BCA Semester 2 – Web Programming using PHP Exam (April 2025)
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Comprehensive List of Important Topics
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1. Web Programming & PHP Basics
- Static vs. Dynamic Web Pages
- Client-side vs. Server-side Scripting
- Web Servers: IIS & Apache
- Web Hosting, Virtual Hosting, Multi-Homing
- Distributed Web Server Overview
- PHP Installation & Configuration
- Understanding php.ini and .htaccess
- Variables: Static & Global
- GET & POST Methods
- Operators: Arithmetic, Comparison, Logical
- Control Structures: if, else, switch
- Loops: while, do-while, for, foreach
- Arrays: Indexed, Associative, Multidimensional
2. Functions
- User-Defined Functions
- Default Arguments, Variable-Length Arguments
- Variable Functions: gettype(), settype(), isset(), unset()
- String Functions: strlen(), str_replace(), substr(), strpos(), strrev(),
explode(), implode(), md5(), ucfirst(), ucwords()
- Math Functions: abs(), ceil(), floor(), round(), pow(), sqrt(), rand()
- Date Functions: date(), time(), mktime(), strtotime()
- Array Functions: count(), array_merge(), array_diff(), array_unique(),
array_push(), array_pop(), array_search()
- Miscellaneous Functions: define(), include(), require(), header(), die(),
exit()
- File Handling Functions: fopen(), fread(), fwrite(), fclose(), file_exists(),
unlink(), rename()
3. Form Handling, Sessions, and PHP Components
- Processing Forms with GET & POST
- Validating User Input
- Preventing SQL Injection and XSS
- Starting Sessions, Storing & Retrieving Session Variables
- Setting, Retrieving, and Deleting Cookies
- Using Server Variables
- GD Library for Image Processing
- Regular Expressions
- File Upload Handling
- Sending Emails using mail() and SMTP
- AJAX Integration: Understanding AJAX and its Workflow, Implementing AJAX with
PHP, Using jQuery for AJAX Operations
4. Database Connectivity
- SQL Basics: INSERT, UPDATE, SELECT, DELETE
- MySQLi Functions: mysqli_connect(), mysqli_select_db(), mysqli_query(),
mysqli_fetch_array(), mysqli_fetch_assoc(), mysqli_fetch_row()
- Prepared Statements: mysqli_prepare(), mysqli_stmt_bind_param(),
mysqli_stmt_execute()
- Handling Transactions: mysqli_autocommit(), mysqli_commit()
5. Web Services and jQuery
- Introduction to XML and JSON
- Working with JSON in PHP: json_encode(), json_decode()
- Understanding JsonSerializable Interface
- jQuery Basics: Selectors, Events, Effects
6. Practical Applications
- Developing Dynamic Web Pages with PHP
- Implementing Form Validation and Data Processing
- Creating CRUD Operations with MySQL
- Managing Sessions and Cookies
- Integrating AJAX for Asynchronous Operations
- Utilizing jQuery for Enhanced User Interactions
Sample Important Questions
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1. Differentiate between GET and POST methods in form submission.
2. Explain the difference between == and === operators in PHP.
3. Describe the use of the mail() function in PHP.
4. What is the purpose of the $this keyword in PHP?
5. Compare var_dump() and print_r() functions.
6. Write a PHP script to insert form data into a MySQL database.
7. Explain how to manage sessions in PHP.
8. Discuss the concept of inheritance in PHP with an example.
9. How can you handle file uploads in PHP?
10. What are prepared statements, and why are they important?
11. Describe the process of sending an email with an attachment using PHP.
12. Explain how AJAX enhances user experience in web applications.
13. List and explain any five string functions in PHP.
14. How does PHP handle error reporting and debugging?
15. Discuss the role of jQuery in modern web development.
Additional Resources
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- Previous Year Question Papers: Reviewing past papers can provide insight into the
exam pattern and frequently asked questions.
- PHP Interview Questions: Reinforce your understanding of PHP concepts.
