Top 7 PHP Tips for Developers

PHP the server-side scripting language was invented by Rasmus Lerdorf for web development in 1994. Since then, it has done a phenomenal job in the technology-based world. 

PHP coding is always fun as its coding structure and style are influenced by the C language. If a programmer knows the C language, he’ll find that the syntax in PHP coding is very similar.

PHP is highly popular in the technology market due to which we are introducing the top 7 most useful tips for the PHP developers that will help in improving their programming skills.

How To Improve Your PHP Programming Skills

Let’s learn about the tips that will help you to brush up your PHP programming skills

 

Use Comments Frequently

Suppose you come across some old code and could not recall its purpose. In this case, you are most likely to get disappointed. If you had written comments with the code, you would not have faced such an issue as through comments, anyone who reads your code can easily determine what it intended to achieve.

 

Meaningful Variable Name

Ensure that your variable names are important to you. If you use a variable as a whole number, then you must try to begin its name with “I”. It will make the motivation behind the variable clear from the first glance. You must name your variable with the end goal so that other PHP developers can comprehend your code in a better way.

 

Use of Constants

The repeating data such as directory path and error message could be called upon rapidly and effectively while writing code. Thus, it is beneficial to use constants, which help you in storing information that is needed regularly throughout your code.

 

Replace Functions With Objects

Functions having a lot of parameters can result in a pointlessly complex venture. In case functions get cumbersome, you can use an object to change the majority of your calls. You must use classes and objects in PHP object-oriented programming to avoid code reiteration and play out code in a lot less difficult way. The PHP object-oriented programming helps to run the code quickly and uses fewer server resources. Since PHP utilizes OOPs concepts, PHP developers must know the OOPs concepts and how to utilize them.

 

No Code Repetition

The code that needs to be repeated throughout your project must be contained in a function or object. Although it may appear to be additional work from the outset; however, when your project gets complex, you will not have to suffer much. Thus, PHP developers must get familiar with different programming paradigms, such as object-oriented programming and functional programming, to abstain from rehashing code. 

 

Use of SQL Injection Cheat Sheet

You can examine different changes of one explicit attack; however, you can better spend your time figuring out how to defend against it. Besides SQL injection, there is significantly more to web application security. The PHP developers must be comfortable with great security practices and use them to design PHP applications.

Note: Never believe in information that you get from elsewhere.

 

Shortcut the ELSE

You must introduce variables before you use them – it is the most valuable tip. In case a client provides a username that triggers the else if condition, it means $admin is not initialized. It can prompt undesirable conduct or security vulnerability. Moreover, a comparative circumstance exists for $moderator, which is not initialized in the main condition. 

 

A Few More Tips…

 

Use the Ternary Operators

The advantage of the ternary operator is proving to be wrong. If the string length is more prominent than zero, the creator intends to escape $host but incidentally does the inverse. The ternary operator may be fine for prototypes, templates, and one-liners, still a normal conditional statement is often better. PHP is verbose as well as descriptive.

 

Memcached

The use of a local cache evades the overhead of network and disk access. When you join these certainties, you get Memcached (i.e., a distributed object caching system created for the Perl-based blogging stage LiveJournal). In case your application is not distributed over numerous servers, you need not require Memcached. Serializing information and storing it in an impermanent file are easier caching approaches.

 

Use a Framework

A framework helps do tedious tasks. As a PHP developer, you need to learn how the framework functions to make things simple. However, it is the only real trade-off. Also, using a framework, you are less likely to write bad code as someone else has already written most of it for you. 

 

Summary

Apart from having in-depth knowledge of the PHP language, programmers must stay tuned to the latest changes occurring in the technology-based world as it will provide them the best ways to code.