Clinical Professor, School of Information
Building Web Applications in PHP
What You'll Learn
- Explore the basic structure of a web application, and how a web browser interacts with a web server.
- Learn basic syntax and data structures of PHP, variables, logic, iteration, arrays, error handling, and superglobal variables, among other elements.
- Gain the skills and knowledge to install and use an integrated PHP/MySQL environment like XAMPP or MAMP.
8 Modules
32 Hours
4 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Building Web Applications in PHP
In this course, you'll explore the basic structure of a web application, and how a web browser interacts with a web server. You'll be introduced to the request/response cycle, including GET/POST/Redirect. You'll also gain an introductory understanding of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), as well as the basic syntax and data structures of the PHP language, variables, logic, iteration, arrays, error handling, and superglobal variables, among other elements. An introduction to Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) will allow you to style markup for webpages. Lastly, you'll gain the skills and knowledge to install and use an integrated PHP/MySQL environment like XAMPP or MAMP.
Skills You'll Gain
- Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
- Django (Web Framework)
- HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
- Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
- PHP Development
- PHP Development Tools
- PHP Frameworks
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Building Web Applications in PHP, an online course designed to introduce learners to the fundamentals of web development using PHP. You will explore how web browsers and servers interact, the request/response cycle, and core technologies like HTML, CSS, and PHP syntax. You’ll also gain hands-on experience installing and using a PHP/MySQL environment. This course equips you with practical skills to build dynamic, interactive web applications.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Introduction to Dynamic Web Content
- Video: Why PHP?
- Video: Welcome to Course 1 In the Specialization
- Reading: Textbook & Course Resources
- Discussion Prompt: Introduce Yourself/Experience
- Reading: Help Us Learn More About You!
- Video: Our Technologies
- Video: HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
- Video: Request/Response Cycle
- Graded Assignment: Request-Response
- Reading: Assignment Specification: Request-Response Cycle
- App Item: Autograder: Request-Response Cycle
- Video: Bonus: Office Hours in San Francisco
- Video: Fun: Dr. Chuck Sings the Blues in Geneva, Switzerland
Module 2: HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
- Video: HyperText Markup Language
- Video: HTML Tags
- Video: Code Walkthrough: HTML
- Graded Assignment: HTML
- Reading: Assignment Specification: HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
- Video: Bonus Video: Office Hours in Raleigh, NC
- Graded: Autograder: HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
Module 3: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
- Video: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
- Video: Code WalkThrough: CSS Basics
- Video: Styling with CSS
- Video: Images, Colors, and Links in CSS
- Video: Code WalkThrough: Styling with CSS
- Graded Assignment: CSS
- Reading: Assignment Specification: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
- Video: Bonus Video: Office Hours in Philadelphia, PA
- Graded: Peer Graded: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
Module 4: Installing PHP and SQL
- Reading: Installation Handouts
- Video: Installing MAMP on Macintosh
- Video: Installing MAMP on Windows10
- Video: Installing XAMPP on Windows10
- Reading: Installing LAMP On Linux
- Reading: Assignment Specifications: Installing PHP/MySQL
- App Item: Peer Graded: Installing PHP/MySQL
- Video: Bonus: Brian Behlendorf - Apache Foundation
- Video: Bonus: Office Hours Vancouver, BC
Module 5: Introduction to PHP
- Video: Introduction to PHP
- Video: PHP - Basics
- Video: PHP - Keywords
- Video: PHP - Expressions
- Video: PHP - Control Structures
- Graded Assignment: PHP
- Reading: Assignment Specification: Our First PHP Application
- Video: Bonus: Rasmus Lerdorf - Inventing PHP
- Video: Bonus: Office Hours, Seattle, WA
- Graded: Our First PHP Application
Module 6: PHP Arrays
- Video: PHP - Arrays
- Video: PHP - Array Functions
- Video: HTTP & PHP Arrays
- Graded Assignment: PHP Arrays
- Reading: Submitting your code to the autograder
- Video: Windows: Using NGrok with the Autograder
- Video: Macintosh: Using NGrok with the Autograder
- Video: Bonus: Office Hours, Capetown South Africa
- Graded: Auto-grader: Guessing Game
Module 7: PHP Functions
- Video: PHP - Functions
- Video: PHP - Variable Scope
- Video: PHP - Modularity
- Graded Assignment: Functions
- Reading: Assignment Specification: Reversing an MD5 hash (password cracking)
- Video: Bonus: Office Hours, Shoreditch, London, UK
- Graded: Reversing an MD5 hash (password cracking)
Module 8: PHP and HTML Forms
- Video: HTML Forms
- Video: Using GET and POST with Forms
- Video: HTML Input Types
- Video: Code Walkthrough - HTML Input Types
- Video: HTML5 Input Types
- Video: Processing Form Data and HTML Injection
- Video: Code Walkthough Forms and HTML Injection (1)
- Video: Guessing Game
- Video: Code Walkthrough - Guessing Game
- Video: Model View Controller (MVC)
- Graded Assignment: Forms
- Reading: Assignment Specification: Rock Paper Scissors
- Video: Bonus: Bletchley Park Office Hours
- Reading: Post-Course Survey
- Graded: Autograder: Rock Paper Scissors
- Graded: Peer grader: Rock Paper Scissors
Grading Policy
To earn a certificate, you must achieve an overall grade of 80% or higher. There are seven graded assignments in this course, with each accounting for 14.28% of your final grade.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Intermediate Level
Some related experience required
