[macosxnerd101]

While on DIC, we have seen a bunch of threads all asking basically the same thing- how can I get better at programming? The simple truth is that programming takes practice writing and debugging code. It is not something that comes overnight. So for those of you relatively new to (PHP) programming, we have outlined a list of topics in a sequence from total novice to advanced programming, with focuses on various aspects of programming.

We have also included a list of tutorials for many of the topics below. If you have a resource on Dream.in.Code that you feel would add to a given category, shoot me a PM!

Special thanks to Dormilich and CTphpnwb for helping me compile this list!

Stage 1- Beginner:

• Introduction to PHP - What it is and isn't
  
• Hello, World
  
• Using print and echo
  
• Variables
  
• String manipulation
  
• If-else statements, switch blocks, while and for loops
  
• Arrays and Foreach loops

Stage 2- Intermediate

• Processing HTML Forms ($_GET, $_POST)
  • no2pencil: Get and Post Methods- How To and Why
  
  
• Functions
  • CTphpnwb: Why use functions?
  
  
  
• Database Interactions (PDO, MySQLi)
  • Dormilich: Introduction to PDO
    
  • joeyadms: Introduction to MYSQLi and Prepared Statements
  
  
  
• Sessions
  • joeyadms: Session Handling in PHP
  
  
  
• Basic Security
  • creativecoding: Update User Passwords to a More Secure Hash Secretly
  
  
  
• Class Design
  • macosxnerd101: OOPHP- The Basics of Classes and Objects
  
  
• Class inheritance
  
• Abstract Classes, Interfaces, and Polymorphism
  • joeyadms: OOP: Polymorphism, Late-Binding, and Method Overloading
  
  
• Using PHP as a Means to Modify HTML Templates (Separating HTML and PHP)
  • CTphpnwb: Content-Code Separation
  
  
• File I/O
  • PPDP: Working with Files
    
  • no2pencil: File Access- Opening, Reading, Writing, and Closing
  
  
• Use of the mail() function
  • codeprada: Preventing PHP Mail(…) Header Injections
  
  
• Iterators
  
• Exception Handling
  • Dormilich: Make your PHP-Errors exceptional
  
  
• Smaller Third-Party Libraries and Extensions (i,e, Swift Mailer)

Stage 3- Advanced

• MVC
  
• Designing Dynamic Web Applications
  
• Sockets and Networking
  • Auzzie: Creating an IRC Bot in PHP
  
  
• Third Party Frameworks
  • shadowstep0705: CakePHP: Installation + Configuration
    
  • shadowstep0705: CakePHP: Sessions
    
  • joeyadms: Introduction to the Zend Framework
  
  
• PHP-GTK
  
• SPL
  
• Web Services

This post has been edited by macosxnerd101: 15 May 2012 - 10:02 PM
Reason for edit:: Updated

[aaron1178]

Great list Mac

This would of helped back when I started :|

For those of you that want to create your own PHP modules, may I suggest my upcoming tutorial

This post has been edited by aaron1178: 06 October 2011 - 11:08 PM

[Jstall]

Great list Mac! Might I suggest incorporating a third party library into a project? I see frameworks are there but I'm talking about a smaller library used to specific functionality. An example would be Swift Mailer, an OOP library with numerous mailing features.

[johngato]

This is great. Since I am still very new to PHP this will help out alot.

Thanks for taking the time to write this up

[Jstall]

A couple more thoughts

Making a call to a web service(Paypal etc)

Since social media is huge now, leveraging social media via their API. Sending a tweet/status update via Twitter/Facebook/Linkedin .

These could be the same depending on how the social media site works.

This post has been edited by Jstall: 07 October 2011 - 05:12 AM

[macosxnerd101]

@Jstall: Great ideas! I've updated the list!

Glad everyone has found it useful!

[Samlock]

Been looking for something like this - bookmarked for tomorrow night. Nice!

[EnvXOwner]

Jstall, on 07 October 2011 - 07:47 AM, said:

Great list Mac! Might I suggest incorporating a third party library into a project? I see frameworks are there but I'm talking about a smaller library used to specific functionality. An example would be Swift Mailer, an OOP library with numerous mailing features.

I agree! I love Swif Mailer. One of my followers on Twitter showed it to me, it was love at first sight. lol

[JacksonD]

Great for beginners to PHP,This is a really good post.

[¿serenity?]

great list, I'll check it out more tonight when i get home.