Matt Hummel

WordPress developer for shops and agencies.

I build accessible, maintainable web software from front end to back end, with deep experience in custom WordPress development.

Available

Say hello Read my story

Story

How I got here.

I started on the web in higher-ed marketing — landing pages, content updates, and figuring out why a page that looked fine still wasn’t getting clicks. That taught me more about what people need than any course or tool.

WordPress is the tool I kept coming back to. Most shops need a site they can edit themselves: update hours, add a product, fix a typo, without waiting on a developer. That still matters to me.

I publish Gettysburg WordPress projects here — live demos for shops, tours, and inns. Hire me on this site for a real build.

Most production work lived inside employers, so I am now publishing Sage/WordPress work, plugins, and spec builds on GitHub. PowerApps, Power Automate, and InfoPath for federal agencies are on the hire page. There is no public demo.

Say hello What I'm doing now →

Services

What I build.

WordPress is the specialty. Adjacent work — APIs, React, Power Platform, deploys — is in range because I am a self-taught problem solver with 17 years in-house.

WordPress sites

New sites, sites that need a cleanup, and themes shops can edit themselves. Practical WordPress — not a pile of plugins they will never use.

Plugins and tools

Custom pieces when WordPress needs something it does not ship with. Small, documented, and written so the next developer is not stuck guessing.

Full-stack web applications

React interfaces, PHP or Node services, authentication, databases, APIs, and deployment workflows built as one maintainable system.

Curious about a specific project type? Write a note.

Availability

Open for work.

I'm looking for full-time roles, contract gigs, and freelance projects on matthummel.com. Based in Gettysburg, PA, and happy to work remote.

If you’re hiring a full-stack developer, need an experienced WordPress specialist, want agency overflow support, or have a web project to discuss, send a short note about what you’re working on.

Start a conversation

  • Full-time roles

    Full-stack web development with deep WordPress and PHP experience. Open to on-site, hybrid, or remote.

  • Contract and freelance

    Project-based work with a clear, written scope for shops and agencies.

  • Agency sub-contracting

    A handful of silent-sub jobs. You keep the relationship. I build the WordPress platform, integration, or web application.

  • Part-time arrangements

    A few hours a week or a focused sprint. Flexible.

At a glance

For hiring managers.

Most production work lived inside employers, so I am now publishing WordPress concepts and builds on GitHub. Stack details are on About.

Role
WordPress / full-stack PHP
Stack
WordPress, PHP, custom themes & plugins
Timezone
America/New_York (ET)
Location
Gettysburg, PA · remote OK
Experience
17 years in-house web · public WordPress work since 2025
Availability
Full-time, contract, freelance, agency overflow

Employers on the record: Saliense, All Native Group, and Knowledge Capital Associates (USMC).

PowerApps, Power Automate, and InfoPath for federal agencies — details on the hire page. There is no public demo.

WordPress is the specialty. Adjacent work — APIs, React, Power Platform, deploys — is in range because I am a self-taught problem solver with 17 years in-house.

Contact Hire Projects GitHub

Hiring managers can ask for a private walkthrough of constrained employer work under NDA.

Process

How a project goes.

Four steps. Written scope. You own everything at the end.

1–2 days

Write.

Tell me who the site is for, what is broken, and what a win looks like. A short note is enough.

  • A reply with questions
  • An honest no if I am the wrong fit
  • No sales pitch
2–4 days

Scope.

I send a plain list of work, a rough timeline, and what is out of scope. You approve or push back.

  • Written scope
  • Clear out-of-scope list
  • No lock-in contract
1–2 weeks

Build.

I build on staged pages you can click. Every line ships after I have read and tested it.

  • Staged previews
  • Reviewed code before it ships
  • Room for feedback mid-build
Handoff

Yours.

You own the domain, hosting, database, and code. I leave a short admin guide and stay reachable for questions.

  • Full ownership
  • Plain-language admin notes
  • No monthly lock-in

Fit

Is this a good fit?

A few honest checks before we spend time on a call.

Good fit

  • You need a WordPress site or web app you can own
  • You want clean code another developer can read
  • You have a clear goal — or want help naming one
  • You want written scope before work starts
  • You are a shop, agency, or hiring manager

Not a fit

  • You need a designer — I am a developer (I can refer one)
  • You need a site in under a week
  • You want ongoing social or ads management
  • You need a large ecommerce platform from scratch

How I work

Sites shops can keep.

Written scope, editable pages, and a clean handoff. Stack detail is on Code.

You own it at handoff.

Hosting, domain, files, and login are yours before we close. No reseller seat.

Your team can edit it.

Pages use WordPress fields in wp-admin — not a page builder you have to rent forever.

Readable for the next developer.

Short files, clear names, and notes that explain why. Stack detail lives on the Code page.

Questions

Common questions.

If yours is not here, ask.

What does “you own it” mean?

The domain, hosting, database, and code are yours. After handoff I have no access unless you invite me. Another developer can pick up where I left off.

Do you do design, or just development?

Development. I can work from your design or a clear reference. For original design work I will refer someone rather than half-guess it.

How long does a WordPress site usually take?

A simple site is often two to three weeks. Custom fields or booking can take four to eight. I give a realistic estimate during scoping.

Can I edit the site myself after handoff?

Yes. Pages use standard WordPress fields. I document anything unusual in plain English before handoff.

Do you work with agencies?

Yes. I can stay in the background on agency work. Rate is project-based. Write and tell me what you need.

Is GitHub the start of your career?

No. I have about 17 years of in-house employer web work. Most of that cannot be shown. Public GitHub is the trail I started in 2025.

Do you only do WordPress?

WordPress is the specialty. Adjacent work — APIs, React, Power Platform, deploys — is in range because I am a self-taught problem solver with 17 years in-house.

Approach

How I work.

Sage 11, Blade, Tailwind, Vite, and PHP 8.3 — shipped through GitHub. Here is how I run a WordPress build from the first note to a clean handoff.

You own the stack at handoff

Hosting, DNS, the database, and the Git repo sit in accounts under your name before we close. The Sage theme, plugins, and deploy notes go with the site — so another developer can pick up without guessing.

wp-admin is part of the architecture

I build with Sage 11, Blade, Tailwind, and page fields shops edit in WordPress — not a page builder. If an owner cannot update hours or a product in a couple of minutes, the theme is not done.

AI drafts. I ship the review

Cursor, Claude, and ChatGPT help with scaffolding and first-pass PHP. I still read, test, and own every line that reaches production — Vite builds, PHP 8.3, and GitHub Actions included.

Small plugins. Clear hooks

Custom work lives in focused PHP plugins or theme modules with standard WordPress hooks, PHPDoc, and a clean uninstall path. Kitchen-sink plugins stay off the site.

Readable PHP for the next developer

Blade stays thin; logic lives in App helpers with typed functions and explicit names. If another developer cannot follow a function in half a minute, I rewrite it before handoff.

Accessible markup and plain words

Semantic HTML, keyboard paths, and solid contrast. Labels, errors, and handoff notes read like they were written for a busy shop owner — welcoming to developers, clear for everyone else.

Repos and stack notes on Code →

Online

Where to find me.

Most of my WordPress code and writing shows up here and on GitHub. RSS is the calmest way to follow along.

Get in touch

Need a WordPress or full-stack developer?

Got a question about a post, a project, or a role? Send it over. I usually reply within one business day (ET).

Say hello

Remote · within one business day (ET)