Handpicked Tips and Tricks That All PHP Developers Should Know

Founded more than 26 years ago, PHP still remains one of the most used programming languages in the world. Its versatility, being open source and easy to learn attributes make it a very popular platform even today. Being that old and popular comes with its own advantage. One of that being the wide range of community support it has to offer through its own website. 

PHP has a very loyal and engaging base of developers. These developers have over the years come up with unique and resourceful ideas that help many people. Ranging from pre-written codes for standard functions in the library to versatile plug-ins, the community comes up with tools that help any budding developer turn into a top professional.  

Popular PHP Tips and Tricks

Knowing your resources can save you hours of your time that plays a pivotal role in any project lifecycle. When we talk about experience at PHP development services, it’s the experience of knowing your way around a certain technology that makes you execute things quicker and better than others. We have carefully curated a list of php tips and tricks that can raise quite a few eyebrows and set you apart from the herd. 

Use of helper:

Showing incorrect input messages may become tiring for your users at some point. Instead, try using a helper that responds to an input even if it is not done in the correct format.

Create class for repeated tasks: 

Any developer must look to not just shorten the length of the code but also to save time by clubbing tasks that are similar in nature by using class and object. A class is a definition of a PHP function that is required to perform multiple times with different inputs and an object is a call to that separate PHP file to access the code. The latest versions of PHP have an in-built function which recalls classes automatically without the developer having to remember the locations.

Tool to fight SQL injection: 

Guessing your SQL parameters is the easiest and the most common way of attacking your website. Companies are spending as much on securing the data as the actual cost to hire PHP developers is. To prevent any such SQL injection, the most popular and effective practice is to use prepared statements instead of default SQL query as parameterized queries.

Use credible libraries: 

Using the right source of libraries can help you work faster and in a more efficient way. Due to the issues at the compatibility end, progressive web application development has often opted against using frameworks. If sourced and used wisely, then frameworks or libraries will be your best friends. Following are some popular libraries: 

Laravel: Laravel is an automated framework that does absolutely everything you need. It is most commonly used for web application development.

Slim: Used predominantly for APIs, Slim is a micro PHP framework that helps you write powerful web applications and APIs in the simplest manner.

Leaf: Popular for its clean structure, Leaf is another PHP framework that helps you execute most complex tasks in simpler ways. It has gained popularity mainly due to its zero setup requirement and shallow learning curve.

Usage of space:

It is a common knowledge to eliminate as many spaces as possible in your code to avoid any attempt of injection. Using tabs (t) instead of four spaces () is a very effective way to optimize your code. What makes this less vulnerable is that the space is a commonly used character while the tab isn’t.

Use source editors:

Using the right source editors enables you to foresee an error before they occur. With functions like syntax highlighting and auto-complete, many popular source editors have been used widely by developers. 

Use TDD:

Test Driven Deployment is another popular method among developers which essentially is forming your test cases before preparing your codes. It starts with a failed test case since you haven’t written the code and as you execute your codes, you start getting success results in the tests. 

Conclusion

Knowing your way around the language comes with immense experience. While some things can be prepared using a heads up article like this one, for most of it, one needs to dive deep into the sea and find the pearls. Most of the hacks or tricks you come across on the internet might be from a sharp and experienced developer working at a web development agency in USA and people like them are at the very core of the PHP community. Any budding developer can use these tweaks and may create some more as a part of PHP’s knowledge sharing and community transparency.

Nandan Goda

My name is Nandan, the Owner at Gtech Web Infotech Pvt. Ltd.. I’m also a designer and developer. I’ve been working in the web development field for last 12+ years. Developing and implementing small to large-scale projects and everything in between. Currently working on a lot of CMS, dev-tooling projects. Furthermore focusing on combining Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning with emerging technologies.