PHP Programming

E-commerce skills including user authentication, data validation, dynamic data updates, and shopping cart implementation are covered in detail. Course elements include implementing RESTful servers for newer more data driven sites. Students also learn how to configure PHP and the Apache Web Server.

Comprehensive hands on exercises are integrated throughout to reinforce learning and develop real competency.

Prerequisites: Basic computer skills and knowledge of HTML fundamentals equivalent to attending the Website Development with HTML5, CSS and Bootstrap course. Prior programming experience is helpful but not required.

• Static vs. Dynamic Web Sites
• Dynamic Content from Databases
• Developing Dynamic Internet Applications
• Client-Side Scripting vs. Server-Side Scripting
• Overview of PHP Advantages and Capabilities
• Configuring php.ini
• PHP vs. ASP

• PHP Scripting Fundamentals
• Print Statement
• Code Blocks
• Primitive Data Types
• Defining Constants and Variables
• Looping Constructs
  • while
  • do… while
  • for
  • exit and break

• True and False Expressions
• if, else and elseif
• switch/case Statement
• The ? (Ternary) Operator
• Timestamps

• Server Configuration Files
• Configuring IIS or Apache for PHP
• WWW Sites within IIS or Apache
• Apache Virtual Hosts
• IIS Virtual Directories
• Website Properties

• Using Include Files
• The Require Statement
• Modularizing Code with Functions
• Defining and Using Basic Functions

• Logical Operators
• Relational Operators
• Bitwise Operators
• Other Operators
• PHP7 Null Coalescing operator
• PHP7 Spaceship Operator

• Introduction to Functions
• Declaring Functions
• Scope
• Passing Arguments to Functions
• Local and Global Scope
• Passing Arguments to Functions by Value and Reference
• Variable Scoping and Return Values
• Recursion
• Coercive and Strict Type Declarations for Parameters and Return Values
• Optional and REST Parameters
• Argument Unpacking
• Generator Return Expressions
• Dynamic Function Calls
• Predefined PHP Functions

• Configuring PHP For Database Support
• PHP's Database APIs
• PHP's SQL API
• MySQL vs. Access
• MySQL vs. SQL Server
• Database Drivers
• Database Driver Class Wrappers
• ODBC
• Simple SQL Queries via PHP
• Tracking Visitors with Session IDs
• Populating Forms
• Retrieving Data from Forms

• Function Improvements
• New Operators
• Unicode Codepoint Syntax
• Filtered Unserialize
• IntlChar Support
• Expectations

• What are Arrays?
• Usage of Arrays in PHP
• Array Indexing
• Initializing Arrays
• Operating on Arrays
• Sorting Arrays
• One-Dimensional Arrays
• Multi-Dimensional Arrays
• Associative Arrays
• Array Functions
• Forms and Arrays in Web Applications

• Defining Object Oriented Programming
• Creating New Objects in PHP
• PHP Object Syntax
• Using Predefined PHP OOP Libraries

• Implementing New Classes
• Extending Classes
• Understanding Private, Public and Protected
• Inheriting Methods and Properties
• Overriding Methods and Properties

• Searching File Contents With Regular Expressions
• Changing and Editing File Contents
• Splitting and Joining Information Inside Files
• String Functions
• Regular Expression Functions
• Reading, Writing and Deleting Files
• Handling File Permissions
• File Locking
• Reading Directory Contents
• Creating and Deleting Directories

• Required Characteristics of an E-Commerce Site
• Authentication and Authorization
• Data Validation
• Building a Custom Shopping Cart
• Persisting Shopping Cart Data Over Multiple Pages
• Criteria for Evaluating Third Party Shopping Cart Solutions
• Open Source vs. Commercial Shopping Cart Solutions
• Order Processing via the Web
• Implementing Order System Security using SSL
• Using Mail Servers (SMTP and Sendmail) for Client Communication
• Configuring E-mail Output Parameters

• MySQL as a Client/Server Solution
• Introduction to MySQL Capabilities as a Powerful RDBMS
• Installing and Configuring MySQL
• Connecting to MySQL
• PHP Functions Specific to MySQL
• Executing SQL Calls
  • SELECT
  • INSERT
  • FETCH
  • UPDATE
  • DELETE
• Using PHP MyAdmin to Configure MySQL

• Purpose of Cookies
• Cookie Myths
• Setting Cookies
• Retrieving Cookies
• Expiring Cookies
• Deleting Cookies
• Storing Arrays in Cookies

• Error Logging
• Session Management and Maintaining State
• Web Application Architecture
• Using Environment Variables
• Changing Execution by Redirecting to Other URLs
• Embedding JavaScript within PHP
• Using the HTTP Protocols to Pass Data
• Showing Different Content to Different Browsers
• Getting IP Addresses from Visitors

• Understanding RESTful Servers
• Benefits of PHP for Implementing RESTful Servers
• Using HTTP Verbs to Access Data
• Understanding RESTful URIs
• Defining PHP Objects to Access RESTful URIs
• Effective Use of OOP Inheritance
• Implementing a RESTful Server in PHP for a Small Application