PHP Crash Course

From First Script to Full Website--Fast!

Tired of cobbling together PHP solutions from scattered online tutorials? Frustrated by outdated PHP practices that leave your code vulnerable and hard to maintain? Whether you’re building your first dynamic website or modernizing legacy systems, PHP Crash Course gives you a complete, practical foundation for writing professional web applications.

In this comprehensive, example-driven guide, you’ll learn how to:

• Write clean, maintainable PHP code using modern language features and best practices
• Build secure web applications that protect against common vulnerabilities
• Master database integration using PDO and object-relational mappings (ORMs)
• Implement professional features like shopping carts and user authentication
• Structure applications using object-oriented programming and model-view-controller (MVC) patterns
• Leverage powerful tools like Composer and Twig to accelerate development

Starting with PHP fundamentals, you’ll progress through six carefully crafted sections covering essential patterns, security best practices, database integration, and advanced concepts like object-oriented programming. Each chapter builds on real-world examples, giving you the skills to solve common development challenges.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced developer looking to modernize your PHP skills, PHP Crash Course gives you everything you need to build professional, dynamic websites with confidence.

Includes setup instructions for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and configuration details for Replit, the free online development environment.

Dr. Matt Smith is a senior lecturer in computing at Technology University (TU) Dublin, specializing in interactive multimedia and server-side web development. He has been teaching for over 30 years. Smith researches the use of applied computer game technology, especially to support teaching and learning, and is one of the authors of the Unity 2021 Cookbook.