I want to start back-end development.

M

megashape

megashape.net
Mar 16, 2009
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Canada, QC, Montreal
www.megashape.net
I really have some great ideas.
I don't want to outsource my projects to an Indian developer,
I want to do it my self, I never tried though.

I want to mix my front-end development skills with my futuristic
back-end development skills to lunch a few projects of my own.

So for you guys, the ones that already familiar with web development
and have made a few big projects etc.
How did you guys start?

I know xHTML and CSS pretty good, that's basically it.
I really want to take a period of time to dedicate myself to study all this
back end development shit.

From where did you guys start?
Should I start with JS, PHP, Ruby etc.? is there a preferable order?
and also, one important question, how and when you actually started
to implement the theoretical knowledge you had?
how you came to this point that all this code started to make sense
to you and you integrated it into a website or webapp that you
thought of by yourself?

Thanks in advnace.
As for the resources, there're lotsss of them, but if you have something
unique that I might not stumble upon, shoot it.
 


megashape said:
how and when you actually started
to implement the theoretical knowledge you had?
how you came to this point that all this code started to make sense to you and you integrated it into a website or webapp that you thought of by yourself?
Click to expand...

Learn PHP first. Go to Ruby/Python if you find yourself liking to code.

You should implement on day one. Reading someone's code and benefiting from it is something you learn to do once you understand how to code. At this stage, it won't do a damn thing for you.

Pick a simple project, like a ToDo app, and build it in PHP. Start simple, and make it really basic. Look up guides and tutorials, become friends with the PHP docs, and just hack and try.

Once it works, make it AJAX with JQuery.

Then, build a blog. Just keep building THINGS, not just reading about other people.

You'll learn 123123112x faster when you have a goal in sight and a practical implementation to strive for.
 
dchuk is absolutely right.

My supplementary advice if you really want to learn is to look closely at examples but don't copy and paste. Understand what you are looking at then type it yourself in your own style. In fact trying to do the same thing as shown in an example with a slightly different syntax is a great way to learn what works and what breaks things.

Also, php.net/command_name -- like php.net/echo, php.net/print_r, etc.
 
megashape said:
I know xHTML and CSS pretty good, that's basically it.
I really want to take a period of time to dedicate myself to study all this
back end development shit.

From where did you guys start?
Should I start with JS, PHP, Ruby etc.? is there a preferable order?
and also, one important question, how and when you actually started
to implement the theoretical knowledge you had?
how you came to this point that all this code started to make sense
to you and you integrated it into a website or webapp that you
thought of by yourself?
Click to expand...

I would count JS as a primarily fontend language.

PHP is the place to start, JS can supplement anything but it's usually not the real "engine in the car" so to speak.

For anything production, you probably will want a database to go with your PHP. Get a graphical interface for it. Learn it when you need it, because you will need to be motivated to wade in that crap. MySQL/MariaDB will do the trick.

I knew several nonweb programming languages before I started webprogramming. It wasn't that hard to grip it once I knew more about TCP/IP, from that I could make educated guesses as I read about stuff where it fitted in the whole webserver->reads PHP file->makes it into HTML->sends it->client recieves it->client execute JS->client presents in browser (in regard to things like .htaccess, webserver extensions, databases and similar).

I learned to code by writing in BASIC instructions into a MSX SVI-728 that made textbased games. I then modified them, first just changing values, later changing behavior until it got right. I was about 10 while I did this, but you can definitly do something similar, read PHP tutorials, run their example code and modify it when you understand it. Link two php tutorials together, slowly make things your own. You will get the hang of it and be able to write your own from scratch.

Sooner or later you will need a book so you grasp the true foundation of what a programming language is and what is possible with it. A real book, a reference, not a for-dummies or hands-on. But examples for something you are interested in is the best way to learn. Google everything you don't understand.

If you don't understand the flow of the code you need a foundation from maybe a for-dummies book. What I mean if you don't know what code does because you don't recognize the commands thats one thing, if you don't know where the execution of the code begins or what a function is or what a loop is and similar, you need more foundation before learning commands.

Now my lunchbreak is over... good luck :)
 
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Seriously back-end stuff is all about the database.

Download and install wamp. This will allow you to run php on your own computer so you don't have to constantly be uploading everything. It will also install mysql (the database language that goes with php) and phpmyadmin (the easiest way to visually interact with mysql, making new tables etc)

Go to Tizag Tutorials , learn the basics of php then move on to the mysql tutorial. Set yourself the task of making a simple cms, not one that you'll ever use, but its just good practice. Basically this should involve a table in the mysql database called "articles" with rows for id, title and content. You make a simple page with forms on it that allow you to insert stuff into this table, and a simple website that outputs all the data in the table.

That's the basics, once you can do all that you move on from there. Have a bigger project in mind and learn all you need to to achieve that. PM me if you ever come into trouble..
 
I really enjoy your posting guys so this knowledge is very helpful and informative thanks to all for your sharing
 
These guys are absolutely correct, start with PHP.
I started out by modifying other people's wordpress themes and eventually got the handle of PHP through this practice.
 
Of course you should start with PHP and mysql. As a first task you can write a forum (of course all information should be stored in mysql tables). But I also think that is very useful to take one work as freelancer. At one time it helped me to quickly get practical experience and little money to start my first project ;)
If you want to be really cool programmer, you need to work in a team with experienced guys...
 
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