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PHP Programming

PHP is a popular server-side scripting language powering over 75% of all websites. Learn PHP to build dynamic web applications, content management systems, and robust backend services.

Start Learning PHP Applications

Why Learn PHP?

  • Powers WordPress, Drupal, and other major CMS platforms
  • Excellent for server-side web development
  • Large ecosystem with frameworks like Laravel and Symfony
  • Easy to deploy and widely supported by hosting providers
  • Continues to evolve with modern PHP 8+ features

Getting Started with PHP

PHP is a popular server-side scripting language designed for web development. It's embedded in HTML and runs on web servers to create dynamic web pages.

Installation

PHP can be installed in several ways:

Windows

  1. Install XAMPP/WAMP from apachefriends.org
  2. Run the installer
  3. Start Apache server
  4. PHP will be available

macOS/Linux

Install via package manager:

$ sudo apt install php // Ubuntu/Debian
$ brew install php // macOS

Check installation:

$ php -v

First Program

Create a file named hello.php with this content:

<?php // PHP code must be in these tags
echo "Hello, World!";
?>

Run it from your terminal or web server:

$ php hello.php // Command line
// Or access via browser at http://localhost/hello.php

PHP Basics

Variables

// Variables start with $
$name = "Alice"; // String
$age = 30; // Integer
$height = 5.9; // Float
$isStudent = true; // Boolean

Basic Operations

// Arithmetic operations
$x = 10 + 5; // Addition
$y = 10 * 5; // Multiplication

// String operations
$greeting = "Hello" . " " . "World";

PHP Topics

Comprehensive coverage of PHP programming concepts from beginner to advanced levels

Variables & Data Types

Learn about PHP's type system including strings, numbers, arrays, and type juggling.

// Example of different data types
$name = "Alice"; // string
$age = 25; // int
$prices = [10.5, 20.3, 15.0]; // array

Control Flow

Master if-else statements, loops (for, while), and control structures.

// If-else example
if ($age >= 18) {
  echo "Adult";
} else {
  echo "Minor";
}

Functions

Learn to define and use functions, work with parameters and return values.

// Function definition
function greet($name) {
  return "Hello, $name!";
}

// Function call
$message = greet("Alice");

Arrays

Work with PHP's powerful array functions and associative arrays.

// Indexed and associative arrays
$fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"];
$person = ["name" => "Alice", "age" => 25];

// Accessing elements
$firstFruit = $fruits[0];
$personAge = $person['age'];

Loops & Iteration

Master for and while loops, and array iteration techniques.

// Foreach loop example
foreach ($fruits as $fruit) {
  echo $fruit;
}

// Array map
$squares = array_map(function($n) {
  return $n * $n;
}, range(1, 10));

File Handling

Learn to read from and write to files in PHP.

// Writing to a file
$file = fopen("file.txt", "w");
fwrite($file, "Hello, World!");
fclose($file);

// Reading from a file
$content = file_get_contents("file.txt");

Error Handling

Understand PHP's error handling with try-catch blocks.

// Try-catch example
try {
  $result = 10 / 0;
} catch (DivisionByZeroError $e) {
  echo "Cannot divide by zero!";
}

Classes & Objects

Learn object-oriented programming in PHP.

// Class definition
class Person {
  public __construct(public $name, public $age) {}
}

// Creating an object
$person = new Person("Alice", 25);

Database Interaction

Connect to databases using PDO and MySQLi.

// PDO connection example
try {
  $pdo = new PDO("mysql:host=localhost;dbname=test", "user", "pass");
  $stmt = $pdo->query("SELECT * FROM users");
  $users = $stmt->fetchAll();
} catch (PDOException $e) {
  echo "Connection failed: " . $e->getMessage();
}

Web Fundamentals

Work with forms, sessions, cookies, and HTTP requests.

// Form handling example
if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] === 'POST') {
  $name = $_POST['name'];
  echo "Hello, $name!";
}

// Session example
session_start();
$_SESSION['user'] = 'Alice';

What Can You Build with PHP?

PHP's versatility makes it ideal for server-side web development and more

Web Development

Build powerful web applications using frameworks like:

  • Laravel (Modern PHP framework)
  • Symfony (Enterprise framework)
  • CodeIgniter (Lightweight framework)
// Simple Laravel route
Route::get('/', function () {
  return 'Hello, World!';
});

CMS Development

Power popular content management systems:

  • WordPress (Most popular CMS)
  • Drupal (Enterprise CMS)
  • Joomla (Flexible CMS)
// WordPress plugin example
function my_plugin_init() {
  add_action('wp_footer', function() {
    echo '<p>Plugin loaded!</p>';
  });
}
add_action('init', 'my_plugin_init');

E-Commerce

Build online stores with platforms like:

  • WooCommerce (WordPress)
  • Magento (Enterprise)
  • PrestaShop
// WooCommerce hook example
add_action('woocommerce_after_add_to_cart_button', function() {
  echo '<div class="special-offer">Limited time offer!</div>';
});

API Development

Create RESTful APIs and microservices:

  • REST APIs
  • GraphQL
  • JSON:API
// Simple API endpoint
$data = ['name' => 'Alice', 'age' => 25];
header('Content-Type: application/json');
echo json_encode($data);

Authentication

Implement secure authentication systems:

  • Login systems
  • OAuth integration
  • JWT authentication
// Password verification
if (password_verify($inputPassword, $hashedPassword)) {
  // Login successful
} else {
  // Invalid credentials
}

Automation

Automate tasks with PHP scripts:

  • Cron jobs
  • File processing
  • Web scraping
// Simple automation script
foreach (glob('*.txt') as $file) {
  $newName = str_replace('.txt', '.md', $file);
  rename($file, $newName);
}

PHP Learning Path

A structured approach to mastering PHP programming

1 Beginner Level

  • PHP Syntax and Basics

    Variables, data types, operators, and basic I/O

  • Control Flow

    Conditionals, loops, and error handling

  • Functions and Includes

    Defining functions, working with require/include

  • Working with Forms

    Handling GET/POST requests, form validation

2 Intermediate Level

  • Object-Oriented Programming

    Classes, objects, inheritance, and traits

  • Arrays and Strings

    Working with arrays, string functions

  • Database Interaction

    MySQLi, PDO, prepared statements

  • Sessions and Cookies

    User authentication, state management

3 Advanced Level

  • Composer and Packages

    Dependency management, autoloading

  • API Development

    RESTful APIs, JSON handling, JWT

  • Security Best Practices

    CSRF protection, XSS prevention, SQL injection

  • Performance Optimization

    Caching, query optimization, opcode caching

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