Where/How did you learn php?

Discussion of non-phpBB related topics with other phpBB.com users.
Forum rules
General Discussion is a bonus forum for discussion of non-phpBB related topics with other phpBB.com users. All site rules apply.
JustAGuy7
Registered User
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue May 08, 2018 11:34 am
Name: John

Where/How did you learn php?

Post by JustAGuy7 »

Hallo everybody,

While till now running a forum with very minimal coding knowledge has gone great, I still kinda want to learn how to code. There are some really small problems that seem easy to do, but require some coding skill. So I started looking around at a way to really learn php, but the market for php learning tools is so over saturated that I kinda get lost in the many options. So I wanted to ask you (the people that learned to coded already), how did you start to learn php? and where/what's the best place/way to learn php?

Thanks in advance,
John
User avatar
Lumpy Burgertushie
Registered User
Posts: 69223
Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 3:11 am
Contact:

Re: Where/How did you learn php?

Post by Lumpy Burgertushie »

most people here probably don't know anything about php programming ( including me ) . you do not need to know any php to use or work with phpbb.

I would assume that the best place to start learning php would be at http://php.net


robert
User avatar
GanstaZ
Registered User
Posts: 1187
Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2017 10:29 pm
Location: GZOverse

Re: Where/How did you learn php?

Post by GanstaZ »

JustAGuy7 wrote: Fri May 25, 2018 8:23 pm how did you start to learn php? and where/what's the best place/way to learn php
The main/best thing to do in any field you want to learn/work is to start doing it. You mentioned coding, so start coding & learn while you code.
About best place to start? I would say there is none, because it depends on ones understanding about code/examples of code written by others. You can compare it with school days. If you do understand your teacher/mentor/friend/whoever else teachings (php.net or phpbb) or you understand everything yourself then learning and progress is simple and fast.
User avatar
AlfredoRamos
Recognised Extension Developer
Posts: 1302
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2013 9:06 pm
Location: /dev/null
Name: Alfredo
Contact:

Re: Where/How did you learn php?

Post by AlfredoRamos »

If you only want to learn the language, the official PHP documentation is the best resource you can get info from. Guides on internet can be outdated or teach bad practices, and if you only copy and paste code, you'll never understand what you're doing, you need to to all the cognitive process by yourself.

Everybody has they own way to solve problems, that's way I don't like to see "examples" of someone's code, or those guides that only shows code wihtout explaining what did they do and why.

You should learn logic, algorithms, math, (discrete mathematics specially), design patterns just to name a few, to be able to be able to solve problems, having those you only need to learn the language itself (data types, syntax, semantic, reserved keywords, etc).
User avatar
Kailey
Community Team Leader
Community Team Leader
Posts: 3732
Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2014 1:00 am
Location: sudo rm -rf /
Name: Kailey Snay
Contact:

Re: Where/How did you learn php?

Post by Kailey »

As others have said, the PHP documentation is a great resource (I still sometimes reference it when writing extensions). If you're specifically looking to utilize phpBB extensions as a tool for learning, we also have extensive documentation here.
Kailey Snay - Community Team Leader
Knowledge Base | Documentation | Community rules

If you have any questions about the rules/customs of this website, feel free to send me a PM.
User avatar
Mick
Support Team Member
Support Team Member
Posts: 26505
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:49 am

Re: Where/How did you learn php?

Post by Mick »

It all depends where your present level of programming knowledge is at.

I find PHP can be daunting, it’s not easy. You may be better off learning something like BASIC first. Once you have a handle on IF, THEN, ELSE, EOF, LET, WHILE, WHILE, WEND, REPEAT, UNTIL so on and so forth you will have enough of a smattering to understand the basics of most high level (and low level but you don’t want to get in to that) languages. You could always dive in and play with the “PHP ‘Hello World’” code for starters, best of luck.
  • "The more connected we get the more alone we become" - Kyle Broflovski©
  • "The good news is hell is just the product of a morbid human imagination.
    The bad news is, whatever humans can imagine, they can usually create.
    " - Harmony Cobel
User avatar
david63
Registered User
Posts: 20646
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:08 am

Re: Where/How did you learn php?

Post by david63 »

I literally learnt PHP/Mysql (and phpBB) by writing a convertor for an old Snitz forum to phpBB. I did have a smattering of basic (and assembler - but as Mick says let's not go there!)
User avatar
thecoalman
Community Team Member
Community Team Member
Posts: 5871
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 3:52 am
Location: Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Contact:

Re: Where/How did you learn php?

Post by thecoalman »

I started with phpBB. Back in ancient times before there was any type of auto anything to install mods you needed install them line by line with text editor and it kind of ballooned from there. This is the modern equivalent of having to walk through three feet of snow uphill to get to school. :P Having a firm grasp of HTML and CSS beforehand helped.

php.net is really good resource for reference/documentation but the comment section with user generated examples is the meat and potatoes.
“Results! Why, man, I have gotten a lot of results! I have found several thousand things that won’t work.”

Attributed - Thomas Edison
User avatar
3Di
I've Been Banned!
Posts: 17538
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 11:09 pm
Location: I'm with Ukraine 🇺🇦
Name: Marco
Contact:

Re: Where/How did you learn php?

Post by 3Di »

thecoalman wrote: Sun May 27, 2018 8:46 am ... but the comment section with user generated examples is the meat and potatoes.
Errn, that's classic PHP. ;)
User avatar
Lumpy Burgertushie
Registered User
Posts: 69223
Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 3:11 am
Contact:

Re: Where/How did you learn php?

Post by Lumpy Burgertushie »

thecoalman wrote: Sun May 27, 2018 8:46 am Having a firm grasp of HTML and CSS beforehand helped.

back then there wasn't really much, if any, css around. most styling was done inline with the html.
been there, done that, don't want the t-shirt.


robert
User avatar
david63
Registered User
Posts: 20646
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:08 am

Re: Where/How did you learn php?

Post by david63 »

Lumpy Burgertushie wrote: Sun May 27, 2018 3:14 pm back then there wasn't really much, if any, css around. most styling was done inline with the html.
If I recall correctly - didn't you learn that on your mother's lap :lol: :lol:
User avatar
Lumpy Burgertushie
Registered User
Posts: 69223
Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 3:11 am
Contact:

Re: Where/How did you learn php?

Post by Lumpy Burgertushie »

david63 wrote: Sun May 27, 2018 3:26 pm
Lumpy Burgertushie wrote: Sun May 27, 2018 3:14 pm back then there wasn't really much, if any, css around. most styling was done inline with the html.
If I recall correctly - didn't you learn that on your mother's lap :lol: :lol:
she taught me about computers back when xerox came out with one of the very first home pc's
she said, "you don't know enough to hurt the computer" she also told me "push the button and see what happens".

eventually , I pushed the button and discoverd I did know enough to hurt the computer. that pc never recovered.
by the way, that pc had a really huge hard drive of 20MB.
about ten years later when the world wide web came about, I wound up teaching her how to create web pages using raw html.
she is now 84 and I am 67 and neither one of us remembers much about coding raw html.


robert
User avatar
Mick
Support Team Member
Support Team Member
Posts: 26505
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:49 am

Re: Where/How did you learn php?

Post by Mick »

Lumpy Burgertushie wrote: Sun May 27, 2018 4:06 pmthat pc had a really huge hard drive of 20MB
You were obviously spoilt as a child.
  • "The more connected we get the more alone we become" - Kyle Broflovski©
  • "The good news is hell is just the product of a morbid human imagination.
    The bad news is, whatever humans can imagine, they can usually create.
    " - Harmony Cobel
User avatar
Lumpy Burgertushie
Registered User
Posts: 69223
Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 3:11 am
Contact:

Re: Where/How did you learn php?

Post by Lumpy Burgertushie »

Mick wrote: Mon May 28, 2018 8:41 am
Lumpy Burgertushie wrote: Sun May 27, 2018 4:06 pmthat pc had a really huge hard drive of 20MB
You were obviously spoilt as a child.
I was actually 35 years old when all that happened. :lol:

robret
User avatar
AmigoJack
Registered User
Posts: 6108
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:33 am
Location: グリーン ヒル ゾーン
Contact:

Re: Where/How did you learn php?

Post by AmigoJack »

Shortly before learning programming I attended and completed a typewriter ("10 finger writing") course - although my results were rather average at that time my skills improved drastically later and were a crucial base to everything that followed, up to today.

I started learning programming by choosing the optional subject "computer science", so it was done thru teachers, lessons, tasks, homework and tests. It hit a nerve and I instantly started doing it privately as well. Analyzing existing code, copying parts and modifying them, seeing how others did it and reading books was the way to go in the pre 2000 era. Internet was a minor resource.

I started learning PHP as a job trainee ~7 years later, and my previous understanding of programming languages, HTML, CSS, windows, command prompts, file systems, operating systems helped me grasping it more easily, while also hardening my existing knowledge. Again I had teachers, lessons, tasks, homework and tests. Again I did it privately again, and with that I also learnt about HTTP which backlashed into the other languages I use. As said by others, the PHP manual is the best resource, as for every function/aspect it also comes with examples and comments.
Post Reply

Return to “General Discussion”