Community - Deployment, Testing, and Tuning - Modern PHP (2015)

Modern PHP (2015)

Part III. Deployment, Testing, and Tuning

Chapter 13. Community

The PHP community is your most valuable resource. It is diverse, vibrant, and global. I encourage you to participate in the PHP community to learn from and share with other PHP developers. There’s always more to learn, and your PHP community is the best way to continue learning. It’s also a great way to meet and help other developers.

Local PUG

My first advice is to find and join your local PHP User Group (PUG). Many cities have them. You can find your local PUG at http://php.ug. Your local PUG is the best opportunity to meet and network with fellow PHP developers in your local community.

If there isn’t a nearby PUG, you have several options. You can start your own PUG. Unless you live in the middle of a jungle, I bet there are like-minded nearby PHP developers who would love to join a PUG. Otherwise, you can join NomadPHP—an online user group with monthly speakers and lightning talks that cover all sorts of PHP features and practices.

Conferences

There are numerous PHP conferences every year. Conferences are an excellent opportunity to meet and mingle with the greatest minds in the PHP community. You can listen to and talk with PHP speakers and thought leaders. And you can stay up-to-date with emerging features and modern practices. Conferences are also an excuse to take a minivacation. You can find a list of upcoming PHP conferences at http://php.net/conferences/.

Mentoring

If you are a beginner PHP developer and need advice or assistance, you can find a mentor at http://phpmentoring.org. Many expert PHP developers donate their time to help new PHP developers become better. If you are already an expert PHP developer, consider signing up as a PHP mentor. There are many beginner PHP developers who don’t know how or where to start, and your mentorship will be invaluable.

Stay Up-to-Date

The PHP language changes frequently. Here are a few resources to help you stay up-to-date with newer PHP features and modern practices.

Websites

§ http://php.net

§ http://php.net/docs.php

§ http://www.php-fig.org

§ http://www.phptherightway.com

Mailing Lists

§ http://php.net/mailing-lists.php

Twitter

§ @official_php

§ @phpc

Podcasts

§ http://voicesoftheelephpant.com

§ http://looselycoupled.info

§ http://elephantintheroom.io

§ http://phptownhall.com

§ http://devhell.info

§ http://www.phpclasses.org/blog/category/podcast/

§ http://threedevsandamaybe.com/

Humor

§ @phpbard

§ @phpdrama