Starting Out with PHP Programming for a Complete Beginner

Course outline

A clear route from first principles to practical confidence

1. 01

   What is PHP and How Does It Work?

   • What is server-side programming? (PHP vs HTML/CSS)
   • Installing a local server: XAMPP or MAMP
   • Your first PHP script: 'Hello, World!'
   • Understanding PHP tags, comments, and basic syntax
   • Running PHP files in your browser
2. 02

   Variables, Data Types, and Basic Operations

   • What are variables? Naming rules and conventions
   • Strings, integers, floats, and booleans
   • Concatenating strings and using echo/print
   • Basic arithmetic operators and order of operations
   • Simple debugging: var_dump and print_r
3. 03

   Making Decisions with Conditionals

   • Understanding true and false in PHP
   • Using if, else, and elseif statements
   • Comparison operators: ==, !=, <, >, <=, >=
   • Logical operators: &&, ||, !
   • Practical example: a simple age-checking script
4. 04

   Repeating Actions with Loops

   • Why use loops? Counting and iterating
   • The while loop: repeating until a condition is met
   • The for loop: counting with a counter variable
   • The foreach loop: working with arrays
   • Avoiding infinite loops and using break/continue
5. 05

   Working with Arrays

   • What is an array? Indexed arrays
   • Associative arrays: keys and values
   • Adding, removing, and modifying array elements
   • Looping through arrays with foreach
   • Useful array functions: count, sort, array_push
6. 06

   Functions: Reusable Code Blocks

   • What is a function? Defining and calling functions
   • Passing arguments and setting default values
   • Returning values from functions
   • Variable scope: local vs global variables
   • Built-in PHP functions you'll use often
7. 07

   Handling User Input with Forms

   • How HTML forms send data to PHP
   • Using $_GET and $_POST superglobals
   • Validating and sanitising user input
   • Displaying form data back to the user
   • Simple form example: a contact or feedback form
8. 08

   Introduction to Databases with MySQL

   • What is a database? Tables, rows, and columns
   • Setting up a MySQL database with phpMyAdmin
   • Connecting to MySQL using PHP (mysqli)
   • Running SELECT queries and fetching data
   • Inserting new records from a form
9. 09

   Putting It All Together: Your First Dynamic Website

   • Planning a simple project (e.g., a guestbook or task list)
   • Creating the database and table structure
   • Building the front-end form and display page
   • Adding basic error handling and security tips
   • Testing, debugging, and celebrating your work