Learn PHP Podcast - PHP Insights and Training

In this episode, I answer your questions. Here's the questions I'll answer: What do I need to learn with PHP? How do I implement responsive web design? How do I write WordPress plugins? How do I work with MySQL? Check out the podcast and leave your questions in the comments below.

Object-Oriented Programming in PHP is More Than Writing a Class Whenever someone asks me about Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) in PHP, it always immediately turns to, "how do I write a class". Obviously, writing a class is a part of the process, but it's not most important or even the first step. OOP is about create a conceptual framework for your code that makes it more flexible, reusable, stable, and powerful. It's about mirroring your real-world experience in your programming logic. The macro-steps are as follows: Develop your object model conceptually Set your database to mirror/handle your object model Write your individual classes Let's cover each step in more detail. 1. Develop Your Object Model This is the most critical step. It's where you analyze your application's specifications and turn them into programming concepts. The entire framework of your application is developed during this step. What you want to do is identify the objects you'll be working with in your application: users, posts, statuses, etc... whatever those objects are for your application. Then, you determine what properties they'll have and what functions they'll perform. Users create/read/update/delete posts. Users create/read/update/delete categories. Users create/read/update/delete other users... and so on. Ultimately, all the actions your objects take will break down to CRUD... Create, Read, Update, Delete. Use this as your guideline for writing the methods for your object's class. 2. Set Up Your Database Your database needs to handle your object model. It needs to store the specific instances of your objects. Typically, you'll have a two tables for each object: 1) a standard table for storing the main properties of the object's instance and 2) a meta table for storing custom data about each instance of the object. You'll also have relationships tables that create relationships between the different objects in your application. For example, a Content Management System (CMS) will have a relationships table that associates certain posts with certain categories. Ultimately, you want to make your database robust enough to handle your object model, but flexible enough to be developed over time. 3. Write Your Classes At this point, you can begin to write your classes. Usually, one class will contain all the properties and methods for one object. You also have two types of methods: 1) public methods used throughout the rest of the application and 2) internal "helper" functions that support the other methods in the class. You may also have "interface" classes that interact with any APIs you're integrating into your application. Also, you usually will have a general "methods" class that contains generic methods used in numerous places throughout your application. Your Feedback Do you have an idea for a podcast you would like to hear? Do you have a question that you like to ask me? Please let me know in the comments below. And if you enjoy the podcast, I'd really appreciate it if you would subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. Subscription Options You can subscribe to this podcast using the following options: Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Stitcher RSS Feed

What It Takes to Be a Successful Coder The keys to success as a coder involve a lot more than knowing what keys to punch on your keyboard. Technical skill is a crucial aspect, but it's also the most talked about. What isn't talked about much is the mental, emotion, and spiritual side of PHP coding - the internal stuff that makes you successful. And, in my opinion, the internal stuff is more important because it's what allows you to get good at the technical side. In this episode of The Learn PHP Podcast, we're going talk about what I believe are the 3 most important skills you can learn as a coder - and, yes, they're all about the internal mojo you need to be successful. Here's what they are: 1. Mental Abstraction From WikiPedia: Abstraction is a process by which higher concepts are derived from the usage and classification of literal ("real" or "concrete") concepts, first principles, or other methods. "An abstraction" is the product of this process – a concept that acts as a super-categorical noun for all subordinate concepts, and connects any related concepts as a group, field, or category. Applications are real collections of abstractions. You abstract both objects and actions within your application to create a small collection of methods that can be easily used and thought about. Abstraction is key to your success as a coder, because of the limited nature of our minds. We can only think about so much at one time. The more you are able to abstract your application, the less you have to think about... and the better overall understanding you'll have of how it works. In a sentence, "your success as a coder is directly linked to your ability to mentally abstract". 2. Adaptive Commitment Most of your career will be spent working on other people's projects - their ideas, their products, their goals. It can be difficult to muster the level of commitment necessary to follow-through on other people's stuff - especially, if you aren't particularly interested in it or believe in it yourself. Yet, to be successful... to have the number of clients you'll need to have, you'll need to take on these kinds of projects. Learning how to selectively apply your focus and commit to other people's projects is one of the most important things you can learn how to do. Otherwise, you find yourself becoming the irresponsible "horror story" developer you thought you'd never become. And, your reputation (and ultimately, your bottom line) will take a hit because of it. 3. Determined Resourcefulness Good coders are resourceful. And, they don't give up. Learning how to be resourceful and use all the tools at your disposal to get things done is critical to your success. The reality is that your clients, by the very fact that you know how to code, will think you automatically know everything there is to know about the internet, computers, etc. They'll expect you to have the answers. Right or wrong, you'll need to deliver. And, being resourceful is how you bridge the gap between what you do know and what your clients think you should. Your Feedback Do you have an idea for a podcast you would like to hear? Do you have a question that you like to ask me? Please let me know in the comments below. And if you enjoy the podcast, I'd really appreciate it if you would subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. Subscription Options You can subscribe to this podcast using the following options: Subscribe via iTunes RSS Feed