I have decided that my studying needs more structure to it, and that I should concentrate on one particular language, framework or general area each month.
Granted it is now the 18th day of this month, with the Christmas period to come so there isn’t necessarily a huge amount of time, though I am still unemployed and there will be plenty more hours to fill until this changes.
I chose PHP as it is something that I am keen to solidify my current basic learning of, and expand to a level where it could definitely be classed as a skill to a potential employer.
I know the basics fine, if statements, loops, building my own functions, etc – I know that from JavaScript and the principles apply albeit the syntax is slightly different.
Two things that I am particularly keen to learn is how PHP works with MySQL databases, and how to structure a registration/log-in system. I do also feel that I should learn how to use classes and how Object Orientated Programming is reflected in PHP.
There are two courses which will teach me all of this in Lynda – PHP with MySQL Essential Training and PHP with MySQL Beyond the Basics. Totaling a whopping 25 hours of video, not to mention the additional time it will take me to code along with the videos, it would be quite a feat if I completed both by the end of the month.
Not to mention that I have my own projects to finish too, including My Website Is Shit, where I will present the user with a horrendous-looking website to begin, and a button to fix it – it will then animate into a nice, finished state. I have only done the finished state so far, and I am not yet overly happy with it. It may well undergo a new iteration not long after it is finished. Its just something fun I’m playing with and who knows, maybe it will get me one or two projects, especially if I can integrate my sense of humour into it.
I’ve also promised a friend that I will do something for him – basically mock up a preview of a website. I’m sworn to secrecy though.
Then I do also have a PHP project that I’d like to do once I know how to use databases and log-ins. Hopefully I will get time to start it next month. It is something I want on the internet and it will fix an issue I have if nothing else.
Finally, in properly exciting news, I had an e-mail on Friday from a potential employer that included the words, “I had a read of your blog”, my first thoughts were “oh crap what have I written” but all positive and he has set me a coding challenge to do. Which I should probably start to do now.
I would give it the whole, its such an amazing opportunity, I’ve truly love to work there thing but he has already read my blog once and I don’t think that would be overly subtle.
But it would be perfect and not only that, they are ethically right up my street. I’ll say no more, I don’t want to get excited. I just need to prove that I can be their perfect junior web developer now.
I best get a shower and some food, and get cracking. Although I have a date with a crazy Cumbrian and a plate of gravy at 2pm.
Make sure you read up on the PSR coding standards before you start with PHP. I wish I had done all my websites using this syntax as it makes readability so much easier and shorter code. In summary, make your php code look like this:
if ($testvar) {
echo “blahblah”
}
Make sure you read up on the PSR coding standards before you start with PHP. I wish I had done all my websites using this syntax as it makes readability so much easier and shorter code.