Learning path

PHP Backend Developer Roadmap

PHP runs WordPress, Drupal and MediaWiki, the software behind Wikipedia, and Laravel and Symfony are how teams build new applications in it. Before either framework, a PHP backend developer needs the language, SQL, a Linux terminal, Git and Docker. This path teaches them in that order, free, in your browser, with a certificate for each course.

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237,871+ codders enrolled across these courses

509 lessons472 challenges2,925 quiz questions

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8 free certificates along the path

The PHP backend developer roadmap, step by step

5 courses8 sections509 lessons472 challenges2,925 quiz questions

Each step is an existing Coddy course, and the first step's Start button opens the PHP course. Take them in order, or start from the one you are missing: progress is saved per course either way.

1
Step 1
PHPDedicated page
Start this stepStartFundamentals, Logic & Flow and Object Oriented Programming: variables, arrays, functions and control flow, then classes and objects. The PHP that WordPress, Laravel and Symfony are written in.Start Dedicated page
3 sections, in order
230 lessons222 challenges1,393 questions
2
Step 2
SQL and databasesDedicated page
Start this stepStartSELECT, WHERE, JOIN, GROUP BY and subqueries against live tables, then the indexes and schema design that keep them fast. The queries carry over to the MySQL or MariaDB database WordPress requires, and they are what Eloquent and Doctrine send behind the scenes.Start Dedicated page
2 sections, in order
1. Fundamentals72 lessons72 challenges360 questions
2. Beyond the Basics27 lessons28 challenges167 questions
99 lessons100 challenges527 questions
3
Step 3
Linux and the command lineDedicated page
Start this stepStartFiles and permissions, processes, pipes and the basics of bash. PHP runs on Linux servers behind Nginx or Apache, and a first deployment often fails on a permission: the web server cannot write to an upload or cache directory.Start Dedicated page82 lessons68 challenges440 questions
4
Step 4
Git and version controlDedicated page
Start this stepStartCommits, branches, merging, conflicts, remotes and undoing mistakes. A Git history replaces editing files on the server over FTP: every change is reviewed, reversible and deployed from one place.Start Dedicated page58 lessons46 challenges370 questions
5
Step 5
Docker and containersDedicated page
Start this stepStartImages, Dockerfiles, volumes and networking. A PHP application often runs as three containers: PHP-FPM, Nginx and MySQL. Docker starts that same stack on every laptop and server.Start Dedicated page40 lessons36 challenges195 questions

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Intro to Variables

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A variable is a named container that stores a value you can reference later in your program.

In Python, you create one by writing the name, an equals sign, then the value you want to store.

The value can change over time - reassigning the name simply points it to a new value.

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Python Fundamentals

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Why learn backend development in PHP on Coddy

A backend language first. PHP was built for one job, running on a server to answer web requests: WordPress, Drupal and Magento are PHP, and so is a large share of the web's server side.
Modern PHP, typed and object-oriented. PHP 8.0 and 8.1 added union types, match, named arguments, enums and readonly properties, and Laravel and Symfony are built from classes and interfaces. The PHP course's Object Oriented Programming section is the part those frameworks assume.
SQL before Eloquent. Laravel's Eloquent and Doctrine, the ORM Symfony uses, write queries for you until a page gets slow; then you read the SQL, find the N+1 query and add an index. That is why SQL is step two.
Graded, in the browser. No XAMPP and no Apache to configure: every PHP lesson ends in a challenge checked by tests, and when yours fails, Bugsy, the AI tutor, reads your code and the error and nudges you toward the fix. Each course ends with a free certificate.

Frequently asked questions about PHP backend development

Is PHP a good backend language?

For web backends, yes. Each request starts from a clean slate, which makes a PHP application simple to reason about and cheap to host, and Laravel and Symfony are mature, well-documented frameworks. PHP's reputation comes from old code: the modern language has types, enums, a JIT compiler and Composer for packages. It is a weaker fit for long-running processes and heavy concurrency, where Go or Node.js are more common.

Do PHP backend developers need Laravel?

In most PHP backend jobs, Laravel or Symfony: new PHP applications are usually built on one of the two, and job descriptions tend to name one. WordPress work is the exception, with its own plugin and theme APIs. This path teaches neither framework yet, on purpose: both assume object-oriented PHP and SQL, which are its first two steps.

Is PHP backend work only WordPress?

No. WordPress is the biggest PHP application and a large job market of its own, in themes, plugins and agency work, but Laravel and Symfony run SaaS products, online stores, internal tools and the APIs behind mobile apps. All of it rests on what this path teaches: PHP itself, a relational database, Linux servers, Git and containers.

PHP or Node.js for backend development?

PHP for the WordPress and Laravel job market, simple hosting and a request model that is easy to reason about; Node.js if you already write JavaScript for the frontend and want one language across the stack, or need many long-lived connections such as WebSockets. Both are common on web backends, and the SQL, Linux, Git and Docker steps on this path carry over to either.

How long does it take to become a PHP backend developer?

Starting from zero, at an hour a day: the PHP course takes five to six weeks, SQL two to three, and Linux, Git and Docker about a month together, so roughly three months for the foundations on this path. Job-ready usually means Laravel or Symfony and one real project on top, such as a small application with logins, a database and a deployment.

Is this PHP backend developer roadmap free?

Yes. Every course on it is free: the PHP lessons, the SQL and terminal exercises, Bugsy's hints and a certificate for each course you finish, each verifiable at its own URL. PHP runs server-side, so there is no XAMPP, Apache or MySQL to install.

Other learning paths

The same courses, arranged for a different role. Progress carries over: a course finished on one path counts on every path that includes it.

All learning paths

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