Hire an OJS Developer in India
Installation, custom themes, plugins, DOI integration, upgrades and support for Open Journal Systems, from an India-based OJS specialist working with journals worldwide.
If you are looking for an OJS developer in India, OJS Academy offers OJS development for universities, societies and publishers in India and around the world. We work only with Open Journal Systems, the free, open-source journal software from the Public Knowledge Project (PKP), and we combine development skills with 10+ years of experience in academic publishing. To date we have supported 80+ academic journals.
What does an OJS developer do?
OJS is a PHP application that uses a MySQL/MariaDB or PostgreSQL database. Its public pages are built with Smarty templates and LESS stylesheets, and its features can be extended through a plugin system. An OJS developer knows how these pieces fit together and, just as importantly, how OJS is upgraded.
A general web developer can usually change how a site looks. An OJS developer also makes sure that:
- Customisations live in a theme or plugin, not in edited core files, so the next OJS upgrade does not wipe them out.
- Article pages keep the metadata that Google Scholar, Crossref and indexing databases rely on.
- Email, scheduled tasks, the files directory and permissions are configured the way OJS expects.
- Editorial workflows, user roles and peer review settings support how your journal actually works.
OJS development services
Hire an OJS developer for one task or a complete journal build. Each area links to a page with more detail.
Installation & server setup
OJS installed on shared hosting, a VPS or a university server, with SSL, SMTP email, cron and security hardening.
OJS installation →Custom OJS themes
Responsive journal designs, usually built as a child theme so they stay compatible with OJS updates.
OJS theme design →Plugin development & customisation
New plugins for features OJS does not offer, and fixes or adaptations of existing plugins for your OJS version.
Describe your plugin idea →DOI & Crossref integration
DOI prefix and suffix patterns, Crossref plugin configuration and fixing failed deposits.
DOI setup guide →Upgrades & migrations
OJS 2.x to 3.x, older 3.x to current releases, and moves between servers or domains, tested on staging.
Upgrade & migration →Multi-journal portals
One OJS installation hosting several journals, with a site-wide homepage, consistent branding and shared administration.
Plan a journal portal →Performance & security
Server tuning, caching, bot and spam protection, backups and hardening for faster, safer journals.
OJS hosting →Support & maintenance
Bug fixes, error diagnosis, hacked-site clean-up and ongoing updates after your project goes live.
Technical support →Why work with an OJS developer in India?
India Standard Time (IST, UTC+5:30) sits between Europe and East Asia and does not change for daylight saving. That makes it practical to work with journals in many regions during their normal working hours:
| Region | Time difference | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| South Asia (Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka) | Within about 30 minutes of IST | Practically the same working day. |
| South-East Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia) | IST is about 1.5–3.5 hours behind | Most of the working day overlaps. |
| Middle East, Turkey, Egypt | IST is about 1.5–3.5 hours ahead | Most of the working day overlaps. |
| UK, Europe and West Africa | IST is about 3.5–5.5 hours ahead | Your morning and early afternoon overlap with the Indian afternoon. |
| US East Coast | IST is 9.5–10.5 hours ahead | Calls can be scheduled in the Indian evening, which is morning in the US. Work done during the Indian day is ready for review when your day starts. |
Other practical points:
- English communication: emails, calls and all documentation are in clear English.
- Local and international context: we understand the needs of Indian institutional journals as well as the published expectations of international indexing databases.
- Remote by design: every step, from the first call to handover, works remotely and securely.
How we work
-
Free consultation
We discuss your journal, OJS version, hosting and goals, and review the existing site if there is one.
-
Written plan and scope
You receive a plan describing what will be built or changed, the order of work, the access we need and a realistic timeline.
-
Development on a staging copy
We take a full backup and build on a separate copy of your site. Your live journal keeps running untouched.
-
Review, testing and go-live
You review and approve the result. We then go live, check submissions, email, DOIs and article pages, and keep the backup ready in case anything needs rolling back.
-
Handover and training
We hand over documentation and credentials and walk your team through the changes. Longer sessions for editors are available through OJS training.
What you get at handover
- Documentation of what was installed, changed or built, where it lives and how to maintain it.
- All credentials for OJS administrator, hosting, database, SMTP and Crossref accounts set up during the project, with any temporary accounts we used removed or handed to you to disable.
- A verified backup of the database, the files directory and the OJS code, taken after go-live.
- Custom code: a copy of any theme or plugin built for your journal.
- Next-step recommendations, for example updates due soon or improvements for Google Scholar visibility.
How to choose an OJS developer
Whoever you hire, ask these questions before you start:
- Will customisations be built as themes and plugins, without editing OJS core files?
- Will work be tested on a staging copy, with a backup taken first?
- Will the hosting, domain and admin accounts stay in your name?
- Will you receive documentation and the source of any custom code?
A warning sign
Be cautious of any developer or agency that promises guaranteed indexing in Scopus, Web of Science or DOAJ. Indexing decisions are made independently by those databases. Good development makes a journal ready to apply; it cannot guarantee the outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you work with journals outside India?
Yes. OJS Academy is based in India and works remotely, so we can support a journal anywhere: in South Asia (for example Bangladesh, Nepal or Sri Lanka), the Middle East, Africa, South-East Asia, Europe or North America. All communication and documentation is in English.
Can you take over an OJS site that another developer built?
Yes. We start with an audit: OJS version, installed plugins and themes, any changes made to core files, server setup and the state of backups. You then get a clear picture of what is safe to keep and what needs fixing before we change anything.
Do you modify OJS core files?
We avoid it. Custom work is built as themes and plugins, so OJS upgrades do not overwrite it. In the rare case a core change is unavoidable, for example applying an official PKP patch, it is documented so it can be reapplied or removed during the next upgrade.
Can you build a custom OJS plugin?
Yes. Before building anything new we check whether an existing plugin from the PKP Plugin Gallery already does the job, because a maintained plugin is usually the better choice. Our guide to the best OJS plugins covers the most useful ones. If nothing fits, we build a plugin for your OJS version and document how it works.
Which OJS versions do you work with?
We work with the release lines PKP currently maintains: OJS 3.3, 3.4 and 3.5. If your journal runs OJS 2.x or an early 3.x release, we usually recommend an upgrade before any custom development, so the new work is built on a supported version.
Who controls the journal and the code after the project?
You do. Your hosting, domain and administrator accounts should always be in your name. At handover we return all credentials, give you a copy of any custom theme or plugin code written for your journal, and document what was changed.
How do we communicate during the project?
By email, WhatsApp and scheduled video or phone calls, at times that suit your time zone. You get written updates at each stage, and nothing goes live without your approval.
How do I get started?
Send your journal URL (if it exists), OJS version and a short description of what you need through our contact page, by email to support@ojsacademy.com or on WhatsApp. We reply within 24 hours and start with a free consultation.
Talk to an OJS developer
Tell us what you want to build, fix or upgrade. Email support@ojsacademy.com or call +91-9625801660. We reply within 24 hours.
