Chapter 1: Introduction to PHP

• What is PHP?: Overview and History
• PHP in the Web Ecosystem: How PHP Fits in Web Development
• Setting Up a PHP Development Environment: Local Server Setup (XAMPP, MAMP, WAMP)
• Basic Syntax and Structure: PHP Tags, Comments, and Echo Statements

Time to Learn: 2-3 hours

Chapter 2: PHP Basics

• Variables and Data Types: Strings, Integers, Floats, Booleans
• Operators: Arithmetic, Assignment, Comparison, Logical
• Control Structures: If, Else, Switch
• Loops: For, While, Do-While

Time to Learn: 3-4 hours

Chapter 3: Functions and Arrays

• Functions: Definition, Arguments, Return Values
• Variable Scope: Local vs. Global Variables
• Array Basics: Indexed Arrays, Associative Arrays
• Array Functions: Sorting, Searching, Manipulation

Time to Learn: 4-5 hours

Chapter 4: Working with Forms and User Input

• Form Handling: GET and POST Methods
• Form Validation: Server-Side Validation Techniques
• Sanitizing and Escaping Input: Preventing Security Issues
• File Uploads: Handling File Uploads in PHP

Time to Learn: 4-6 hours

Chapter 5: PHP and Databases

• Introduction to Databases: MySQL and PHPMyAdmin
• Connecting to a Database: Using `mysqli` and `PDO`
• CRUD Operations: Create, Read, Update, Delete
• Prepared Statements: Preventing SQL Injection

Time to Learn: 5-7 hours

Chapter 6: Object-Oriented PHP

• Introduction to OOP: Classes and Objects
• Properties and Methods: Defining and Using
• Inheritance and Polymorphism: Extending and Overriding
• Encapsulation and Abstraction: Access Modifiers, Abstract Classes

Time to Learn: 5-7 hours

Chapter 7: Advanced PHP Techniques

• Namespaces and Autoloading: Using Namespaces and PSR-4 Autoloading
• Error Handling: Try-Catch Blocks, Custom Error Handling
• Regular Expressions: Pattern Matching with `preg_match()`
• Sessions and Cookies: Managing Sessions, Setting and Reading Cookies

Time to Learn: 4-6 hours

Chapter 8: PHP Frameworks

• Introduction to PHP Frameworks: Why Use a Framework?
• Popular PHP Frameworks: Laravel, Symfony, CodeIgniter
• Basic CRUD Operations with a Framework: Hands-On with Laravel or Symfony
• Routing, Controllers, and Views: MVC Architecture

Time to Learn: 6-8 hours

Chapter 9: Security Best Practices

• Common Security Issues: XSS, CSRF, SQL Injection
• Best Practices: Data Sanitization, Password Hashing
• Using PHP Security Extensions: `sodium`, `hash`
• Secure File Uploads and Error Handling: Ensuring Security

Time to Learn: 4-6 hours

Chapter 10: Performance Optimization

• Code Optimization: Best Practices for Efficient Code
• Caching: Using APCu, OPcache
• Database Optimization: Indexing, Query Optimization
• Profiling and Debugging: Using Xdebug and Profiling Tools

Time to Learn: 4-6 hours

Chapter 11: Working with APIs

• Understanding APIs: REST vs. SOAP
• Consuming APIs: Making HTTP Requests with `cURL` and `file_get_contents()`
• Creating APIs: Building a Simple RESTful API
• API Authentication: Using API Keys and OAuth

Time to Learn: 4-6 hours

Chapter 12: Testing and Deployment

• Unit Testing: Writing Tests with PHPUnit
• Integration Testing: Testing APIs and Interactions
• Deployment Strategies: Using Git, CI/CD Pipelines
• Maintaining a PHP Application: Version Control and Documentation

Time to Learn: 4-6 hours

Chapter 13: Best Practices and Resources

• Code Quality: Coding Standards, Code Reviews
• Documentation: Writing Clear and Effective Documentation
• Staying Updated: PHP Trends, Conferences, and Community Resources

Time to Learn: 2-3 hours

Total Estimated Time to Complete

Approximately 60-85 hours