PHP Mastery
Master PHP — syntax, OOP, Composer, error handling, databases, security, and framework integration. 16 phases from language fundamentals to production PHP engineering.
Your Progress
Complete all 16 phases to master this track
Master PHP — syntax, OOP, Composer, error handling, databases, security, and framework integration. 16 phases from language fundamentals to production PHP engineering.
Phase 1: Environment Setup and Language Fundamentals
Install PHP, run your first script, and learn how the language is embedded in HTML pages.
Installing PHP and a Local Server
Set up a PHP runtime with a bundled web server for local development.
Your First PHP Script
Write a script, output text, and understand the request lifecycle.
Embedding PHP Inside HTML
Mix server-side logic with markup in templates and views.
Running Scripts with the PHP CLI
Execute scripts from the terminal for batch jobs and tooling.
Phase 2: Types, Functions, and Control Flow
Declare typed variables, branch and loop with confidence, and package logic into reusable functions.
Variables and Scalar Types
Work with int, float, string, and bool values and their conversions.
Conditionals and Loops
Branch with if, match, switch and iterate with foreach and for.
Defining Functions
Write functions with typed parameters, defaults, and return values.
Return Types and Strict Typing
Add type safety to signatures and understand coercion rules.
Phase 3: Arrays and String Processing
Organize data in arrays and manipulate text with PHP's rich string function library.
Indexed and Associative Arrays
Create ordered lists and key-value maps in a single structure.
Array Functions for Data Transformation
Map, filter, and reduce collections without manual loops.
String Manipulation Functions
Cut, search, replace, and format text with core functions.
String Interpolation and Heredoc
Build strings with embedded variables and multi-line literals.
Pattern Matching with preg Functions
Validate and extract text using PCRE regular expressions.
Phase 4: Object-Oriented Programming Foundations
Model real entities with classes, control member visibility, and reuse behavior through inheritance.
Classes and Objects
Define a class blueprint and instantiate objects from it.
Public, Private, and Protected Members
Encapsulate internal state with visibility modifiers.
Inheritance and the extends Keyword
Derive classes that reuse and specialize parent behavior.
Polymorphism and Method Overriding
Let subclasses replace behavior behind a shared interface.
Static Properties and Methods
Keep class-level state and functions that need no instance.
Phase 5: Interfaces, Traits, Enums, and Advanced Classes
Define contracts, reuse behavior across hierarchies, and model fixed value sets with modern PHP constructs.
Abstract Classes and Contracts
Provide base implementations that force subclasses to complete.
Contracts with Interfaces
Specify method signatures that implementing classes must provide.
Reusing Behavior with Traits
Share method sets across unrelated classes without multiple inheritance.
Backed Enums for Fixed Values
Model status codes and labels as first-class types.
Magic Methods like __get and __toString
Intercept property access, calls, and string conversion.
Phase 6: Error Handling and Exceptions
Detect failures, raise informative exceptions, and recover gracefully without crashing the process.
Throwing and Catching Exceptions
Interrupt normal flow and handle errors with try/catch blocks.
Custom Exception Hierarchies
Create domain-specific exception classes with context.
Registering Custom Error Handlers
Convert PHP notices and warnings into handled failures.
Cleanup with finally Blocks
Release files, locks, and connections no matter what happens.
Logging Errors for Production
Record failures with error_log and structured loggers.
Phase 7: Filesystem and Session Management
Read and write files safely, accept uploads, and persist user state across requests.
Reading and Writing Files
Open, read, write, and append to files on disk.
Handling File Uploads
Process multipart forms and move uploaded files securely.
Safe Path Handling
Resolve paths and reject directory traversal attempts.
Session Start and Configuration
Persist per-user state across otherwise stateless requests.
Secure Session Settings
Harden cookies and rotate ids to block session attacks.
Phase 8: Composer and Autoloading
Manage dependencies with Composer and load classes automatically through PSR-4 conventions.
Initializing a Project with Composer
Create composer.json and install your first dependencies.
Installing and Updating Packages
Add libraries and understand version constraint behavior.
PSR-4 Autoloading
Map namespaces to directories so classes load on demand.
Running Composer Scripts
Automate tasks like linting and asset building from Composer.
Version Constraints and Stability
Pin dependency ranges and understand stability flags.
Phase 9: PDO and Relational Databases
Connect to a database, run prepared queries safely, and wrap related work in transactions.
Connecting with PDO
Open a database connection with a DSN and error mode.
Prepared Statements and Binding
Send queries separately from data to stop injection.
Performing CRUD Queries
Fetch rows, insert records, and update data through PDO.
Transactions and Concurrency
Group related writes so they commit or roll back together.
Modeling Relations with Joins
Combine tables and shape results for application needs.
Phase 10: Securing Web Applications
Defend against injection, forgery, and session attacks that commonly target PHP applications.
Escaping Output to Prevent XSS
Neutralize user-supplied markup before rendering it.
Defeating SQL Injection
Keep user data out of SQL syntax entirely.
CSRF Tokens for Forms
Prove that state-changing requests came from your site.
Validating and Sanitizing Input
Whitelist accepted data before it reaches your logic.
Hashing Passwords Correctly
Store credentials with modern one-way password hashing.
Security Headers and Cookie Flags
Harden responses with headers the browser enforces.
Phase 11: HTTP and REST APIs
Handle requests properly, build JSON endpoints, and design a versioned REST API.
Reading Requests with Superglobals
Access method, URI, headers, and input from globals.
Choosing HTTP Status Codes
Return accurate statuses so clients react correctly.
Building JSON Endpoints
Emit structured JSON responses with correct headers.
Routing Requests in a Front Controller
Map URL patterns and methods to handlers.
Versioning API Endpoints
Evolve responses without breaking existing clients.
Phase 12: Testing with PHPUnit
Write automated tests, mock collaborators, and enforce coverage thresholds in CI.
Configuring PHPUnit
Install PHPUnit and define the test suite layout.
Writing Assertions
Verify return values, exceptions, and state changes.
Parameterized Tests with dataProvider
Run one test method across many input sets.
Mocking Dependencies
Isolate the unit under test from slow collaborators.
Coverage Reports and Thresholds
Measure which lines your tests actually execute.
Phase 13: Laravel Framework Fundamentals
Build a feature in Laravel using routing, Blade views, Eloquent models, and validation.
Creating a Laravel Project
Scaffold an application and learn the directory layout.
Routing and Controllers
Map URLs to closures and controller actions.
Blade Templates and Layouts
Render views with escaping and reusable layouts.
Querying with Eloquent ORM
Work with models, relationships, and eager loading.
Validating Requests
Enforce input rules declaratively before processing.
Phase 14: Queues, Caching, and Background Jobs
Move slow work off the request cycle and cache expensive results for repeat visitors.
Dispatching Queued Jobs
Run email, exports, and other slow work in the background.
Caching with Redis and Files
Store expensive results in a fast key-value layer.
Cache Invalidation Strategies
Keep cached data fresh without serving stale results.
Scheduling Recurring Tasks
Run cleanup and report jobs on a fixed cadence.
Running and Monitoring Workers
Keep queue workers alive and observe their throughput.
Phase 15: Performance and Deployment
Speed up hot paths with caching and profiling, then ship the application through an automated pipeline.
Enabling OPcache
Cache compiled scripts to avoid re-parsing on every request.
Indexing and Query Tuning
Make database reads fast with indexes and better queries.
Profiling Slow Requests
Find the functions that dominate request time.
Deploying behind Nginx and PHP-FPM
Serve PHP through a production web server stack.
Shipping with a CI Pipeline
Run tests and static analysis on every change.
Phase 16: Capstone: Production PHP Application
Plan, build, test, and harden a complete inventory API as the roadmap's final project.
Scoping the Capstone API
Define resources, endpoints, and acceptance criteria up front.
Modeling the Database Schema
Design tables, keys, and seed data for the domain.
Implementing the REST Endpoints
Build CRUD routes with auth, validation, and pagination.
Covering the API with PHPUnit
Test status codes, payloads, and authorization paths.
Hardening and Deploying the Release
Lock down the app and ship it to a live server.