Although there are literally thousands of development techniques coders use throughout the PHP development community, we have tried to narrow them down to the most important, immediately impactful practices aimed at making you a better coder.
Know your limits.
PHP is not meant as a solution to every software problem. PHP is specifically intended to help build solutions to Web-based problems. So, if your problem is not to be solved over the Internet, PHP is probably not the platform you need to use to solve it.
Use good source code editor.
Although (like many programmatic protocols) PHP can be hard coded in a simple text document, it is suggested that you at least start with a some visually based editor. Net Beans has a nice (free) suite of products aimed at assisting PHP developers delineate, parse, modify, upload and download code files. It is a great way to get to know your way around PHP, but it is also powerful enough to support the endeavors of seasoned developers.
Know your project.
This is simple system development life cycle protocol. Before you can really dig in to a project, you have to know what the project requires. Gathering requirements definitions of a PHP project (or any project) is where you start. You have to know what it has to do in order to get it to do it.
Use three-tier architecture.
This is standard application development protocol that ca4rries over to any development platform It helps to see your project as three separate layers: the data layer where the data model is represented, the application layer where coding takes place, and the interface layer where users interact with the software.
Look it up.
This should be a favorite of any developer. When in doubt, look it up. There is so much information about so many projects on the Web that it hardly behooves any developer to being hard coding a project without looking for similarly;y developed code first. Find it, and modify it to your specifications, and you have cut your coding time in half.
Do it.
You could read all you want about riding a bike, but until you actually put your feet on the peddles, it is meaningless. The same goes for coding. You have to get your hands dirty. If you really want to know how to code, code.
Avoid the GET method in favor of the POST method.
This cannot always be accomplished, but it should be attempted wherever possible. GET is impregnable through the address bar. POST is not.
Build a library.
Rather than developing solutions from scratch for each project, develop a library of code that works, and you can reduce your development time. In fact, it increase your return on investment every time you reuse some previously developed code.
Drupal.
Drupal is a content management system built on PHP technology. It is a great way to start experimenting with PHP coding within a framework that already works and enjoys the support of thousands of developers globally
Watch the pros.
These are the people who have become seasoned PHP developers. By watching how they solve problems to achieve solutions, you can develop similar cognitive habits that will help you solve uniquer PHP-related problems in the future.
