PHP – 100+ Lab Exercises (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced)

🔰 Basic Level (30+ Exercises)

Goal: Build a solid foundation in PHP syntax, data types, control structures, and basic web integration.

PHP Fundamentals

• Install PHP and set up a development environment (XAMPP, MAMP, LAMP).

• Write and execute your first PHP script.

• Variables, constants, and data types (strings, integers, floats, arrays).

• Use operators (arithmetic, comparison, logical).

• Control structures: if, else, switch.

• Looping structures: for, while, foreach.

• Functions and built-in PHP functions.

• Handling form data via GET and POST methods.

• Basic string and array manipulations.

• Error handling with try-catch and error_reporting.

Practice Exercises

• Create a simple calculator.

• Validate form inputs (email, phone number).

• Write a script to manipulate arrays (sorting, searching).

• Build a simple contact form that emails data.

• Implement a session-based visitor counter.

🚀 Intermediate Level (40+ Exercises)

Goal: Develop skills in working with databases, object-oriented PHP, and building dynamic web applications.

Database Integration & OOP

• Connect to MySQL/MariaDB using MySQLi and PDO.

• Perform CRUD operations on a database.

• Create and use classes and objects (OOP fundamentals).

• Implement inheritance, interfaces, and traits.

• Use namespaces and autoloading (PSR-4).

• Manage sessions and cookies securely.

• Handle file uploads and processing.

• Work with PHP date/time functions.

• Send emails using PHPMailer.

• Introduction to PHP frameworks (Laravel, Symfony).

Practice Exercises

• Build a user registration and login system.

• Create a CRUD application for managing products.

• Develop a blog with posts, comments, and categories.

• Implement file upload and image resizing.

• Design a session-based shopping cart.

🧠 Advanced Level (40+ Exercises)

Goal: Master advanced PHP concepts, REST APIs, security best practices, and scalable architecture.

Advanced Concepts & API Development

• Create RESTful APIs with PHP (using Slim or Laravel Lumen).

• Implement JWT authentication.

• Work with Composer and manage dependencies.

• Use design patterns (Singleton, Factory, MVC).

• Implement caching strategies (Redis, Memcached).

• Optimize performance (opcode caching, profiling).

• Apply security best practices (SQL injection prevention, XSS, CSRF).

• Use PHPUnit for automated testing.

• Integrate third-party APIs and payment gateways.

• Deploy PHP applications with Docker and CI/CD pipelines.

Practice Exercises

• Build a fully functional REST API for a task management system.

• Secure an API with JWT and OAuth2.

• Implement role-based access control (RBAC).

• Create unit and integration tests for your PHP code.

• Deploy a PHP application using Docker and GitHub Actions.

🏆 Capstone Projects

• Develop a full-featured e-commerce website with payment integration.

• Build a social media platform with real-time notifications.

• Create a content management system (CMS) with user roles and permissions.

• Design a REST API for a mobile application backend.

• Implement a microservices architecture using PHP and Docker.

✅ Tools & Technologies

• PHP 7.x / 8.x

• MySQL / MariaDB

• Composer (Dependency Manager)

• PHPUnit (Testing Framework)

• Redis / Memcached (Caching)

• Docker (Containerization)

• Xdebug (Debugging)

• Popular Frameworks: Laravel, Symfony, CodeIgniter