PHP is the most accessible pathway for beginners if you are interested in backend coding. Learning to become a PHP developer is not a big deal. Their primary task is to interconnect users with backend databases as front-end users cannot access databases directly. While users send and retrieve data from the database on a server, a mediator language connects the users to it. And the job is efficiently done by none other than a PHP developer.
Choosing to become a PHP developer is an excellent career option. You will not only earn a handsome salary but can also efficiently enhance your skills. Now that you’re wondering how to become a PHP developer, we’ll tell you the secrets.
This article will give you valuable insights into how long it takes to become a PHP developer successfully. Further, you will learn the ways of becoming one. Let’s dig in.
PHP Development – What is it?
PHP is the most popular language for web scripting, which powers a significant portion of the internet. It works as the backbone of the many websites you access daily over the internet. It was launched in 1994 as an open-source general-purpose scripting language for web development. PHP efficiently helped in creating a backend for web pages and applications.
However, PHP development is not limited to creating backends. It is also effectively used for software development and command-line scripting. It is capable of being embedded into HTML. You need to add a “⁇ PHP” in the HTML code. Anything that you write beyond this will be considered PHP code. For closing the PHP code section within the HTML file, you need to use “?>.
After interpreting the PHP code, it is executed on the server. Then the generated HTML is sent to the users, where they only get the analyzed results. PHP has the efficiency of making lives easier for seasoned web developers. Besides being efficient and easier to start with, the advanced functionalities are outstanding.
PHP Developer – Who are They and What is Their Task?
An efficient and capable of working with PHP is a PHP developer. They also have the efficiency of working with other related technologies, including HTML, JSON, MySQL, XML, AJAX, etc. Besides proficiently working in PHP, they need to work comfortably with other PHP frameworks. They include Codelgniter, CakePHP, and Laravel. And the PHP IDEs have ZenStudio, PHPStorm, etc.
A PHP developer is responsible for specific jobs, including:
- Establishing a connection between applications and third-party web services.
- Explaining the logic of a backend web app.
- Efficiently working with the front-end development team to integrate their work with applications.
- Extensively using database knowledge with PHP for manipulating stored data within the databases.
- Effectively designing, modifying, and developing the backend architecture. It involves all components of the website, which determines their behavior.
They are also responsible for validating suggestions and ideas made by their team members. Moreover, they need to pick out something practical and figure out how to implement it.
What are the Skills Required to Become a PHP Developer?
An efficient PHP developer must have a set of appropriate skills, including:
- Extensive knowledge of jQuery, Ajax, and MySQL
- PHP coding for commencing in the beginner level
- A clear understanding of Unix/Linux, APIs, and MVC framework
- To become a full-stack developer, you must know HTML, JavaScript, and CSS.
- Excellent communication skills
- Proper understanding of PHPUnit and CakePHP. The prior one is a unit testing framework, while the latter is an open-source web framework.
- An keen for problem-solving
- Extensive knowledge about Photoshop or other relevant design tools
- The efficiency of thinking critically
Ways to Become a Successful PHP Developer
If you are an aspiring PHP developer, you must have a well-built plan for succeeding. Here is a step-by-step approach to becoming a PHP developer successfully.
Step 1:
For PHP beginners, you must have a valid Bachelor’s degree in any relevant subject. A degree in software engineering, computer science, or programming is preferable.
However, you don’t need to possess these degrees. At times, a verifiable work experience will do the needful. You can also have knowledge and experience in any field mentioned above, which will be considered.
Step 2:
The next step to becoming a PHP developer is to learn the PHP language very well. You will come across plenty of PHP learning resources online.
If required, you can also enroll yourself with institutions that offer basic and advanced courses on PHP.
Step 3:
After you have learned the PHP language thoroughly, you need to put your learned knowledge into practice. Remember, the more you practice, the more comfortable and efficient you will become.
You can always commence with creating small things. For example, you can create something in pure code, thereby paving your way to dynamic programming. Getting familiar with the language will effectively help you in doing so.
Step 4:
The final step of becoming a PHP developer is to get proper certification. All aspiring professionals need to get certified by taking a course and passing the exam. Many ed-tech organizations like Udemy, Simplilearn, Coursera, UpGrad, etc., offer an online certification course on PHP development. You can choose one based on your need and requirement. This certificate under your belt will prove that you have expertise in PHP programming.
PHP aspirants looking forward to beginning from scratch can also do so. So without any knowledge about server-side coding, beginners will require not more than six months to master PHP. But for experienced aspirants who have somewhat little knowledge about server-side coding, it will require from 1 to 4 months. However, if you are learning MySQL with PHP, you will take a little more time. If you are in a hurry to begin your career as a PHP developer, you can even learn within a month. But you need to have the proper knowledge and lots of dedication. Nevertheless, mastering PHP within a month is quite next to impossible. However, you can efficiently cope with PHP basics within a month.
To conclude
On average, beginners can successfully become PHP developers within six months. On the other hand, experts with little knowledge and experience can take 1 to 4 months. However, if you’re looking forward to learning any framework of PHP, it will take you 7 to 8 months to learn the basics.
