Advanced PHP Concepts Every Developer Should Know
PHP is a server scripting language and a powerful tool for developing dynamic web applications. Its formidability is why PHP Development skills are in demand, whether a WordPress or PHP site. It turns tables for web pages; the changes made to its newer versions have made user interaction easier and more viable. PHP is easier to learn, which makes it popular among seasoned developers. It powers more than 80% of published web pages today and is the go-to business solution.
PHP basics are easy to hone — but there are some advanced PHP concepts every developer should be well-versed with.
Let’s get into them one by one.
Variables and Operators
Variables and operators are vital to understanding and mastering PHP. Variables serve as memory locations that enable developers to store data. This data could range from numeric values, characters, strings, and memory addresses. When declaring a variable, the $ sign is used. Variables and operators make both the basics of PHP and some of its advanced usage.
Object Oriented Programming
Object Oriented Programming — OOP, for short, is used to create objects containing both objects and data. With OOP, you can significantly reduce development time as it makes code recyclable and reusable. The primary function OOP serves is binding data and functions. You can also call classes with the help of OOP, which define the interaction of data and functionality.
MySQL Database
Popularly used with PHP, MySQL is ideal for small and large applications. It is reliable, fast, and easy to use. They lend quite a hand with categorically storing information. Combined with PHP, a MySQL database becomes cross-platform. You can create contact forms to connect users to website admins, send them queries, and easily connect to the database. This pairing of PHP and MySQL makes life for web admins and PHP developers easy.
Sessions and Cookies
Cookies are minuscule files of 4KB that a server embeds in every user’s computer. A cookie is sent out every time a server receives a request for a particular webpage to be displayed. Cookies help with user identification and make things simpler and personalized. An advanced development concept, creating and retrieving a cookie value is made easier with PHP — which is why it makes this list. Sessions, contrarily, are centers of stored information in the form of variables. Upon the creation of a session, a cookie is also formed with a unique ID of the related session. These sessions are generally created in applications where temporary information crosses the 4KB mark.
Error Handling and Security
Error handling in PHP gives a file name, line number, and error type. Error handling is a crucial advanced concept in developing web applications and scripts. Programs developed may be susceptible to risks should there be no error-checking in the application overall. PHP has two methods of error handling:
- The Die () statement, which prints a message and prompts an exit from the current script.
- Custom error handling and triggering, where a custom function is created which can be called in case there is an error.