However, working on legacy PHP code (as I have experienced in the past) ranks within the worst things I could imagine for a job.

You can justify/spin pretty much anything on a resume.

The language api is somewhat inconsistent due to legacy weaknesses and compatibility.

That said, I prefer old-style PHP (like it was written in version 5ish) instead of the new object orienteted/composer/micro-library stuff (that I consider the javascript virus).

Having moved away from PHP a decade ago, I recently had to update some old code (that I had written originally). And even with almost a decade of not using php, the experience was pleasurable enough.

As a senior the TLDR is: The PHP language itself is fine, the actual code base itself means more (and can either be fine or not), but in the end it is the work environment (do you like your coworkers, bosses and are the time constraints reasonable) that mean the most.

Regarding your CV, I would always prefer a candidate with production experiences in (at least) two different environments to a "one trick pony", so I have a hard time seeing that it could hurt you.

Using PHP in production means:

- The employer organisation is incompetent, or they won't be doing it

- They are also rich, or they'd be bankrupt trying to do it.

Both are good signs if you are looking for a job there.

Modern PHP using the latest tools and frameworks and modern PHP best practices isn't too bad a language. Far from my favourite, but quite decent.

'Legacy' PHP on the other hand can be a nightmare, especially if it's a system that has been around since the PHP4/5 days and still written in style of the time. I would definitely stay away from that.

As to resume impact, I wouldn't overthink the language. Most decent companies care much more about what you where doing, than what language you where doing it in. Building a cutting edge micro service setup that scaled and performed really well (in PHP) should easily count in your favour.