Based in Edmonton, AB | Remote, Worldwide
White-Label Backend Development for Digital Agencies
Senior PHP & Laravel for agencies and businesses, Edmonton-based, remote and async.
VVS IT is a solo senior backend practice that agencies bring in when client work outgrows their in-house capacity. You keep the client relationship and the project management. We handle the PHP, Laravel, Symfony, Magento, and e-commerce backend work under your brand, with no VVS IT visibility anywhere in the delivery chain.
Who This Page Is For
This page is written for agency owners and technical project managers doing vendor due diligence. You are evaluating whether to bring in outside backend capacity for a client project, not shopping for a full-service shop to replace your agency.
The usual trigger is a backend bottleneck: a client store needs custom module work your frontend team cannot scope, an inherited store with no documentation needs someone to work out how the checkout actually functions, a Laravel application needs an integration your team has not built before, or overflow capacity is needed because three client projects landed in the same quarter. You need a senior PHP developer who can plug in without creating risk for your client relationship, and without the overhead of hiring full-time.
If that matches where you are, read on. If you are a business owner looking for direct backend help on your own store or application, see our e-commerce backend development page or contact us directly.
What We Handle
We take on the backend work most frontend-focused agencies cannot deliver in-house. Each area below is scoped to server-side logic, integrations, and infrastructure, not design or marketing deliverables.
E-Commerce Backend (OpenCart, PrestaShop, WooCommerce, and Custom PHP Stores)
We take on the backend work most frontend-focused agencies cannot: custom module development, checkout and payment-flow bug fixes, and performance tuning under real production load. This covers OpenCart, PrestaShop, and WooCommerce, plus custom-built and inherited PHP stores your team receives from a previous developer with little or no documentation. If a client's store is slow, breaking during sales, or needs a custom feature none of the stock extensions support, this is where we plug in.
- Custom OpenCart and PrestaShop module development
- WooCommerce performance and checkout troubleshooting
- Magento backend fixes, module troubleshooting, and upgrades
- Audits and fixes on custom or inherited PHP stores with no documentation
- Payment gateway integration (Stripe, Moneris)
- Store migrations and platform upgrades without downtime
For platform-specific scope and example engagements, see e-commerce backend development in Edmonton.
Laravel, Symfony & Magento Applications
Custom PHP applications built on Laravel or Symfony, plus backend work on Magento installations: new feature development, legacy refactoring, and architecture cleanup for codebases a previous developer left in poor shape. We work from an architecture review first, then incremental changes with clear documentation, so your agency can hand the project back to the client with something maintainable.
- New API endpoints and business logic layers
- Legacy PHP migration to Laravel or Symfony
- Magento module fixes, customizations, and version upgrades
- Database schema changes and query optimization
- Queue workers, scheduled jobs, and background processing
API & Third-Party Integrations
Connecting client systems to external services: payment processors, CRMs, ERPs, shipping carriers, and webhook-driven workflows. We build the server-side integration layer, handle authentication, error handling, and logging, and document the data flow so your team can support it after handoff.
- REST and webhook integrations (Stripe, Moneris, CRM platforms)
- Data import/export pipelines and scheduled sync jobs
- Custom middleware between a store and a client's internal systems
Server, Infrastructure & Security
Linux/Nginx configuration, PHP-FPM tuning, database optimization, SSL and security hardening, and server migrations. When a client's store is under load or a compromised server needs cleanup, we handle the infrastructure side so your agency does not need a dedicated DevOps hire for a one-off engagement.
- Nginx and PHP-FPM configuration for production workloads
- MySQL/MariaDB tuning and slow-query investigation
- Malware removal and post-incident hardening
- Hosting migrations with minimal downtime
How We Work With Agencies
The single biggest question agencies ask before engaging a white-label backend partner: will you go around us and contact our client directly? The answer is no, and that is not a preference, it is how every engagement is structured.
NDA is standard. Every agency engagement starts with a signed NDA. Your client relationships, codebase, and business data stay confidential. We do not reference your clients in marketing or portfolio material without explicit written permission.
Communication stays with your agency. We do not contact your client's team, attend their meetings, or appear in their Slack unless you explicitly ask us to join a specific call or thread. All technical updates, questions, and deliverables go to your project manager or technical lead.
No VVS IT branding anywhere. There is no VVS IT name in code comments, git commits, pull request authors, or documentation delivered to your client. Your client sees your agency's brand throughout the engagement.
We work inside your tools. Jira, Slack, or email, whichever your agency already uses. We do not require you to adopt a new project management system or communication platform.
Async and documented as we go. Work is documented in your project tools throughout the engagement, not only at handoff. If VVS IT is unavailable mid-project, your team has an up-to-date technical record and agreed response-time expectations. For more on how the practice operates, see about VVS IT.
Who We're Not For
We are not a fit for WordPress-only projects, Figma-to-frontend builds, or lowest-bid RFPs where price is the only selection criteria. We also do not take work with no backend, database, or integration component. For the full list of disqualifiers, see who we're not for on our about page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you work directly with our clients, or only with our agency?
Only with your agency. We operate under NDA, stay off client-facing communication unless you explicitly want us there, and use no VVS IT branding in code, commits, or documentation.
Do you sign NDAs?
Yes, as standard practice for every agency engagement. Your client relationships, codebase, and business data stay confidential.
Can you take over legacy PHP code a previous developer left behind?
Yes. Legacy refactoring and stabilization is one of our core services, including Magento stores and bespoke e-commerce systems. We start with an architecture review before touching code, so changes don't introduce new risk.
How does engagement and billing work?
Project-based or retainer, depending on scope. We scope the work first, agree on deliverables and timeline in writing, then execute async via Email, Slack, or Jira.
Can you work with agencies outside Edmonton or Alberta?
Yes. Our workflow is fully async and remote-first. Edmonton is where we're based, not a limit on who we work with.
What happens if you're unavailable mid-project?
All work is documented in Jira/Slack as we go, not just at handoff, so your team always has an up-to-date technical record. We agree on response-time expectations before starting any engagement.
Get Started
Email [email protected] with a short description of the project, your agency's role, and the current stack. For what to include in your first message, see our contact page. You can also return to the homepage for an overview of all services.