Step-by-Step Packs

Packs group related articles into a guided sequence. Instead of jumping between disconnected tutorials, you work through one topic from beginning to end. Each pack lists its articles in order, includes a checklist of what you need before starting, and answers the most common questions.

Zend Framework

Zend Framework packs cover the major subsystems you need for a working application: project setup, configuration, database access, sessions, authentication, and controller actions.

• Zend Framework Intro - Folder structure, bootstrap, Apache setup, and your first controller.
• Zend Framework Config - XML and INI configuration, environment-specific overrides, and reading config values in your code.
• Zend Framework Database - Database adapters, table gateways, input forms, and CRUD operations.
• Zend Framework Action - Action controllers, routing, and request/response handling.
• Zend Framework Login - Zend_Auth and Zend_Acl for authentication and access control.
• Zend Framework Session - Session management with namespaces, locking, and automatic expiration.
• Zend Framework Registry - Using Zend_Registry for application-wide data storage.

Joomla

Joomla packs walk through building custom components and templates from scratch.

• Joomla Component - Build a custom component using Joomla’s MVC pattern, from Hello World to front-end links.
• Joomla Template - Create a Joomla template with positions, module rendering, and CSS.

Web Services

• Web Services & WSDL - Build SOAP servers and clients in PHP using WSDL definitions.

How Packs Work

Each pack page lists its articles in the recommended reading order. You do not have to follow the order strictly, but the later articles in a pack sometimes reference concepts from earlier ones.

The checklist at the top of each pack tells you what you need before starting. Usually that means a working PHP installation, a web server, and database access. Some packs require a specific framework version.

If you are not sure which pack to start with, the Zend Framework Intro pack is a good first choice. It covers project structure and configuration patterns that apply to any PHP framework.