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PHP 8 Programming Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices
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Delve into PHP 8’s latest features, explore the JIT compiler, learn about asynchronous programming, and gain insights into efficient coding techniques to fast-track your PHP development skills.

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PHP 8 is a culmination of the development team’s work to enhance language efficiency, offering faster performance and reduced memory usage. It also focuses on syntax and language normalization, making it a developer-friendly choice for adhering to coding best practices. This course is suitable for PHP developers of all levels, from beginners looking to learn the language effectively to seasoned professionals interested in PHP 8’s new features. In this course, you’ll experience a fast-track introduction to PHP 8, covering its latest features and providing guidance to avoid post-migration code issues. Then, you will cover advanced topics like the JIT compiler and asynchronous programming—making it the perfect tool for you to quickly master PHP 8. After taking this course, you will be equipped with the knowledge to use these new features and stricter coding practices in PHP 8, which are essential for any aspiring PHP developer who aims to have a successful career.

PHP 8 is a culmination of the development team’s work to enhance language efficiency, offering faster performance and reduced me...Show More

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Understanding of advanced PHP 8 concepts

Knowledge of PHP 8’s advanced error-handling capabilities

Ability to make direct C-language calls using FFI for rapid custom prototyping

Understanding backward-compatibility issues when transitioning to PHP 8

Ability to optimize code using PHP 8’s performance-enhancing features

Understanding of advanced PHP 8 concepts

Content

125 Lessons17 Quizzes

Introduction

2 Lessons

Get familiar with PHP 8's performance boosts, new features, and best practices.

Motivation—Why PHP 8

About This Course

Section 1: PHP 8 Tips

1 Lessons

Look at the new features in PHP 8 enhancing coding practices and capabilities.

Introduction to PHP 8 Tips

Introducing New PHP 8 OOP Features

10 Lessons

Examine the impactful PHP 8 OOP features enhancing code quality, readability, and efficiency.

Using Constructor Property Promotion

Working with Attributes

Incorporating match Expressions

Understanding Named Arguments

Exploring New Data Types

Improving Code Using Typed Properties

Summary: Introducing New PHP 8 OOP Features

Quiz: Introducing New PHP 8 OOP Features

Challenge: Implementing a Class with PHP 8 Advanced OOP Features

Solution: Implementing a Class with PHP 8 Advanced OOP Features

PHP 8's Functional Additions

12 Lessons

Grasp key PHP 8 functional additions to enhance code efficiency and performance.

Variadics Operator

Nullsafe Operator

Nested Ternary Operator

Arrow Functions

Uniform Variable Syntax

New Array Handling Techniques

New String Handling Techniques

Securing SQLite Databases with the Authorizer

Summary: PHP 8's Functional Additions

Quiz: PHP 8's Functional Additions

Challenge: Filtering Users in Social Network Data with PHP 8

Solution: Filtering Users in Social Network Data with PHP 8

Taking Advantage of Error-Handling Enhancements

9 Lessons

Solve problems in PHP 8 error handling, emphasizing robust coding practices and error management.

Understanding PHP 8 Error Handling

Dealing with Warnings That Are Now Errors

Warnings Promoted to Errors in Array Handling

Understanding Notices Promoted to Warnings

Handling the @ Error Control Operator

Summary: Taking Advantage of Error-Handling Enhancements

Quiz: Taking Advantage of Error-Handling Enhancements

Challenge: Removing Errors with PHP 8 Error-Handling Techniques

Solution: Removing Errors with PHP 8 Error-Handling Techniques

Making Direct C Language Calls

12 Lessons

Tackle making direct C language calls in PHP 8 using Foreign Function Interface (FFI).

Understanding FFI

Learning Where to Use FFI

Examining the FFI Class

Creating FFI Instances

Comparing Data Using FFI

Using FFI infrastructural methods

Using FFI in an Application

Working with PHP Callbacks

Summary: Making Direct C-Language Calls

Quiz: Making Direct C-Language Calls

Challenge: Data Manipulation of Foreign Function Interface in PHP

Solution: Data Manipulation of Foreign Function Interface in PHP

Section 2: PHP 8 Tricks

1 Lessons

Piece together the parts of migrating and updating your code for PHP 8.

Introduction to PHP 8 Tricks

Discovering Potential OOP Backward-Compatibility Breaks

12 Lessons

Learn how to use PHP 8's OOP changes and manage backward-compatibility issues.

Discovering Core OOP Coding Differences

Working with PHP 8 Autoloading

Navigating Changes in Magic Methods

Handling Changes in Magic Methods

Taking Control of Serialization

Introducing the Serializable Interface

Understanding PHP 8 Expanded Variance Support

Handling Standard PHP Library (SPL) Changes

Summary: Discovering Potential OOP Backward-Compatibility Breaks

Quiz: Discovering Potential OOP Backward-Compatibility Breaks

Challenge: Serialize and Unserialize Different Data Structures

Solution: Serialize and Unserialize Different Data Structures

Understanding PHP 8 Functional Differences

11 Lessons

Unpack the core of PHP 8 functional differences and improvements in string handling, comparisons, arrays, and security.

String Handling Differences

Changes in v*prinf(), NULL Length Arguments, and the implode() Function

PHP 8 String-to-Numeric Comparison Improvements

Differences in Arithmetic, Bitwise, and Concatenation Operations

Taking Advantage of Locale Independence

Handling Arrays in PHP 8

Mastering Changes in Security Functions and Settings

Summary: Understanding PHP 8 Functional Differences

Quiz: Understanding PHP 8 Functional Differences

Challenge: Manipulating the String and Array with Advanced Methods

Solution: Manipulating the String and Array with Advanced Methods

10.

Avoiding Traps When Using PHP 8 Extensions

10 Lessons

Examine the key changes in PHP 8 extensions, focusing on the shift to object-oriented programming.

Understanding the Shift from Resources to Objects

Learning about Changes to XML Extensions

Avoiding Problems with the Updated mbstring Extension

Dealing with Changes to the GD Extension

Discovering Changes to the Reflection Extension

Working with Other Extension Gotchas

Summary: Avoiding Traps When Using PHP 8 Extensions

Quiz: Avoiding Traps When Using PHP 8 Extensions

Challenge: Performing Data Operations with PHP 8 Extensions

Solution: Performing Data Operations with PHP 8 Extensions

11.

Learning about PHP 8's Deprecated or Removed Functionality

9 Lessons

Break down complex ideas in handling PHP 8's deprecated and removed functionality.

Discovering What Has Been Removed from the Core

Discovering Other PHP 8 Usage Changes

Examining Core Deprecations

Working with Removed Functionality in PHP 8 Extensions

Deprecated or Removed Security-Related Functionality

Summary: PHP 8’s Deprecated or Removed Functionality

Quiz: PHP 8’s Deprecated or Removed Functionality

Challenge: Formatter and Hash Generators with Updated Functions

Solution: Formatter and Hash Generation with Updated Functions

12.

Section 3: Best Practices

1 Lessons

Solve problems in PHP 8 with new coding standards, features, and migration strategies.

Introduction to PHP 8 Best Practices

13.

Mastering PHP 8 Best Practices

11 Lessons

Tackle method signatures, static returns, interfaces, traits, private methods, anonymous classes, and namespaces in PHP 8.

Discovering Method Signature Changes

Working with the static Return Type

Working with Interfaces

Understanding PHP 8 Trait Handling Refinements

Dealing with Private Methods

Controlling Anonymous Class Usage

Understanding Changes in Namespaces

Summary: Mastering PHP 8 Best Practices

Quiz: Mastering PHP 8 Best Practices

Challenge: Data Handling Using the PDO Extension and Abstract Methods

Solution: Data Handling Using the PDO Extension and Abstract Methods

14.

Improving Performance

10 Lessons

Piece together the parts of enhancing PHP 8 performance with JIT, stable sorting, arrays, and weak references.

Working with the JIT Compiler

Enabling the JIT Compiler

Using the JIT compiler

Speeding Up Array Handling

Implementing Stable Sort

Using Weak References to Improve Efficiency

Summary: Improving Performance

Quiz: Improving Performance

Challenge: Advanced Array Operations with Improved Performance

Solution: Advanced Array Operations with Improved Performance

15.

Migrating Existing PHP Apps to PHP 8

7 Lessons

Step through migrating PHP apps to PHP 8, focusing on environments, BC breaks, and troubleshooting.

Understanding Development, Staging, and Production Environments

Learning how to spot BC breaks before a migration

Developing a BC Break Scan Class

Performing the Migration

Testing and Troubleshooting the Migration

Summary: Migrating Existing PHP Apps to PHP 8

Quiz: Migrating Existing PHP Apps to PHP 8

16.

Creating PHP 8 Applications Using Asynchronous Programming

6 Lessons

Unpack the core of asynchronous programming in PHP 8 to enhance application performance.

Understanding the PHP Async Programming Model

Using the Swoole Extension

Using Selected PHP Frameworks in Async Mode

Learning About PHP 8.1 Fibers

Summary: PHP 8 Applications Using Asynchronous Programming

Quiz: PHP 8 Applications Using Asynchronous Programming

17.

Conclusion

1 Lessons

Go hands-on with PHP 8's advancements in performance, readability, and code quality.

Wrap Up

Certificate of Completion

Showcase your accomplishment by sharing your certificate of completion.

Course Author:

Packt

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