PHP In-Depth: Developing a Joomla Extension

Course Description

This comprehensive course guides PHP developers through the entire process of creating custom Joomla modules. Attendees learn Joomla's architecture, module structure, and best practices for extension development. The curriculum progresses from building basic "Hello World" modules to implementing advanced functionality including forms, email integration, and database operations. Through hands-on labs, participants develop practical skills creating functional contact forms, storing submissions in databases, and implementing proper security measures.

The course covers the complete module lifecycle from initial development to production deployment and community contribution. By completion, developers will possess the skills to create maintainable, secure, and reusable Joomla modules that seamlessly integrate with Joomla's object-oriented architecture.

The course includes the following main topics:

• Joomla Overview
• Building a Basic "Hello World" Module
• Joomla Forms and Email
• Accessing the Joomla Database
• Contributing and Deploying a Module

This course is ideal for PHP developers with basic programming knowledge who want to extend Joomla websites with custom functionality. Web developers familiar with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript who need to create tailored Joomla modules will benefit most, especially those working on content management projects requiring specialized features.

• Basic knowledge of the PHP programming language
• Familiarity with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• Understanding of content management systems (CMS) concepts
• Basic experience with Joomla site building and administration
• Comfort with command-line interfaces
• Fundamental understanding of version control systems (preferably Git)
• Basic knowledge of database concepts and SQL

This course equips PHP developers with practical skills to extend Joomla's functionality through custom modules, addressing specific client needs not met by off-the-shelf extensions. Participants gain valuable experience with Joomla's architecture and APIs, enhancing their ability to create maintainable, secure web applications. The skills acquired translate directly to professional development work, allowing developers to offer specialized Joomla customization services. The course's hands-on approach ensures developers can immediately apply their knowledge to real-world projects, creating database-driven modules with proper form handling, validation, and security implementation. These skills make developers more versatile and marketable in the CMS development ecosystem.

• PHP Application Security
• PHP Object-Oriented Programming
• PHP Objects: Object Oriented Programming Software Patterns On Demand

PHP In-Depth: PHP Websockets

Create PHP-based WebSocket applications for real-time, bi-directional communication.

Course Description

This focused PHP WebSockets course explores the implementation of real-time, bidirectional communication systems using PHP. Attendees learn WebSocket fundamentals and the key differences between WebSockets and REST. The course progresses through practical implementations, starting with native PHP socket functions, then advancing to specialized libraries including Ratchet and OpenSwoole. Through demo code examples, participants learn how to develop a simple time server, user behavior tracking system, and multi-user chat application. The course emphasizes full-duplex communication, connection management, and optimal performance considerations, providing developers with practical skills to build responsive, real-time web applications.

This course is ideal for PHP developers seeking to implement real-time features in their applications. Web developers with experience in PHP who want to move beyond traditional request-response patterns will benefit from learning how to create interactive, low-latency communication channels for chat applications, live dashboards, gaming, and real-time updates.

· Working knowledge of PHP programming

· Understanding of HTTP and web server concepts

· Familiarity with client-server communication models

· Basic JavaScript knowledge for client-side implementation

· Experience with Composer package management

· Understanding of TCP/IP networking fundamentals

Mastering WebSockets with PHP transforms your development capabilities, enabling you to create truly interactive web applications that respond instantly to events. Unlike traditional HTTP requests, WebSockets provide persistent connections with minimal overhead, perfect for real-time features like chat systems, live notifications, and collaborative tools. This course offers practical exposure to production-ready technologies like the Ratchet library, teaching you to implement event-driven programming models that users expect in modern applications. The skills gained will differentiate your applications with superior responsiveness and interactivity, giving you a competitive edge in the web development marketplace and expanding your professional toolkit.

PHP Application Security

Learn how to keep your PHP applications safe from attack.

Course Description

Security is a top concern shared by all company stakeholders. We have all read about the terrible financial and reputational costs associated with a successful attack.

Loosely based on the OWASP Top 10, this course teaches you about critical vulnerabilities unique to PHP applications.

The course labs feature a unique security portal that allows you to examine and fix specific vulnerabilities with pinpoint accuracy.

In this course you learn:

How to protect against SQL injection, XSS, CSRF and other attacks

Basic security concepts

What goes into a security audit

Filtering, validation and sanitization

Cryptography basics

PHP security best practices

Who Should Take This Course?

This course is a must for PHP developers at all levels. DevOps, team leads and development managers will also benefit from taking this course. Anyone with a basic knowledge of PHP who has a responsibility for a PHP web application will find the course essential for the health and well-being of their company’s or customers’ websites.

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of PHP

Basic knowledge of databases and SQL

Why Take the Course?

This course is vitally important due to the significant role PHP plays in web development, powering a vast array of websites and applications. The course equips you with the knowledge and skills to identify, mitigate, and prevent security vulnerabilities inherent in PHP applications. With cyber threats evolving in sophistication, understanding security best practices, including secure coding techniques, session management, filtering, validation, and sanitization of user inputs is indispensable. By mastering these aspects, you can safeguard sensitive data, maintain user trust, and ensure the integrity and reliability of your applications. Furthermore, a deep understanding of PHP security can help in adhering to compliance standards and avoiding potential legal and reputational risks associated with data breaches.

Related Courses

PHP Introduction III: Interactive Web Forms

PHP Foundation

PHP II: Object-Oriented Programing (OOP)

*If you are looking for a time zone that is not listed, please contact Zend-training@Perforce.com.

Course Description

This course teaches PHP developers how to integrate OpenAI models (ChatGPT) into web applications. Participants learn to connect to the OpenAI platform, implement API authentication, manage API keys securely, and build AI-powered features. The course discusses major GenAI models including GPT, Claude, Gemini, LLaMA, DeepSeek, and Perplexity. Through a practical travel tips website example, developers learn how to  make API calls to OpenAI, process responses, and handle errors. Additional topics include cost management, pricing models, optimization strategies, and production best practices for deploying AI-integrated PHP applications at scale.

This covers these topics:

• Overview of Major GenAI Models
• Connecting to the OpenAI Platform
• Using ChatGPT to Build a Travel Tips Website
• AI-Based Website Pricing
• Where to Go From Here

Who Should Take This Course?

PHP developers seeking to enhance applications with AI capabilities should take this course. Ideal for web developers, full-stack engineers, and software architects who want to integrate generative AI into existing or new PHP projects. Basic PHP programming knowledge and web development experience are essential for success.

Prerequisites

PHP programming fundamentals and web application development experience

Understanding of HTTP requests and API concepts

Basic knowledge of JSON data formats

Familiarity with cURL or similar HTTP client libraries

Experience with web server configuration (nginx/Apache)

Understanding of environment variables and configuration management

Basic command line/terminal proficiency

Why Take the Course?

Developers who master AI integration gain significant competitive advantages in the current job market. AI-integrated developers command higher salaries and access rapidly growing career opportunities across industries. This course provides practical skills for building production-ready AI features, from chatbots to content generation systems. Understanding GenAI integration enables developers to enhance existing applications, automate complex tasks, and deliver innovative user experiences. The knowledge gained positions developers for emerging roles like AI Application Developer, Full-Stack Developer with AI Specialization, and AI Solutions Architect. As businesses increasingly require AI capabilities in web applications, developers with these skills become indispensable assets to their organizations.

Related Courses

• PHP Foundations
• PHP Focus: Using cURL with REST APIs
• PHP Introduction III: Interactive Web Forms On Demand