Back-End Development Diploma Plan (PHP & Laravel)

Module 1: Introduction to Backend Development (4 Lectures)

Lecture 1: Introduction to Backend Development

• Client-side vs Server-side programming.
• Overview of PHP and its role in backend development.
• Installing XAMPP/WAMP/MAMP (Windows/Linux/Mac).
• Setting up the local development environment.
• Writing your first PHP script.

Lecture 2: PHP Basics

• PHP syntax and semantics.
• Variables, data types, and operators.
• Printing functions (echo, print).
• Conditional statements (if, else, elseif, ternary operator).
• Hands-on: Build a simple PHP program (e.g., a calculator).

Lecture 3: Loops and Arrays

• for, while, and do…while loops.
• switch statements.
• Indexed, associative, and multi-dimensional arrays.
• Array manipulation: push, pop, sort, search.
• Hands-on: Create a dynamic list using arrays and loops.

Lecture 4: Functions and Superglobals

• String manipulation: concatenation, searching, replacing.
• Regular expressions for pattern matching.
• Creating custom functions.
• Understanding $_GET, $_POST, $_REQUEST.
• Handling form data.
• Hands-on: Create a form validator using PHP.

Module 2: Database & MySQL (6 Lectures)

Lecture 5: Introduction to Databases

• What is a database? (DBMS, SQL, ERD).
• Introduction to MySQL and phpMyAdmin.
• Creating, altering, and dropping tables.
• Hands-on: Design a simple database schema.

Lecture 6: MySQL Basics

• DML: INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE.
• SELECT statements and filtering data.
• Sorting and aggregation functions (COUNT, SUM, AVG).
• Hands-on: Perform CRUD operations on a sample database.

Lecture 7: Advanced MySQL

• Joins: INNER JOIN, LEFT JOIN, RIGHT JOIN.
• Subqueries and nested queries.
• Indexing and optimization basics.
• Hands-on: Build a complex query for a reporting system.

Lecture 8: PHP and MySQL Integration

• Connecting PHP to MySQL using mysqli and PDO.
• Executing queries and fetching results.
• Preventing SQL injection.
• Hands-on: Build a dynamic blog with PHP and MySQL.

Lecture 9: Authentication & Sessions

• Cookies and session management.
• Creating a login and registration system.
• Secure authentication techniques.
• Hands-on: Implement a user authentication system.

Lecture 10: Workshop 1 – Full Project

• Build a PHP project integrating database, authentication, and sessions.
• Deploy the project locally.

Module 3: Laravel Framework (10 Lectures)

Lecture 11: Introduction to Laravel

• What is Composer? Installing Laravel.
• Laravel directory structure.
• Routing and views.
• Hands-on: Build a simple Laravel app.

Lecture 12: Laravel Blade Templates

• Introduction to Blade templating engine.
• Template inheritance and components.
• Hands-on: Create a reusable layout for a Laravel app.

Lecture 13: Laravel Controllers and Middleware

• Creating and using controllers.
• Middleware: concept and usage.
• Hands-on: Add authentication middleware to routes.

Lecture 14: Laravel Eloquent ORM

• Introduction to Eloquent.
• Defining models and relationships.
• CRUD operations with Eloquent.
• Hands-on: Build a blog with Eloquent.

Lecture 15: Laravel Authentication

• Setting up authentication.
• Customizing authentication logic.
• Hands-on: Add user registration and login to the blog.

Lecture 16: Laravel Forms and Validation

• Form handling in Laravel.
• Validation rules and custom error messages.
• Hands-on: Create a contact form with validation.

Lecture 17: Laravel API Development

• Introduction to RESTful APIs.
• API routes and controllers.
• Hands-on: Build a simple API for the blog.

Lecture 18: Laravel and AJAX

• Using AJAX with Laravel.
• Hands-on: Add live comments to the blog using AJAX.

Lecture 19: Laravel File Handling

• Uploading and storing files.
• Hands-on: Add a profile picture upload feature.

Lecture 20: Workshop 2 – Laravel Project

• Build a full-featured project integrating authentication, APIs, Eloquent, etc.

Module 4: Advanced Laravel & Deployment (4 Lectures)

Lecture 21: Advanced Laravel Features

• Queues, jobs, and task scheduling.
• Events and listeners.
• Hands-on: Implement email notifications.

Lecture 22: Laravel Testing

• Introduction to PHPUnit.
• Writing tests for Laravel applications.
• Hands-on: Write tests for the blog.

Lecture 23: Deployment and Hosting

• Domain vs hosting.
• Deploying Laravel applications.
• Hands-on: Deploy a Laravel project online.

Lecture 24: Final Project Planning & Presentation

• Planning a final project (e.g., a dashboard or API for a mobile app).
• Project presentation and feedback session.

---

🚀 By the end of this diploma, students will be proficient in building and deploying full-stack web applications using PHP, MySQL, and Laravel.