Advanced PHP Resources
Version 2.0.1 alpha (work in progress - HF - 11 Mar 2004)
The following list of resources and pointers is intended to help PHP developers improve development technique. The focus is on more “theoretical” aspects of PHP rather than “Here’s how to do X” examples.
Contents
- Selected Sitepoint Discussions
- Object Oriented Programming and PHP
- PHP Class Libraries, Repositories and Extensions
- PHP5
Selected Sitepoint Discussions
Sitepoint’s Advanced PHP Forums provide a platform for discussing more advanced aspects of development with PHP as well exploring more theorectical aspects of software design. The purpose is to explore ways to make development with PHP, faster, more effecient, more reliable etc.
Response to “What’s so good about OOP?”
No further discussion required after voostind’s excellent response.
What do you think about design patterns?
Some pattern discussion leading to how to create Singletons in PHP4
Event Handling Classes in PHP (aka Hijacking PHP’s error handler
In reality, this is not the way to do things - error handling mechanisms tend to be slower that the “normal channels” in most programming languages plus, as you’ll see, things end up a mess. But fun anyway… And serializing objects to pass the the error handler is a useful hack for real error handling in PHP4.
Database Abstraction Pointless?
The pros and cons of database abstraction layers
PEAR QuickForm leading into discussion of Iterators
Beginning with thoughts for and against PEAR::HTML_Quickform then changing to a fascinating discussion of Iterators in PHP, which points to the root of what PHP is as a technology
Forms, fields, filters
Different approaches to using OOP when dealing with forms, a critical chunk of any web application
Separate Logic / Presentation without Templates
On the seperation that gets PHP programmers arguing as well as discussion of implementing MVC in “raw PHP” (i.e. without a framework providing the structure for you)
Java API as base for PHP library?
Discussion of where to go with OOP in PHP. Some fascinating insight from many directions (plus WACT rears it head for the first time)
How to make OO code not bloated in PHP?
Practical tips before going OOP-wild in PHP
Best Practices?
Development strategies / methodologies used by SPF members for developing PHP applications
Front Controllers, Page Controllers, Intercepting Filters
Experiments and thoughts on how to fit these patterns together in PHP. Even Google thinks it’s worth a read: [google]Intercepting filters[/google]
MVCP - MVC missing a layer?
Thoughts, doubts, concerns and advice on MVC in PHP spanning no less than five pages. Some deep insight to what MVC is (or isn’t).
Object Oriented Programming and PHP
PHP has evolved from a pure procedural language to one where the Object Oriented and Procedural paradigms co-exist happily. Many PHP developers learn a procedural style first and historically the majority of online material relating to PHP takes this focus. This a selection of PHP specific aimed at a PHP developer wishing to explore OOP.
Selected Reading on OOP in PHP
Object Oriented PHP: Paging Result Sets
Kevin Yank provides a practical (and PHP-relevant) intro to Object Orientated in PHP. Great starting point for those that prefer learning by doing.
Object Oriented PHP
A straightforward discussion of PHP 4’s object model in context with general OOP theory, emphasizing all the key points and using examples PHP developers should relate to.
Introduction to PHP Objects Part 1 and [url=http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/php/2002/08/01/php_foundations.html]Part 2
John Coggeshall provides a rigorous overview of PHP’s OOP in PHP.
Object Oriented Programming in PHP: The way to large PHP projects
Luis Argerich with an overview of OO in PHP which will suit developers already used to OOP with other languages. One of the first (if not the first) articles on OOP in PHP.
Using Objects to Create an Application <snip/> and <snip/>
Introduction to OOP in PHP by putting together a simple applications. Learning by doing.
<snip/>
PHP(4) and Variable References
Articles explaining how references work in PHP4 (no longer applies to PHP5, more or less)
<snip/>
How to simulate static class variables in PHP
(more to come)
Design Patterns
<snip/>
Pattern Repositories
<snip/>
<snip/>
Patterns in PHP (selected online articles)
Core Patterns
From the original GOF collection
The Command Pattern
This article could do better
<snip/>
Enterprise Patterns
Patterns with direct relevance to web applications
<snip/>
MVC in action with PHP and Phrame
MVC
Example implementation
<snip/>
Pages 9 - 11 - probably the simplest MVC example possible in PHP.
Model View Controller
Short discussion
Front Controller
General discussion and PHP issues
The Front Controller and PHP
Problems with implementing front controllers in PHP
<snip/>
Discussion and PHP implemtentation
The Registry
How to avoid global variables
The DAO Pattern
Data Access Objects
Incepting Filter
General discussion and PHP issues
<snip/>
More discussion and example implementation
Template View
Study of the template view (i.e. templates) looking at differing approaches used in PHP and other languages
Page Controller
Short discussion
PHP Development Tools
Open Source / freeware tools to help with PHP development.
Debuggers and Profilers
XDebug (recommended)
Excellent debugger and profiler extension.
Advanced PHP Debugger
<snip/> debugger - does some nice stuff like <snip/>
PEAR::Benchmark
Benchmarking and profiling tool written in PHP.
DBG
PHP Debugger
Unit Test Frameworks
Simple Test (recommended)
Excellent documentation, support for mock objects
Documentation Generation Tools
phpDocumentor (recommended)
Generates API documentation from inline source code comments (like Javadoc). Output can be “templated” and, in additional to generating HTML, PDF and CHM is also supported. Written in PHP
PHPXref (recommended)
Builds “cross reference” documentation of source code allowing you to view all the files where a variable / method / function is declared as well as the locations where they are referenced. Written in Perl.
Build / Deployment Tools
PEAR Package Manager (recommended)
Allows you to install PEAR packages (over the network) plus bundle your code for installation. Execute http://pear.php.net/go-pear with the PHP command line executable to get started. Written in PHP.
PEAR::PackageFileManager
Automates generation of package.xml files used by the Package Manager. Written in PHP.
Phing
PHP build tool equivalent to Apache ANT. Worth investigating for large projects. Written in PHP.
<snip/>
PHP-based installation wizard for professional release management of modular PHP applications.
UML and Design Tools
Argo UML
UML diagram drawing tool with support for PHP stub generation (commercial spin off is <snip/>) - written in Java
Umbrello UML
UML diagram drawing tool with support for PHP stub generation. Requires Unix / KDE
Dia
Diagram tool with UML support - generate PHP using <snip/>]
<snip/>
Generate PHP code from XMI documents, an XML format for describing UML
Accelerators
Turck MMCache (highly recommended)
OPCODE Cache, script encoder, profiler and dynamic content cache (read persistance) all in one. Provides Windows binaries as well.
PHP Accelerator (recommended)
OPCODE Cache
(more to come)
Recommended IDEs / Editors (a select few!)
PHP Eclipse
Plugins for the Eclipse IDE
PHP Edit
Perhaps the best free PHP IDE for Windows
JEdit
IDE with PHP support (plus loads more). Written in Java so platform independent
Jext
The siamese twin of JEdit
JEdit
IDE with PHP support (plus loads more). Written in Java so platform independent
gPHPEdit
Best(?) PHP editor for Gnome / Linux
SciTE
Straightforward cross platform editor for pretty much anything.
PHP Mode for Emacs
PHP support for the Unix EMACS IDE
Sitepoint Discussions on IDEs (there’s many more - hit search)
PHP Class Libraries, Repositories and Extensions
Where to find them
PHP Class Repositories
PEAR
The PHP Extension and Application Repository. PHP’s equivalent to Perl’s CPAN
PHP Classes
Large (the largest?) repository of classes and PHP web application components.
PHP Extensions
PECL
The PHP Extension Community Library - eventually all extensions not part of the standard distribution will end up here I believe
<snip/>
Large collection of PHP extensions compiled for Windows
SWIG
Generate PHP extensions from existing libraries
SAPRFC
PHP Client for SAP
Universe
PHP / Corba
<snip/>
PHP client for BEA Tuxedo
PHP + Namazu
PHP extension for the Namazu full text search engine
Mapserver (has PHP extension)
Generate maps for your site
Python in PHP
Embed Python into PHP scripts
<snip/>
small[/small]
myphp
Embed PHP into MySQL queries (Experimental)
<snip/>
Add on to Java extension - short details <snip/> (Experimental)
Selected Classes / Components
List of classes scattered around the net. You may find classes offering similar functionality at PEAR / phpclasses
Php.XPath
XPath implementation in PHP, using the built in SAX functions
PHPMailer
Class for sending emails, handling everything you need - attachements, HTML email etc. etc.
PHPSniff
Browser detection
RDF API for PHP
For parsing, manipulating, serializing, storing and querying RDF models.
Magpie RSS Parser
For parsing RSS 0.9x to 1.0 (i.e. most feeds)
phpOpenTracker (recommended)
For storing and analysing visitor stats.
The PHP Math Library Project (recommended)
Focal point for building some serious math libraries for PHP.
FPDF
PDF generator written in PHP
R&OS PDF
PDF generator written in PHP
HAWHAW
For building WML pages
<snip/>
Jabber client
<snip/>
Implements HTTP Digest authentication in PHP (Apache only)
<snip/>
SOAP client / server with WSDL support
Incution XML-RPC
XML-RPC client / server
PHP HTMLLib
Library for building HTML (plus XML, WML and SVG) pages.
Tika:TK
PHP + JavaScript for building web “GUIs”
<snip/>
Probably PHP’s most robust DB abstraction layer. There’s some leakiness around the API but if you want it to “just work and work fast”, this in the one.
Creole and Propel
DB abstraction layer and ORM tool for PHP5. Blogged here.
<snip/>
Library for generating OpenOffice documents
(more to come)
PHP Frameworks
In the most general sense, a framework is an environment for executing your code. You might say the PHP engine + web server itself is a framework. For web applications, providing a higher level framework, written in PHP, can prove beneficial in terms of making the code you write for that framework more structured, easier to maintain, faster to develop and so on.
(more to come)
Recommended Reading
Books, magazines and online resources. Note: individual online articles are not referenced here, just sites with repositories of relevant info.
Books
Bruce Eckel: Thinking in Java
Has a very solid lead-in to OOP which, although written for Java, can be mostly applied to PHP as well, making decent in depth discussion for beginners. Also nice is it’s free to read online or you can pick it up from Amazon here
<snip/>
Unfinished book on design patterns. Originally planned to use Java but most examples work with Python, bringing a dynamic aspect to it that’s relevant to PHP
GOF: Design Patterns
A must read. Has become a modern-day classic on software development - the missing link on OOP. Provides the core design patterns which can be applied in most any programming language.
Martin Fowler: Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture
One of the “new wave” books on patterns, addressing issues directly relevant to web applications. Another must read
Martin Fowler: Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code
A book that will improve a developer’s code quality faster than any other. Everything from how large methods should be to how to safely put right a completely mis-designed application.
BlueJ Editor and [url=http://www.bluej.org/objects-first/]Objects First
Java: learning by doing - principles can be applied to any language with an object model.
<snip/>
Provides a discussion of sixteen design patterns which are relevant to web application development, while threading refactoring and unit testing into the narrative. Uses both PHP4 and PHP5 as reference examples. A more in detailed review.
Head First Design Patterns
A different way of learning patterns, using a visually-rich formatted book. The book uses Java examples.
Magazines
php|architect
Excellent US-based PHP magazine bridging the gap between books and typical online articles - much depth while to the point. Distributed in electronic and print formats.
International PHP Magazine
Run out of Germany, this gets input from many of PHP’s core developers so has an inside track there but is still working to establish itself. Same company also produces the for-print German PHP Magazine (which has completely different content)
PHP Solutions Magazine
[small]Seen this in German on the local newsstands. Seems to be addressing the PHP hacker-ethic (and uses very bright colors on the cover).
Online Resources
The C2 Wiki
Excellent starting point for investigating any software development “buzz”. This is also the “mother wiki” (where wikis began), developed by Ward Cunningham.
Martin Fowler’s Bliki
Martin Fowler’s (source of many a book on patterns and software design) Blog / wiki
Manageability
Lots of interesting snippets and insight scattered around here. And <snip/> is entertaining backlash.
Development Methodologies
Approaches to software development and software project management
(more to come)
Selected PHP HOWTOs
Collection of online articles / examples for how to solve particular problems. Focus is on subjects which are either harder to grasp (e.g. XML related), required knowledge (e.g. Security) or PHP application design related.
(more to come)
PHP5
PHP5 represents a shift in paradigm for PHP, bringing it closer to Java in terms of it’s object model (at least from the point of view of a PHP developer). This is a collection of articles / resources discussing PHP5’s new features.
New Syntax and Core Features
<snip/>
The official summary of all major features with short examples
<snip/>
The official migration guide
<snip/>
<snip/>
Introduction to PHP5
<snip/> on PHP5.
PHP5: Coming Soon to a Webserver Near You
My take on PHP5 Beta 1
Presentation: Introducing PHP5
Shane Caraveo’s presentation to OSCON 2003 and (later) LinuxTag.
New Extensions and Functionality
XML in PHP5: An in-depth look into advanced XML features
Christian Stocker’s presentation to the PHP-Conference 2003 in Frankfurt.
<snip/>
Chistian Stocker describes the major overhaul that’s happened to PHP’s XML support.
<snip/>
Dmitry Stogov explains the new SOAP extension (which looks like its going to be default functionality for PHP5). Accessing web services doesn’t get much easier
<snip/>
Ilia Alshanetsky describes PHP5’s built in database engine
<snip/>
John Coggeshall introuces his extension for “cleaning up” HTML.
<snip/>
<snip/> explains how he’s overhauled PHP’s ability to interop with Windows
<snip/>
Zak Greant and Georg Richter looking at functionality offered PHP5’s second MySQL extension.
Installation / Setup
Installation/PHP5
Roundup of links to further information on PHP5 setup / installation
Running PHP4 and PHP5 in parallel
Links to further links on running them together
Communities and Blogs
[small]Blogs related to PHP and software development. Kept seperate from Recommended Reading as it may turn into a long list and, with blogs, signal to noise tends to be low. A leaky abstraction?
PS - don’t think it’s really necessary to list Sitepoint here - hopefully you know where you are…[/small]
PHP Community
PHP News
PHP Planet
Aggegates various PHP blogs as well as general commentary of things going down in PHP
PHP Developer
Picks up pretty much everything significant happening in PHP with useful summary
php | arch and [url=http://www.php-mag.net]php mag also keep their fingers on the pulse.
Online PHP Article and Tutorial Libraries
PHP Builder
The first (?) major resource for PHP programmers outside the official locations. Things have slid a little since then (change of ownership) but still tons of good stuff
O’Reilly Network: PHP DevCenter
Large collection from beginner to pro. Usual high quality you’d expect from O’Reilly
Devshed: PHP
Large collection of PHP related content.
IBM: Web Architecuture
PHP gets a look in from time to time
WeberDev
Massive collection of code snippets etc. Articles, forums, you name it.
Codewalkers
Tutorials, code snippets, coding contests and loads more
ZEZ
From the makers of eZ publish. Some interesting pieces on the less charted areas of PHP. Sadly no longer being updated..
PHP Discussion
PHP Blogs
In no particular order
(more to come)
General Blogs
<snip/>, <snip/>
(more to come)
A ton of sample chapters on this site including this meaty morsel: http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=30661.
Thanks for this excellent list!!
One additional UML tool to add would be Enterprise Architect (
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au )
Very good tool. Has round-trip code engineering for PHP, plug-ins for eclipse, and tons more for only $225!
Steve Truesdale
I have closed this thread so it doesn’t get flooded with messages that doesn’t really add anything valuable, and only makes It harder to find information. It has happend to similar threads before.
If you know of a resource that will be valuable to other members we will be more than happy if you want to tell us. Send a PM to one of the Programming Team http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/showgroups.php, and they will add it for you.
If you would like to thank HarryF for his initiative, send him a PM. 
Pretty cool MVC tutorial here guys for those who are still trying to grasp the concept.
Peace!
Crabby