Learning PHP

Learn to build basic programs in PHP and create dynamic web pages.

Introduction

• Should you learn PHP?
• A note on PHP 8.0
• Developing locally

1. The Basics

• How PHP works
• Printing on the screen
• Using variables
• Single vs. double quotes
• What are arrays and how do they work?
• Defining arrays
• Challenge: Display basic information on an HTML page
• Solution: Display basic information on an HTML page

2. Control Structures

• Boolean operators and the truth (update for PHP 8.0)
• Logical operators
• Creating if/else statements
• Ternary operations
• Switch statements
• Match expression
• Challenge: Display content based on status
• Solution: Display content based on status

3. Math in PHP

• Arithmetic operators
• Figuring out even/odd with modulus
• Incrementing and decrementing variables
• Challenge: Implementing a complicated calculation
• Solution: Implementing a complicated calculation

4. Loops

• What are loops?
• Do/while loops
• For loops
• Working through arrays with foreach loops
• Challenge: Calculating the Fibonacci sequence
• Solution: Calculating the Fibonacci sequence

5. Functions and Objects

• What are functions?
• Using built-in functions
• Writing custom functions
• Union typing variables
• Optional or named arguments
• Anonymous functions
• What are objects and classes?
• Defining a simple person class (update for PHP 8.0)
• Using the person class
• Challenge: Sort an array of objects
• Solution: Sort an array of objects

6. Including External Files

• Organizing your code
• Using include and require
• include_once and require_once
• Namespacing
• Challenge: Build a simple templating system for the provided markup
• Solution: Build a simple templating system for the provided markup

7. Troubleshooting Your Code

• Common debugging tools in PHP
• Types of PHP errors
• Why is my page blank?
• Common parse errors
• Common PHP errors
• Try/catch statements (update for PHP 8.0)
• Breaking changes moving from 7.x to 8.0

8. Processing Forms

• GET vs. POST
• Handling basic form elements
• Handing multiple-choice elements
• Form validation: Making sure required fields are filled in
• Form validation: Appropriate input
• Form validation: Sanitizing input
• Sending the form data in an email
• Challenge: Process a simple form and send the email
• Solution: Process a simple form and send the email

9. Advanced Topics

• Reading files in PHP
• Writing files
• Maintaining state with cookies
• Maintaining state with sessions

Conclusion

• Next steps