Hello , if you're a PHP developer, could you share with me how you got started with this language and why you chose it?

I understand that universities usually teach JAVA/C#/C++/Delphi-Pascal, but there are still many developers who work with PHP. So, where do we all come from? Let me tell you about my own experience. When I was in my second or third year of university, I decided to start looking for part-time job opportunities. I can't remember exactly why I chose PHP over other languages like JAVA or .NET, but I did.

I asked a freelancer classmate what I needed to know in order to get a job as a PHP programmer and he suggested that I write a user registration script which included an HTML form, validation, saving to a database, and the ability to edit/delete/add users.

After that, I spent about two months taking online courses on PHP programming from intuit.ru and reading "PHP Programming Language" and "Introduction to PHP5 Programming" by Laura Thomson and Luke Welling respectively. Although I didn't completely master developing web applications with PHP and MySQL, I continued to learn by reading various articles, blogs, and forums like habr.

Eventually, I landed a job at a company where I worked for two years before moving on. Throughout my career, I have continued to learn and grow as a developer, eventually earning my ZCE certification. Overall, I am a self-taught PHP developer who started by taking a few online courses and reading books before diving into actual website development.
How did you become a PHP developer?

The name of the question, "How did you come to such a life?" is often associated with the anonymous аlcoholics' club where members are asked, "How did you start drinking?".

I became familiar with php while building websites. At first, I created sites with html, but eventually switched to pre-made engines. When I needed more than just a simple website, I started working with cms and chose joomla. However, I quickly realized that the code was too complex to work with effectively, so I attempted to create my own cms. This proved to be an unrealistic idea, so I opted for commercial cms instead.
 I currently don't do much coding (aside from small edits on certain projects) because I'm not very good at it.

Regarding scripting languages, I have predominantly used Perl throughout my career. However, when PHP emerged, I found it to be inferior in comparison, and then shifted to JSP when I transitioned to enterprise work.

After a lengthy hiatus, my wife requested that I create a shop website, and upon conducting research, I discovered that PHP had advanced considerably, becoming a more developed option compared to the underdeveloped Python and Ruby (which are more competitive nowadays). Consequently, I moved into freelancing after experiencing setbacks during the 2008 crisis when promised positions failed to materialize.

Interestingly, I never formally studied any of the languages I employed in my work, whether at school or university, although I recall encountering Pascal, Fortran, and some C language in Linux. I taught myself programming and would only attend courses if they provided access to systems that I could utilize.

I did study "Chill" courses, which is a procedural language common in telecommunications equipment, but my primary focus was always on mastering a new language through intensive work over six months to a year.

I happened to come across an article in an IT magazine that introduced me to PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor quite by chance, back in the early 2000s before owning a computer. Years later, I stumbled upon the HTML abbreviation on the internet and became increasingly interested.

Luckily, I had my first computer but no access to the internet, so I gathered information bit by bit at the local library through dial-up connections. Initially, I learned markup language, followed by cascading styles and then javascript. However, I soon realized that this wasn't enough as the internet became more accessible and I needed to delve into server programming.

Throughout my web development journey, PHP continually caught my attention due to its reputation for being fast, simple, and cool. This ultimately led to my decision to pursue it as my primary programming language.

Hi, I just started to learn about PHP. Can anyone tell me that by using PHP what led we can start?
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Many people become PHP developers through a combination of self-study, online courses, and practical experience. Some individuals may start by learning the basics of web development, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, before diving into PHP.

There are several reasons why individuals choose PHP as their language of choice. One reason is its popularity and widespread use in the web development industry. PHP powers a significant portion of websites and is supported by a vast community of developers and resources.

Another reason is the simplicity and ease of use that PHP offers, especially for beginners. PHP has a low learning curve, making it accessible for those who are new to programming.

Lastly, PHP integrates well with databases, particularly MySQL, which is widely used in web applications. This makes PHP a good choice for developers who want to work on dynamic websites that require storing and retrieving data.

 In addition to self-study and online resources, there are several other ways to become a PHP developer.

Formal Education: Some individuals choose to pursue a degree in computer science or a related field, which can provide a strong foundation in programming principles and software development. While formal education is not a requirement to become a PHP developer, it can be beneficial in terms of gaining a deeper understanding of computer science concepts.

Bootcamps: Coding bootcamps have become popular alternatives to traditional education for learning programming languages and web development skills. There are bootcamps specifically focused on PHP and web development, which offer immersive and intensive training programs to quickly acquire the necessary skills.

Tutorials and dоcumentation: PHP has extensive dоcumentation and numerous tutorials available online. These resources cover everything from basic syntax to advanced topics like object-oriented programming and frameworks. Following online tutorials and working on hands-on exercises can help build practical skills.

Open Source Contributions: Contributing to open-source projects is an excellent way to gain real-world experience and collaborate with experienced developers. By working on PHP-related projects, you can enhance your skills, learn best practices, and get feedback from the community.

Networking: Attending meetups, conferences, and networking events focused on PHP and web development can provide opportunities to connect with other professionals in the field. Networking can lead to job opportunities, mentorships, and access to valuable resources and insights.

Continuous Learning: The field of web development, including PHP, is constantly evolving. Staying updated with the latest trends, technologies, and best practices is crucial for professional growth. Subscribing to newsletters, following relevant blogs, joining communities, and participating in forums can help you stay current with the industry.

University focused on Java and C#, but PHP was everywhere for websites, and I needed quick results. I started by hacking simple CRUD scripts, learned MySQL integrations, and leveled up through forums and GitHub repos.

The hands-on grit with legacy code and real user data taught me faster than any class. PHP's loose typing and broad ecosystem made it a flexible sandbox for rapid prototyping.