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PHP Rules and Best Practices

This document outlines essential PHP rules and best practices, including file structure, syntax, variable naming, and security measures. It emphasizes the importance of code organization, error handling, and testing while adhering to coding standards like PSR-1 and PSR-12. Additionally, it highlights the use of version control and environment configuration for secure and maintainable PHP applications.

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yassinbh1999
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72 views2 pages

PHP Rules and Best Practices

This document outlines essential PHP rules and best practices, including file structure, syntax, variable naming, and security measures. It emphasizes the importance of code organization, error handling, and testing while adhering to coding standards like PSR-1 and PSR-12. Additionally, it highlights the use of version control and environment configuration for secure and maintainable PHP applications.

Uploaded by

yassinbh1999
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PHP Rules and Best Practices

1. PHP File Structure and Tags


- Use <?php ?> tags for PHP code.
- Use a single entry point for applications when possible.
- Ensure files start with <?php and avoid closing tag ?> at the end of pure PHP files to prevent trailing wh

2. Syntax and Semicolon Usage


- Every statement must end with a semicolon (;).
- Use consistent indentation (4 spaces recommended).

3. Case Sensitivity
- PHP keywords (e.g., if, else, while) are case-insensitive.
- Function names are case-insensitive, but class names and variable names are case-sensitive.

4. Variable Naming and Conventions


- Use meaningful variable names prefixed with $ (e.g., $userName).
- Follow camelCase or snake_case consistently across the project.

5. Commenting
- Single-line comments: // or #
- Multi-line comments: /* ... */
- Use PHPDoc style for functions and class documentation: /** ... */

6. Keeping Code DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself)


- Refactor repeated code into functions or classes.
- Use include/require or autoloading for reusable code.

7. Use of Functions and Classes


- Organize code into functions to improve readability and maintainability.
- Use namespaces and PSR-4 autoloading standards for class files.
- Follow PSR-1 and PSR-12 coding standards for PHP.

8. Security Best Practices


- Use prepared statements or parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection.
- Sanitize and validate all user input.
- Escape output to prevent Cross-Site Scripting (XSS).
- Use password_hash() and password_verify() for password handling.
- Store configuration and credentials outside the web root when possible.
9. Error Reporting and Handling
- During development, enable error reporting:
error_reporting(E_ALL); ini_set('display_errors', '1');
- In production, log errors instead of displaying them:
ini_set('display_errors', '0'); ini_set('log_errors', '1');

10. File Inclusion


- Use include_once and require_once to avoid multiple inclusions.
- Check file existence (file_exists) before including if necessary.

11. Sessions and Cookies


- Call session_start() before any output is sent.
- Use secure, HTTP-only cookies for session IDs.

12. Configuration Files (.env)


- Store sensitive data like database credentials in a .env file.
- Use libraries like vlucas/phpdotenv to load environment variables.

13. Version Control and Deployment


- Exclude vendor and configuration files with gitignore.
- Use Composer for dependency management.
- Follow a consistent branching and deployment strategy (e.g., Git Flow).

14. Testing
- Write unit tests using PHPUnit.
- Use continuous integration tools to run tests automatically.

15. Coding Standards and Style


- Follow PSR-12 coding standard: https://www.php-fig.org/psr/psr-12/
- Use a linter like PHP_CodeSniffer to enforce coding standards.

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