PHP Programming

PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) is a widely-used, open-source scripting language especially suited for web development and designed to be embedded into HTML. As a server-side language, its code is executed on the web server to generate dynamic page content, interact with databases, and manage user sessions before the final HTML is sent to the client's browser. Powering a significant portion of the web, PHP is the foundational technology behind popular content management systems like WordPress and robust frameworks like Laravel and Symfony, making it a cornerstone skill for back-end web programming.

1. Introduction to PHP
   1. What is PHP
      1. Definition and Purpose
      2. Server-Side Scripting Language
      3. Role in Web Development
      4. Common Use Cases
         1. Dynamic Web Pages
         2. Form Processing
         3. Content Management Systems
         4. E-commerce Platforms
         5. Web APIs
         6. Command Line Applications
   2. History and Evolution of PHP
      1. Origins and Early Versions
      2. Major Milestones and Releases
         1. PHP 3 Introduction
         2. PHP 4 Object Model
         3. PHP 5 Enhanced OOP
         4. PHP 7 Performance Improvements
         5. PHP 8 JIT Compilation
      3. PHP Versioning and Support
      4. Community and Ecosystem Growth
      5. Current Development Trends
   3. How PHP Works
      1. The Request-Response Cycle
         1. Client-Server Interaction
         2. HTTP Requests and Responses
         3. Web Server Role
      2. PHP Processing on the Server
         1. Web Server Integration
            1. Apache Integration
            2. Nginx Integration
            3. IIS Integration
         2. PHP Interpreter
         3. Execution Flow
      3. Embedding PHP in HTML
         1. PHP Tags and Syntax
         2. Mixing PHP and HTML
         3. Outputting Dynamic Content
         4. Template Integration
   4. Setting Up a Development Environment
      1. Local Server Stacks
         1. XAMPP Installation and Configuration
         2. MAMP Installation and Configuration
         3. WAMP Installation and Configuration
         4. LAMP Stack Setup
      2. Using Docker for Development
         1. Docker Basics
         2. PHP Containers
         3. Managing Dependencies
         4. Docker Compose for PHP
      3. PHP Built-in Web Server
         1. Starting the Server
         2. Serving Files
         3. Configuration Options
      4. Installing PHP
         1. Downloading and Configuring PHP
         2. Verifying Installation
         3. Multiple PHP Versions
      5. Configuring php.ini
         1. Common Settings
         2. Error Reporting Configuration
         3. Memory and Execution Limits
         4. Extension Configuration
   5. Your First PHP Script
      1. PHP Tags
      2. Echo and Print Statements
      3. Writing and Saving PHP Files
      4. Viewing Output in Browser
      5. Basic Debugging
         1. Syntax Errors
         2. Common Mistakes
         3. Error Messages