PHP Developer Course Syllabus
Module 1: Introduction to PHP
Lesson 1: Introduction to Web Development
Overview of Web Technologies
o History of web development
o Understanding HTTP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
o Client-server architecture
Client-side vs. Server-side Scripting
o Differences between client-side and server-side scripting
o Examples of client-side technologies (JavaScript)
o Examples of server-side technologies (PHP, Python, Ruby)
Lesson 2: Setting Up the Environment
Installing XAMPP/WAMP/LAMP/MAMP
o Overview of XAMPP, WAMP, LAMP, MAMP
o Step-by-step installation guide for each platform
o Configuring the Apache server
Configuring PHP on the Server
o PHP configuration files (php.ini)
o Adjusting PHP settings (memory limit, error reporting)
o Testing the PHP installation
Lesson 3: PHP Basics
Syntax and Variables
o PHP tags and syntax rules
o Declaring and initializing variables
o Variable naming conventions
Data Types and Constants
o Scalar data types (integers, floats, strings, booleans)
o Compound data types (arrays, objects)
o Special data types (resources, null)
o Defining and using constants
Basic Operators
o Arithmetic operators
o Assignment operators
o Comparison operators
o Logical operators
Module 2: Control Structures and Functions
Lesson 1: Control Structures
Conditional Statements (if, else, switch)
o If statements and else-if ladder
o Switch-case statements
o Practical examples and use cases
Looping Structures (for, while, do-while, foreach)
o For loops and nested loops
o While and do-while loops
o Foreach loop for arrays
o Break and continue statements
Lesson 2: Functions in PHP
Defining and Invoking Functions
o Function syntax and naming conventions
o Invoking functions and passing arguments
Function Arguments and Return Values
o Default arguments and type hinting
o Returning values from functions
o Multiple return values (using arrays)
Variable Scope and Static Variables
o Local and global scope
o Using the global keyword
o Static variables within functions
Module 3: Working with Forms and User Input
Lesson 1: Handling HTML Forms
GET vs. POST Methods
o Differences between GET and POST
o When to use each method
o Examples of GET and POST forms
Sanitizing and Validating User Input
o Importance of input validation
o Sanitizing user input (filter_var, htmlentities)
o Validating input with regular expressions
Lesson 2: Superglobals in PHP
Understanding $_GET, $_POST, $_REQUEST
o Accessing form data with $_GET and $_POST
o Using $_REQUEST for combined access
Using $_SERVER, $_FILES, $_SESSION, $_COOKIE
o Retrieving server and execution environment information with $_SERVER
o Handling file uploads with $_FILES
o Managing sessions with $_SESSION
o Setting and retrieving cookies with $_COOKIE
Module 4: Working with Databases
Lesson 1: Introduction to Databases
Database Concepts and Terminology
o Relational databases vs. NoSQL databases
o Tables, rows, columns, and keys
Setting Up MySQL/MariaDB
o Installing MySQL/MariaDB
o Creating databases and tables
o Basic SQL commands (CREATE, INSERT, SELECT)
Lesson 2: PHP and MySQL
Connecting to a Database using mysqli and PDO
o MySQLi vs. PDO: differences and use cases
o Establishing database connections
Performing CRUD Operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete)
o Inserting data into tables
o Retrieving data with SELECT queries
o Updating and deleting records
o Executing prepared statements
Lesson 3: Advanced Database Operations
Prepared Statements and Parameterized Queries
o Importance of prepared statements
o Preventing SQL injection
o Executing parameterized queries
Transactions and Error Handling
o Understanding transactions
o Implementing transactions with commit and rollback
o Error handling and reporting
Module 5: Advanced PHP Concepts
Lesson 1: Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
Classes and Objects
o Defining classes and creating objects
o Properties and methods
o Constructors and destructors
Inheritance, Polymorphism, and Interfaces
o Inheritance and extending classes
o Method overriding and polymorphism
o Defining and implementing interfaces
Lesson 2: Namespaces and Traits
Using Namespaces for Better Code Organization
o Declaring namespaces
o Importing and aliasing namespaces
Utilizing Traits for Code Reuse
o Defining traits
o Using traits in classes
o Trait conflict resolution
Lesson 3: Exception Handling
Try, Catch, and Finally Blocks
o Throwing and catching exceptions
o Using the finally block for cleanup
Custom Exceptions
o Defining custom exception classes
o Throwing and handling custom exceptions
Module 6: PHP Security
Lesson 1: Secure Coding Practices
Preventing SQL Injection
o Using prepared statements and parameterized queries
o Escaping user input
Protecting Against XSS and CSRF
o Understanding XSS and CSRF attacks
o Mitigation techniques (input validation, output encoding, CSRF tokens)
Lesson 2: Authentication and Authorization
Implementing Login Systems
o Building a user authentication system
o Session management
Managing User Roles and Permissions
o Role-based access control
o Implementing permissions and access restrictions
Lesson 3: Data Encryption
Hashing Passwords
o Importance of password hashing
o Using password_hash and password_verify
Using Encryption Functions
o Symmetric vs. asymmetric encryption
o Implementing encryption with OpenSSL
Module 7: Working with APIs and Web Services
Lesson 1: RESTful APIs
Introduction to REST Architecture
o Principles of REST
o RESTful endpoints and methods (GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE)
Consuming RESTful APIs with PHP
o Using cURL to make API requests
o Parsing JSON and XML responses
Lesson 2: Creating RESTful APIs
Designing and Implementing RESTful Endpoints
o Setting up routes and controllers
o Handling HTTP requests and responses
Handling API Requests and Responses
o Validating and processing input data
o Returning structured responses (JSON, XML)
Lesson 3: SOAP Web Services
Introduction to SOAP
o SOAP vs. REST: differences and use cases
o Understanding WSDL (Web Services Description Language)
Consuming and Creating SOAP Web Services with PHP
o Using PHP's SoapClient and SoapServer classes
o Building and consuming SOAP-based web services
Module 8: File Handling and Manipulation
Lesson 1: Working with Files
Reading and Writing Files
o File handling functions (fopen, fread, fwrite, fclose)
o Reading from and writing to files
Handling File Uploads
o HTML form for file uploads
o Processing uploaded files with PHP
o Validating and storing uploaded files
Lesson 2: Directory Operations
Creating, Reading, and Deleting Directories
o Directory handling functions (mkdir, opendir, readdir, rmdir)
o Traversing directory structures
Working with File Permissions
o Understanding file and directory permissions
o Changing permissions with chmod
Module 9: PHP Frameworks
Lesson 1: Introduction to MVC Architecture
Understanding Model-View-Controller (MVC)
o MVC principles and benefits
o MVC components and their roles
Benefits of Using a Framework
o Code organization and reusability
o Built-in features and libraries
Lesson 2: Laravel Framework
Setting Up Laravel
o Installing Laravel using Composer
o Laravel directory structure
o Configuring environment variables
Routing, Controllers, and Views
o Defining routes in Laravel
o Creating and using controllers
o Blade templating engine for views
Lesson 3: Advanced Laravel Features
Eloquent ORM
o Defining models and relationships
o Querying the database with Eloquent
Middleware and Security Features
o Implementing middleware for request filtering
o Laravel's built-in security features (CSRF protection, password hashing)
Module 10: Project Development
Lesson 1: Planning and Design
Gathering Requirements
o Understanding project requirements
o Defining project scope and objectives
Creating a Project Plan
o Breaking down the project into tasks and milestones
o Estimating time and resources needed
Lesson 2: Building the Project
Implementing Features
o Developing the project based on requirements
o Regular progress check-ins
Integrating with External APIs
o Using external APIs for additional functionality
o Handling API responses and errors
Lesson 3: Testing and Deployment
Writing and Running Tests
o Importance of testing
o Writing unit and integration tests
Deploying the Application to a Live Server
o Preparing the application for deployment
o Deploying to different environments (shared hosting, VPS, cloud)
Module 11: Advanced Topics
Lesson 1: Performance Optimization
Caching Strategies
o Implementing caching (Opcode cache, data caching)
o Using tools like Memcached and Redis
Profiling and Benchmarking
o Profiling code with tools like Xdebug
o Benchmarking performance and identifying bottlenecks
Lesson 2: PHP in the Cloud
Deploying PHP Applications on Cloud Platforms
o Introduction to cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
o Setting up and deploying PHP applications on the cloud
Scaling and Managing Cloud-based PHP Applications
o Horizontal and vertical scaling
o Managing resources and costs
Lesson 3: Modern PHP Practices
Using Composer for Dependency Management
o Installing and using Composer
o Managing project dependencies with Composer
PHP-FIG and PSR Standards
o Understanding PHP-FIG and PSR standards
o Implementing coding standards and best practices
Module 12: Capstone Project
Lesson 1: Project Proposal
Choosing a Project Topic
o Selecting a project based on interest and skill level
o Defining project goals and deliverables
Defining Project Scope and Requirements
o Creating a detailed project plan
o Identifying key features and functionalities
Lesson 2: Development and Implementation
Developing the Project Using the Skills Learned
o Applying knowledge from previous modules
o Regular check-ins and feedback sessions
Regular Check-ins and Feedback Sessions
o Progress reviews with instructors
o Peer reviews and collaborative feedback
Lesson 3: Presentation and Review
Final Project Presentation
o Preparing and delivering a project presentation
o Demonstrating project features and functionalities
Peer Review and Feedback
o Receiving feedback from peers and instructors
o Reflecting on the project and identifying areas for improvement
Assessment
Quizzes and Assignments after Each Module
o Regular assessments to reinforce learning
Mid-term Project
o Applying skills to a practical project
Final Capstone Project with Presentation
o Comprehensive project demonstrating mastery of PHP development
Prerequisites
Basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Familiarity with basic programming concepts