how a php developer work? what steps?

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talper
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Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 2:06 pm

how a php developer work? what steps?

Post by talper »

i hope its the right forum (:
Moved by moderator to General Discussion forum.
ive done alot of mashups and mixes with html/css/php and notest i just couldnt learn properly all 3 a-z at the same time and got confused.
i had little web development experience and i know in most places php/css+html is being seperated and done by different people.
i decided to learn php by projects, yet when faced the project i guess i choosed the css+html side also, and spent my time doing some photoshop mockup and then try and convert it to css/html. of course i faced some difficulties and quircks and while wanting to learn php i spent time scratching my head over the css stuff.
i understand that a php developer should work behing the scenes mainly and may get help from designers that will do the css and design part, yet i dont understand the job of a php developer properly and also find it difficult to understand that the php is first held in the back and you can write 1000 lines code for 2 lines prompt and always going back to "how it looks on the browser".

as a php developer first, what are the steps you should do(in order) when facing a project as little/big as it may be? what should i look up at first? should i first design the database and then write the tables?
should i first make very basic html page for each page in the site(even if after a few will turn to one dynamicaly?) should i first start with simple html for the admin/editing area so i can enter to tables?

i would really like to get tips of order and maybe articles on the subject if present.
i guess im looking from a designer prespective, where i first did a simple mockup in photoshop yet i dont have enough css knowladge to do it properly and instead of learning php first, im facing alot of css problems.
maybe you need to know profound css first? (but then i guess youd be a designer first).

im just getting confused as i do have some css+html knowladge yet ive been told i should first dive to php and then go back to the first when needed.
ill appreciate any advice/articles and your knowladge.

thanks.
curlybracket
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Posts: 59
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 2:40 pm

Re: how a php developer work? what steps?

Post by curlybracket »

I'll write few thoughts based on my experience as a freelancer and as a PHP programmer in little company.

Times of doing whole project by myself (desgin, html/css, php, etc.) are gone and I wouldn't wantend to do that again. It's hard to be very good PHP programmer. It's very hard to be good PHP programmer + good html/css coder. It's extremly hard to be average PHP programmer + average html/css coder + average designer. And so on. If you do just one thing, let's say PHP, you can focus on that, you can learn some framework, you can automate your work. But if you have to do everything by yourself, then you are always in rush and everything is just average.

Creating professional webiste usually needs few elements: speaking with client, creating the project, prototyping, creating desing, html/css coding, creating database, creating backend application, creating frontend application. And of course testing, testing, testing. Usually in this order. Some of this elements are repeated during the project (speaking with client, testing). Most comfortable situation is when you can focus on one thing while the rest of your team is focusing on other parts. But if you don't have a team or if your team is tiny, than you will have to do frontend, backend and test it. And talk to the client which can be real pain in the *** :)
jagannathg
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Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 1:55 am

Re: how a php developer work? what steps?

Post by jagannathg »

Hello Tapler,

I surely agree with curlybracket its really hard to be perfect in Designing and Coding. I am new to PHP but I work on ASP and ASP.Net, I here to we need web desining and Development. As curlybracket I never did a freelance but I work in a web development company. As curlybracket has pointed out, its really hard to concentrate on Desining and Coding aspects together that will make you things do in a Rush.

I will give you an example, I was given a project to handle all alone due to the staffing issues and leaves in my company. I all alone designed an ERP Website which was coded in ASP.NET, believe me I did not know where to start from. Because Web Development is a Team effort you need Web Designers, Web Developers, Graphic Designers and testing team. And if you try to do all by your self then you will surely run into problems like no meeting the deadlines, If you have met the deadlines still some componets not integrated as per the Project Time Line.

Web development is a broad term for the work involved in developing a web site for the Internet (World Wide Web) or an intranet (a private network). This can include web design, web content development, client liaison, client-side/server-side scripting, web server and network security configuration, and e-commerce development. However, among web professionals, "web development" usually refers to the main non-design aspects of building web sites: writing markup and coding. Web development can range from developing the simplest static single page of plain text to the most complex web-based internet applications, electronic businesses, or social network services.

For larger organizations and businesses, web development teams can consist of hundreds of people (web developers). Smaller organizations may only require a single permanent or contracting webmaster, or secondary assignment to related job positions such as a graphic designer and/or information systems technician. Web development may be a collaborative effort between departments rather than the domain of a designated department.

So Tapler if its a considerably a small project then I say you handle it all alone but if its a huge project inovloves lot of man hours then taking up that project and working on it all alone is not a good idea.

Regards,
Jagannath
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