PHP for Beginners

Instructor: Mohammad Yasin Ud Dowla

yasinuddowla.com

Course Duration:

8 weeks (2 hours per week)

Level:

Beginner - No prior programming experience required

Course Objectives

  • Understand the fundamentals of PHP syntax and programming concepts.
  • Learn how to work with variables, data types, operators, and control flow statements.
  • Gain proficiency in working with arrays, functions, and OOP basics.
  • Master essential techniques for handling user input, forms, and file manipulation.
  • Connect to databases using PHP and perform basic CRUD operations.
  • Implement basic website functionality like user authentication and session management.
  • Gain foundational knowledge of secure coding practices.

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to PHP (Week 1)

  • • Introduction to web development and server-side scripting.
  • • Understanding the role of PHP in web development.
  • • Setting up a development environment (XAMPP/MAMP/LAMP).
  • • Basic PHP syntax: variables, data types, operators, expressions.
  • • Control flow statements: if/else, switch, loops (for, while).

Module 2: Working with Data in PHP (Week 2)

  • • Arrays: creating, accessing, manipulating array elements.
  • • Functions: defining, calling, passing arguments, returning values.
  • • String manipulation functions: working with text data.
  • • Introduction to object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts: classes, objects, methods.

Module 3: User Input and Forms (Week 3)

  • • Superglobals: accessing user input ($_GET, $_POST, $_SERVER).
  • • Creating and processing HTML forms with PHP.
  • • Validating and sanitizing user input to prevent security vulnerabilities.

Module 4: File Handling in PHP (Week 4)

  • • File operations: opening, reading, writing, and closing files.
  • • Uploading files to the server: handling file uploads securely.

Module 5: Introduction to Databases with PHP (Week 5)

  • • Introduction to relational databases and SQL basics.
  • • Connecting to a database using PHP (e.g., MySQLi).
  • • Performing CRUD operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete) on database records.

Module 6: Website Functionality with PHP (Week 6)

  • • User authentication and session management: logging users in and out.
  • • Cookies: storing user data on the client-side.
  • • Sending emails with PHP (optional).

Module 7: Error Handling and Security (Week 7)

  • • Handling errors and exceptions in PHP.
  • • Introduction to secure coding practices to prevent common vulnerabilities.

Module 8: Project and Review (Week 8)

  • • Develop a small web application using the learned concepts.
  • • Course review, Q&A, and future learning paths.
yasinuddowla.com