What is PHP used for and why should I learn PHP?
PHP is an open source server-side scripting language used to manage dynamic content, databases, and session tracking in web development. PHP has been around since 1995 and is still extremely popular. Almost 8 out of every 10 websites that you visit uses PHP. Some popular PHP website examples include Facebook, Wikipedia, Tumblr, and Canva. Of course, new tech stacks are being added to many of these websites, but PHP still plays a foundational role.
There are often some confusions around HTML vs PHP, but they actually go hand in hand. Unlike HTML, which is a front end markup language, PHP is a backend scripting language. This means that HTML determines the general structure and content of a web page, while PHP provides dynamic content through scripts. Together with HTML, PHP is most commonly used for building websites.
So why use PHP? Why learn it? Apart from its popularity, PHP is highly flexible and scalable. PHP is easy to learn because it’s conceptually simple and has simple syntax, architecture, and a rich set of libraries. Regarding your career options, you could work for any large companies that use PHP, or become a freelancer and help small businesses set up their website or online shops. You could even jump away from web development and use PHP on AI and cloud programming!
Why should I practice PHP by building projects?
Project-based learning is a method of learning where you learn a skill through working on a project. This type of learning allows you to learn not only the theory, but also how to apply those skills.
By building a PHP project, you'll practice the high-level logic of your code and project, and see how each individual line can impact your application. You will also gain problem-solving skills and how to fix it. With so many PHP projects available, finding an idea that interests you will make the learning process more fun and sustainable.
When you finish building a project, you will have learned and practiced PHP techniques, gained problem solving skills, learned how to ask questions, and have a finished project to show off.
How do I know which PHP projects are best for learning PHP?
The best way to learn PHP is to practice PHP by building as many projects as possible. There are three factors you should consider when picking the right PHP project: your skill level, goals, and interest.
You want to have a good idea of your skill level and choose PHP practice projects that are not too easy or too hard for you. If you work on PHP projects that are too easy, you won’t progress in your coding abilities. However, if you choose projects that are too difficult, you may get stuck, never finish the project, and feel discouraged. Therefore, you want to choose PHP projects that are just a little bit above your current skill level.
Now, you also want to build PHP projects that not only allows you to practice PHP, but also lets you show off your skills on your portfolio. So think about the types of PHP projects you want to put on your portfolio and jobs you’re interested in as a developer. Think about what your long-term goals are and pick PHP projects that align with them.
Lastly, you definitely want to choose PHP projects that you’re actually interested in and feel connected to. Learning by building PHP projects you’re interested in will help you stay motivated. You’ll also be more likely to want to go above and beyond to make your PHP project stand out in the crowd.
Can PHP beginners learn by building PHP projects?
PHP projects are a great way for beginners to learn. Two major obstacles beginners face when learning PHP are not knowing why you’re learning PHP and losing motivation. By learning PHP through building projects, you will be able to overcome both hurdles.
When you’re learning PHP, you may not know how to apply PHP theories in the real world. But when working on beginner PHP projects, you immediately learn how each line of code impacts your project. By giving theory context, you’ll understand how to apply theories and find more resources to complete your PHP project. These PHP projects for beginners can also help you build up your portfolio early on. Each PHP project you finish can be incorporated into your portfolio to demonstrate your new skills.
Another issue that often comes up for beginners is losing motivation. However, when it comes to projects, you can pick a beginner PHP project that you’re interested in. Not only will you be more motivated when you work on something interesting, you’ll also want to continue to improve the project. As your PHP project comes together, the sense of accomplishment will give you the momentum to keep going, even when things get hard. Additionally, you’ll learn how to approach problems from multiple angles and teach yourself how to search for answers. The ability to problem-solve is arguably one of the most important skills a developer should have.