How to start growing after doing the Advanced PHP course

 5 Top Ways To Start Growing After Learning A PHP Advanced Course

Since its inception in the mid-1990s, PHP has been a popular server-side programming language among developers. You may have read articles recently lamenting its impending demise, but the raw data suggests this may be premature. PHP is used by 78.9 percent of all websites, according to w3techs.com.

In order to be a good PHP developer, you must first master the fundamentals of PHP by taking up a PHP course. Smaller businesses and organizations frequently seek well-rounded developers due to a lack of resources to hire specialists for each task. 

With this in mind, here are 5 steps that will help you broaden your skillset and differentiate yourself as a PHP developer after completing your PHP tutorial for beginners which includes advanced concepts too:

1. Knowledge of other programming languages 

Understanding PHP code in a PHP tutorial alone will not suffice if you wish to succeed as a PHP developer in a competitive job market. PHP learning needs to be complemented with other programming languages too. A thorough understanding of front-end programming languages such as JavaScript, CSS, and HTML is required to identify and correct web design errors. Being proficient in these languages also enables you to gain a better understanding of how they affect the user experience (UX), which is the end goal of the majority of programming projects. Additionally, familiarity with databases is critical. Having a diverse set of technical skills can help you become a valuable member of any development team.

1. Acquaint yourself with PHP's best practices and design patterns

Design patterns are beneficial in all phases of software development, including PHP development. They have the potential to accelerate development by providing repeatable solutions to common problems. Additionally, they aid in code readability by allowing other developers to recognise the patterns being used. While Factory, Strategy, and Singleton are the most frequently used design patterns in PHP applications, there are a plethora of others to master. More broadly, save time by swotting yourself with best practices for working with various PHP frameworks. The language has been around for more than two decades and is supported by a large community - take advantage of this to avoid making the same mistakes as others before you.

2. Knowledge of Composer, PSR, and PHPUnit

These are a few of the many tools you may use to become more proficient as a PHP developer after completing a PHP tutorial for beginners. Composer is a dependency manager that will manage your libraries, classes, and functions for you, allowing you to easily install multiple versions of each on a per-project basis. Additionally, Composer will check for new versions of these libraries and perform any necessary updates. The PHP Standard Recommendation (PSR) is a PHP specification aimed at standardising PHP programming concepts and enhancing the interoperability of PHP components and frameworks. The PHP Framework Interoperability Group publishes it, and there are currently 13 accepted standards, each with a distinct purpose, with additional standards being drafted. PHP developers should become familiar with and adhere to these standards in order to help minimise unnecessary variations in PHP code.

Meanwhile, PHPUnit is a popular unit testing framework for automating the comparison of small units of code to expected results. Unit testing is a best practice for any PHP developer, and it can be used in conjunction with a Test-Driven Development (TDD) approach, in which tests are established even before code is written.

1. Problem Solving

While developing 'hard' technical skills is a necessary component of becoming a high-level PHP developer, you are unlikely to reach the top without a complementary set of soft skills. As a PHP developer, you're bound to run into unexpected issues that require resolution - how you resolve them plays a significant role in determining your value on a development project. Critical thinking skills - the ability to analyse and evaluate alternative solutions to a problem in order to arrive at the most effective solution - are also necessary for writing high-quality code.

2. Excellent Communication

You may be an expert at PHP programming, but if you lack the ability to communicate effectively with others, you may struggle to work effectively on a team project. You must be able to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, and bosses in order to comprehend the project's/objectives, business's raise concerns, and explain how your work fits into the larger product. And keep in mind that, even if you're most at ease behind a screen, effective communication requires speaking on the phone, via video conference, or in person, in addition to communicating via email and messaging apps.

Conclusion

Summing up, it is critical to be adaptable and receptive to learning. As with all programming languages, PHP is constantly evolving, and businesses are most likely to hire developers who are current on language and application updates. And even if you're confident in your PHP abilities, there will always be something new you can pick up from others. Remain humble and inquisitive, and you will continue to progress.