I have been working with PHP for more than 3yrs (I believe still I am beginner in this category) – I was present in several interview board. Which things disappointed me most is the “lack of eagerness” to learn what comes new. Sometime developers thinks that learning Only PHP will help them to get lucrative jobs!! OMG
Specially in BD most of the time PHP developers plays multiple roles in the companies, they are developer, they are template designers, they are HTML coders, they are DBA, they are PMs….what the heck. Only few companies have different people for these roles.
How far you can go just learning PHP (RAW code, in ancient style, that means PHP+HTML together, yak!!)? You have to have knowledge in CSS, JS, Frameworks, Multiple DBS
When it comes the question of CSS, you should maintain a list of websites where from you can get updates. Dont learn the CSS from book, but goto websites and see what is happening… If you are still using Tables to design ur pages, let me say man, it sucks. Got any idea about Liquid Layout?? not yet?? OMG
Lets go for JS. Javascript is simple yet powerful language (I better say a mandatory one for web application developers) to learn. Unless u have proper knowledge in JS, its very hard to develop “usable” web 2 apps. But wait, I never meant RAW JS. you have to have some basic skills on basic javascript, but dont spend time for re inventing the wheels. Go for popular libs like Prototype, jQuery, Moo, Mootools, Scriptaculous, Dojo, Rico…. Why you are sitting man?? go learn them.
MySQL becomes very popular by last couple of years becoz of it’s performance. By the meantime PostgreSQL also developed a lot. Now its hardly a factor between them, if you talk abt performance. Beside that I must say postgre is much more mature, feature rich and thats why it is called “open source oracle”. Never wait for only MySQL. Learn postgreSQL. And it is also necessary to learn atleast one of the embedded database like SQLite. Dont ever think that SQLite is less powerull. You can develop amazing apps using simply SQLite, with some “hacks” and “optimizations”
Team development attitude is another important thing. If you are introvert, restricting and never share your knowledge with others, you dont cost a dime. What is the value of yor knowledge unless you explore it? Also you must posses a very friendly attitude while you are working in a team. Dont think your team mates are your competitor but they are just working with you to build a big result together….nothing personal. Participate in forums and write blogs.
If you are PHP developer and think you have learned enough already, let me give some suggestions. Please DONT think you have finished learning. Everyday there are new release from PEAR, PECL and many other providers. Please learn useful packages from PEAR. Also learn the following
1. ezComponents
2. Zend Framework (dont mix framework with the MVC concept.. MVC is just a part of Zend Framework)
3. Popular opensource packages
4. PEAR
5. Templating engines like Smarty, Savant
also keep yourself uptodate from the following sites
1. www.phparch.com
2. www.phpmag.net
3. www.phpmagazine.net
4. www.ajaxian.com
5. www.mashable.com
6. www.programmableweb.com
7. www.planet-php.org
Please Please Please – Upgrade Yourself….