Decolonise School
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Africa Power Fist

📚 Course Materials & Resources

Complete learning materials, assessments, exercises, and resources for all 12 courses

All Courses Programming (4) Languages (4) Sciences (4)

Introduction to PHP

Server-Side Web Development Fundamentals

📖 Course Overview

Master PHP basics, server-side scripting, databases, and build dynamic web applications. This course covers everything from variables and functions to database connections and security best practices.

Duration

4-6 weeks

Level

Beginner

Modules

2

Lessons

12

🎯 Learning Outcomes

  • ✓ Write and execute PHP code on local and remote servers
  • ✓ Build dynamic websites with server-side processing and databases
  • ✓ Handle forms, validate user input, and manage sessions
  • ✓ Connect applications to MySQL databases and execute CRUD operations
  • ✓ Apply security best practices to prevent common web vulnerabilities
  • ✓ Deploy PHP applications to production servers
  • ✓ Work with APIs and external services
  • ✓ Debug and optimize PHP code for performance

📋 Course Topics

PHP Basics

Syntax, variables, data types, operators, constants

⏱ ~4 hours
Control Structures

If/else, loops, switch statements, error handling

⏱ ~3 hours
Functions & Scope

Function declaration, scope, parameters, return values, recursion

⏱ ~3 hours
Arrays & Collections

Indexed, associative, multi-dimensional arrays, array functions

⏱ ~3 hours
Forms & Input

Form handling, validation, sanitization, file uploads

⏱ ~4 hours
Database Fundamentals

MySQL, CRUD operations, queries, relationships

⏱ ~5 hours
Sessions & Security

Session management, authentication, password hashing, CSRF protection

⏱ ~4 hours
Building a Project

Putting it all together with a complete web application

⏱ ~6 hours

🚀 Course Projects

Personal Portfolio Website

Build a dynamic portfolio website with project showcase, contact form, and admin panel

Difficulty: Intermediate
⏱ ~12 hours
Skills: PHP fundamentals, Forms, Database design
Todo Application with Database

Create a task management app with user accounts, task lists, and persistent storage

Difficulty: Intermediate
⏱ ~8 hours
Skills: CRUD operations, Session management, Form validation
API Development Project

Build a RESTful API that serves JSON data for a mobile or frontend app

Difficulty: Advanced
⏱ ~10 hours
Skills: API design, HTTP methods, JSON handling

📥 Course Resources

🔗 PHP Official Documentation
External Link
→
📑 PHP Cheat Sheet
PDF • 2.5 MB
→
📑 MySQL Quick Reference
PDF • 1.2 MB
→
📑 Security Best Practices
PDF • 1.8 MB
→
💾 Code Examples & Snippets
Repository
→

✅ Assessments

Quizzes
PHP Basics Quiz
N/A questions • 30 minutes • 70% to pass
Form Handling Quiz
15 questions • 45 minutes • 75% to pass
Capstone & Projects
Capstone Project
Portfolio • ~480 minutes

Build a complete PHP web application

📋 Prerequisites

  • Basic HTML knowledge
  • Basic CSS understanding
  • Understanding of how the web works
  • Text editor (VS Code recommended)
  • Local server setup (XAMPP or similar)

🛠️ Required Tools

  • VS Code or similar text editor
  • XAMPP, WAMP, or LAMP stack
  • MySQL database client
  • Browser developer tools
  • Postman (for API testing)
Course Information

Level:
Beginner

Duration:
4-6 weeks

Weekly Commitment:
8-10 hours per week

Price:
Free

✓ Certificate Available

Start Learning →
Student Reviews
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"This course gave me the foundation I needed to build real web applications. The ..."

— Amara Okafor
Junior Developer
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Great course structure and comprehensive materials. Recommend to anyone starting..."

— Kwame Mensah
Full Stack Developer
Course Schedule

Week 1-2
PHP fundamentals and syntax

Week 2-3
Control structures and functions

Week 3-4
Forms and user input handling

Week 4-5
Database design and operations

Week 5-6
Security and best practices + final project