Build a ticket system API. Use JWT for authentication. Return JSON responses with correct HTTP status codes (200, 404, 422, 500). Document it with Swagger/OpenAPI.
The best modern PHP courses teach you how to think , not just syntax. They should include:
They will actively ruin your learning curve. Complete Modern PHP Developer Course in 2023
Introduced in PHP 8.0, attributes allow you to add metadata to your code without parsing docblocks. You will use them for routes, validation, and dependency injection containers.
If you have spent any time on developer forums or Twitter (X) over the last five years, you have heard the hot take: “PHP is a dying language.” Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, as we move through 2023, PHP is experiencing a renaissance. Build a ticket system API
A modern PHP developer isn't just writing raw scripts; they are leveraging the two most powerful MVC frameworks on the planet. Learning modern PHP is the gateway to Laravel jobs, which consistently rank among the highest-paying freelance and salaried backend roles.
Build your own micro-framework. You will implement a Router, a Container (dependency injection), a simple ORM, and a templating engine. This proves you understand the core. Document it with Swagger/OpenAPI
Modern PHP is strictly object-oriented. You should master these 2023 standards: PHP Fundamentals [FULL COURSE]
You do not use mysqli . You use PDO (PHP Data Objects) with prepared statements to stop SQL injection. A complete course also teaches a basic Query Builder pattern before moving to ORMs.
: Some students felt the content was a bit thin on deep MySQL database management .