Become a PHP Coding Specialist
Ten units, one real project. Start from your very first <?php tag and finish with a complete, database-driven, secure Small Business Website — ready for certification.
What You’ll Achieve
By the end of this course, you will be able to build a complete, secure, data-driven web application in PHP — from raw syntax all the way to databases, sessions, web services, and a polished, documented launch.
Every unit adds one real feature to a single Small Business Website, so you graduate with a finished portfolio project and the skills mapped to the PHP Coding Specialist (PHPCS) certification.
How the Course Works
This isn’t ten disconnected topics — it’s one website that grows with you. In Unit 1 you publish a dynamic homepage. By Unit 8 that same site stores its data in a real database. By Unit 10 it’s secured, styled, documented, and launched.
Each unit follows the same rhythm: four focused lessons that teach the concepts, then a hands-on project that bolts a new working feature onto your site. Click any unit below to jump straight into its overview.
The 10 Units
Core syntax, variables, data types, arrays, constants, and embedding PHP cleanly inside HTML.
Calculate, compare, and make decisions. Capture and respond to what users type into forms.
if/else decisions, loops, and error handling — used to build a dynamic FAQ Rotator.
Built-in functions, your own custom functions, arguments and return values, and a reusable Utility Library.
Model real business data with classes and objects — properties, methods, constructors, and visibility.
Keep users logged in across pages and build a complete login system with a protected Admin Dashboard.
Text manipulation, regular expressions, and secure file uploads for a validated Contact Form.
MySQL/PDO, CRUD operations, Singleton & Factory patterns, and live external API calls via cURL.
Expose your own data through a REST API and consume external SOAP/JSON/XML services.
Harden security, polish the UI, write documentation, and review the full curriculum for certification.
The Thread That Ties It Together
One Project, Ten Upgrades — The Small Business Website
Instead of throwaway exercises, every project builds the same real site. You start with a static-feeling homepage powered by variables, then add forms, logic, reusable functions, objects, logins, file uploads, a database, and live API data. By the capstone, you have a complete, secure, professional web application you can show employers.
Skills You’ll Walk Away With
Syntax, variables, arrays, control flow, and functions — the everyday tools of a back-end developer.
Model data with classes and objects, and apply professional patterns like Singleton and Factory.
Connect with PDO and perform full CRUD operations against a MySQL database, safely.
Sessions, login systems, input validation, and hardening a site against common attacks.
Build and consume REST and SOAP APIs, working fluently with JSON and XML data.
Debugging, documentation, and shipping a polished, certification-ready application.
Why This Matters for Your Career
PHP powers a huge share of the web — including WordPress, Wikipedia, and countless business sites. Back-end, full-stack, and web admin roles use it every day.
This course is built around the PHP Coding Specialist (PHPCS) exam objectives, so every lesson does double duty: you build a real portfolio project and prepare for your certification at the same time. Finish strong and you’ll have both the proof of skill and the credential to back it up.
Course Content
