrine 2
- AWS
- Kubernetes
- 2021 – 20233 engagementsTeam 5–15
Tickeos — public transport ticketing and routing, multi-tenant
eos.uptrade / Siemens Mobility
Backend development in a multi-client system — Symfony 1 and Symfony 5.4 running in parallel in production.
- PHP 7.4/8.2
- Symfony 1 + 5.4
- Propel
- Doctrine 2
- AWS
- Kubernetes
- 2021 – 20233 engagementsTeam 5–15
Tickeos — public transport ticketing and routing, multi-tenant
eos.uptrade / Siemens Mobility
Backend development in a multi-client system — Symfony 1 and Symfony 5.4 running in parallel in production.
- PHP 7.4/8.2
- Symfony 1 + 5.4
- Propel
- Doctrine 2
- AWS
- Kubernetes
- 2021Team 2
Data integration in a heterogeneous system landscape
Aperto / IBM iX Berlin
Data integration and automation across Salesforce, Acoustic, and TIBCO Cloud/Scribe.
- Salesforce
- TIBCO Cloud
- TIBCO Scribe
- 2021Team 3
Service platform for real-estate analysis
QUANTREFY GmbH
Backend development and feature implementation.
- PHP 7.4
- Symfony 5.2
- Doctrine 2
- Docker
- 20212nd engagementTeam 7
Shop and content management for Volkswagen Financial Services
ISA / Silpion IT-Solutions
Backend development on a Symfony and Sylius base with API Platform.
- PHP 7.4
- Symfony 4.4
- API Platform
- Sylius
- Doctrine 2
QUANTREFY GmbH- 2020Team 12
KiK — online shop, Klarna payment integration
ISA GmbH
Technical design, data modeling, and coordination/implementation of the payment integration as lead.
- PHP 7
- Symfony 3
- Doctrine 2
- MySQL 8
- ArangoDB
- Jenkins
- 2016 – 20204 engagementsTeam 1
AutoFIT — order portal for file-transfer interfaces
DB Systel GmbH
Solo ownership: design, database design, backend, frontend, deployment, CI pipeline, OpenID Connect, staff training; framework migrations under live operation.
- PHP 7
- ZF2/ZF3/Laminas
- Doctrine 2
- OAuth2
- OpenID Connect
- Jenkins
ISA GmbH- 2016 – 20204 engagementsTeam 1
AutoFIT — order portal for file-transfer interfaces
DB Systel GmbH
Solo ownership: design, database design, backend, frontend, deployment, CI pipeline, OpenID Connect, staff training; framework migrations under live operation.
- PHP 7
- ZF2/ZF3/Laminas
- Doctrine 2
- OAuth2
- OpenID Connect
- Jenkins
- 2014 / 20192 engagementsTeam 12–18
ABOUT YOU — online shop and platform
ABOUT YOU GmbH
Backend development and REST interfaces in a highly complex heterogeneous system — multiple frameworks and databases in parallel.
- PHP 5.6/7.2
- Silex
- Lumen
- Yii
- MongoDB
- Redis
ABOUT YOU GmbH- 2016 – 20204 engagementsTeam 1
AutoFIT — order portal for file-transfer interfaces
DB Systel GmbH
Solo ownership: design, database design, backend, frontend, deployment, CI pipeline, OpenID Connect, staff training; framework migrations under live operation.
- PHP 7
- ZF2/ZF3/Laminas
- Doctrine 2
- OAuth2
- OpenID Connect
- Jenkins
- 2016 – 20183 engagementsTeam 7–9
FP Sign — portal and API for digital signing
FP InovoLabs GmbH
Planned and built the SOAP API from scratch; further development of portal and REST API.
- PHP 5.6
- Symfony 3
- SOAP
- REST
- Doctrine 2
- Angular
- 2018Team 4
Customer information panels for Mercedes-Benz dealerships
wycomco GmbH
Further development of the REST API of a prototype project.
- PHP 7.2
- Laravel 5
- PostgreSQL
- REST
FP InovoLabs GmbH
wycomco GmbH- 2016 – 20204 engagementsTeam 1
AutoFIT — order portal for file-transfer interfaces
DB Systel GmbH
Solo ownership: design, database design, backend, frontend, deployment, CI pipeline, OpenID Connect, staff training; framework migrations under live operation.
- PHP 7
- ZF2/ZF3/Laminas
- Doctrine 2
- OAuth2
- OpenID Connect
- Jenkins
- 2016 – 20183 engagementsTeam 7–9
FP Sign — portal and API for digital signing
FP InovoLabs GmbH
Planned and built the SOAP API from scratch; further development of portal and REST API.
- PHP 5.6
- Symfony 3
- SOAP
- REST
- Doctrine 2
- Angular
- 2016 – 20204 engagementsTeam 1
AutoFIT — order portal for file-transfer interfaces
DB Systel GmbH
Solo ownership: design, database design, backend, frontend, deployment, CI pipeline, OpenID Connect, staff training; framework migrations under live operation.
- PHP 7
- ZF2/ZF3/Laminas
- Doctrine 2
- OAuth2
- OpenID Connect
- Jenkins
- 2016 – 20183 engagementsTeam 7–9
FP Sign — portal and API for digital signing
FP InovoLabs GmbH
Planned and built the SOAP API from scratch; further development of portal and REST API.
- PHP 5.6
- Symfony 3
- SOAP
- REST
- Doctrine 2
- Angular
- 2014 / 20192 engagementsTeam 12–18
ABOUT YOU — online shop and platform
ABOUT YOU GmbH
Backend development and REST interfaces in a highly complex heterogeneous system — multiple frameworks and databases in parallel.
- PHP 5.6/7.2
- Silex
- Lumen
- Yii
- MongoDB
- Redis
- 2015Team 5
JUUNA — REST API for mobile app and partners
vitapublic GmbH
Backend/API development, contribution to the technical design, performance optimization.
- PHP 5.6
- Zend Framework 2
- Apigility
- REST
- Doctrine 2
- 2011 – 2012Team 5–12
Rocket Internet — Linio (4 countries), HelloFresh, Bonsport, and more
Rocket Internet GmbH
Backend and frontend development in shop systems: payment integrations, system migration, technical project management from 2012.
- PHP 5
- Zend Framework 1
- Yii
- MySQL
2002 – 2015 Earlier projects
Further engagements for Semigator, competitionline, gido, mobilversichert.de, and the TV portals of the TVdirekt group (RTV, TVdirekt), among others — backend and frontend development with PHP, Zend Framework, CodeIgniter, CakePHP, Joomla!, and TYPO3, going back to the first websites in 2002.
Rocket Internet GmbHSkills
Core competencies at a glance — and the complete skill set grouped by topic.
- PHP
- Symfony
- API
- REST
- Software architecture
- Data modeling
- Legacy modernization
- Clean Code
- Agentic Engineering
- eCommerce
- PHP
- Symfony
- Laravel
- Lumen
- Zend Framework / Laminas
- CodeIgniter
- Yii Framework
- CakePHP
- Joomla!
- Doctrine
- Eloquent
- Propel
- Idiorm
- Composer
- Java
- Python
- Agentic Engineering
- Agent-driven workflows
- Claude Code
- Claude & Claude Cowork
- GitHub Copilot
- OpenAI Codex
- Google Antigravity
- JetBrains AI Assistant
- Gemini
- ChatGPT
- Google NotebookLM
- Self-hosted open-source LLMs
- n8n
- Make
- JavaScript
- HTML
- CSS
- LESS
- SASS
- jQuery & jQuery UI
- Angular
- Bootstrap
- Tailwind
- npm
- Yarn
- Bower
- Gulp
- Grunt
- Shop & order portal backends
- Payment integration
- Scaling
- Sylius
- Pimcore
- Large proprietary shop systems
- API
- REST
- GraphQL
- SOAP
- API Platform
- OpenAPI / Swagger
- Apigility
- OAuth 2.0
- OpenID Connect
- JWT
- SQL
- Data modeling
- MySQL
- MariaDB
- PostgreSQL
- ArangoDB
- MongoDB
- Redis
- MySQL Workbench
- PHPUnit
- Codeception
- Behat
- Integration tests
- PHPStan
- Xdebug
- Xdebug Profiler
- KCachegrind
- Docker
- Kubernetes
- VirtualBox / VMware
- Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, SUSE, Alpine)
- nginx
- Apache
- Jenkins
- GitHub Actions
- GitLab CI/CD
- Git
- GitHub
- GitLab
- Bitbucket
- Software design / software architecture
- Technical design
- UML
- Scrum
- Kanban
- Jira & Confluence
- Azure Boards
- GitHub Projects
- ClickUp
- Redmine
- draw.io
- Microsoft Visio
- PhpStorm
- PyCharm
- VS Code
- Cursor
- Postman
- Insomnia
- SoapUI
- eCommerce
- Energy
- Insurance
- Education & Training
- Mobility & Transport
- Automotive
- Real Estate
- Health & Care
- Digital Signatures
- Media & Publishing
- Entertainment
- German (C2)
- Russian (C2)
- English (B2)
- Spanish (A2)
- Hebrew (A1)
Contact
Whether it's a new product, a grown system, a complex integration, or AI acceleration for your team and processes — let's talk.
Available for freelance projects — remote (DACH) or on-site in Berlin.
- Phone
- Location
- Berlin, Germany
