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Modern PHP: The Complete Guide - from Beginner to Advanced (Udemy.com)

Master the programming language that powers the web: Learn PHP and kickstart a lucrative web developer career

4.6
1,557 reviews

Created by: Jannis Seemann

Last updated August 2026

Our take

Based on the ratings of 1,557 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in August 2026. No course pays to be reviewed.

Jannis Seemann's course teaches PHP the modern way. It starts with simple scripts and ends with object-oriented code, namespaces, autoloading and a content management system built from scratch. It runs about 45 hours across 350 lectures, with 30 coding exercises and 54 quizzes. The syllabus shows a project every few sections, including an image gallery, a diary app, a weather app and a CMS with an admin area and login. It was last updated in August 2026. It is pitched at beginners, and mostly suits them.

Reviewers like the clear explanations and the structure. One calls it slow and steady, another says the course resources and layout are better than most. Quizzes get mixed reactions: a four-star reviewer wanted explanations for wrong answers, since otherwise it turns into guessing. The most useful warning comes from an experienced developer, who says it starts at beginner level but moves quickly into advanced ideas, and that a true newcomer could feel overwhelmed. Of 1,557 ratings, 1,082 are five stars and only 30 are one or two stars.

With 11,433 students and a bestseller badge, it is a safe pick for someone who wants to build real things rather than memorize syntax. Expect to code along, as one reviewer does, and to budget real time for the projects. Total beginners should be ready to pause and rewatch when the pace picks up. If you already know the basics, the later chapters on the container pattern and authentication cover the most advanced material, though skipping ahead means missing the early groundwork.

Best forBeginners who want to build a diary app, a weather app and a CMS rather than just read syntax.
Skip it ifYou already write object-oriented PHP and want a quick refresher, not 45 hours of projects.

Pros

  • Projects every few sections, from an image gallery to a diary app and a CMS with login
  • Reviewers praise the clear explanations, and one finds the resources and structure better than most
  • Covers modern PHP: namespaces, autoloading, interfaces and a container pattern
  • Updated August 2026, with 30 coding exercises and 54 quizzes to practice on

Cons

  • One reviewer says quizzes skip explanations for wrong answers, so they can feel like guessing
  • Starts at beginner level but speeds up fast, which can overwhelm true newcomers
  • At about 45 hours, it is a long commitment for a quick PHP refresher
Author explains really well, can recommend to beginners and intermediate PHP evangelists
Ion Tulbure, a student

Labeled beginner, but one experienced reviewer says it ramps up fast. No PHP needed, basic HTML and CSS help.

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What you will learn

  • Kickstart your tech career: Learn PHP, the language that powers more than 75% of websites, to land your first job, become a well-paid freelancer or get promoted
  • Learn modern PHP: PHP has changed a lot. Master the modern way of writing PHP, and get ready to actually use it in the current workplace
  • Lay solid programming foundations: once you know PHP, learning other languages will become much easier
  • Focus on building: Together, we will create simple websites, image galleries, login systems and even a fully fledged content management system (CMS)
  • Grasp the 'why' behind PHP: Only the most sought-after web developers know this
  • Learn with fun and interactive exercises: never forget the fundamental PHP concepts and applications
  • Master the MVC framework: Develop your own MVC framework, which enables you to write large-scale web applications and charge higher prices for your projects
  • Become a master debugger: learn how to debug even the most complex PHP errors and make your application 100% secure

Course content

33 sections · 350 lectures · 45 hours of video 54 quizzes, 30 coding exercises, 4 articles

  1. 1Introduction 6 free previews8 lectures · 34 min
  2. 2First Steps with PHP - Build a dynamic Restaurant Website 10 free previews10 lectures · 1 quiz · 1.2 hours
  3. 3Data Types & Logic Essentials - Craft Conditional Responses with if/else 15 free previews16 lectures · 9 quizzes · 2 hours
  4. 4Arrays & the foreach Loop - Store, Manipulate and Use Data Sets Efficiently9 lectures · 6 quizzes · 1.1 hours
  5. 5Associative Arrays - Manage Key-Value-Pairs for Advanced Data Handling4 lectures · 4 quizzes · 22 min
  6. 6URL Parameters - Capture and Utilize Inputs for Secure, Dynamic Web Interactions11 lectures · 2 quizzes · 1.2 hours
  7. 7PROJECT - Build a Multi-Page Image Gallery6 lectures · 52 min
  8. 8Advanced Concepts - Variable Types, Including Files and String Functions12 lectures · 5 quizzes · 1.3 hours
  9. 9Nested Arrays - Simplify Complex Data Handling5 lectures · 4 quizzes · 27 min
  10. 10PROJECT - Build an Air Quality Data Browser10 lectures · 2 hours

Who it is for

The instructor says it suits

  • Beginners: This course is the perfect solution for beginners looking to become experts in PHP thanks to its easy-to-follow exercises and self-paced structure
  • Intermediate Users: If you already have some experience, you can benefit from delving deep into more complex topics like object-oriented programming, APIs and SQL queries
  • Web Developers: Learn the programming language that can help you increase your prices, land exciting job opportunities or advance in your career in 2023
  • Enthusiasts & Hobbyists: PHP is the perfect language to build exciting projects, launch servers and start your next applications

What you need before you start

  • A laptop with a running OS (Windows / Mac / Linux)
  • No prior PHP knowledge is required
  • Basic HTML and CSS knowledge is advantageous, but there is still a basic refresher provided
  • Motivation to learn PHP :)

How it compares

Against the other 815 rated Udemy courses in Web Development on CourseDuck:

  • Rating4.6 out of 5higher than 70% of them
  • Reviews1,557#126 of 816 by number of reviews
  • Length45.4 hourslonger than 94% of them
  • Last updatedAugust 2026more recently than 92% of them

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Course Description

*** Learn the modern way of writing PHP *** with 30 interactive exercises ***

Are you looking for an interactive, step-by-step program to master modern PHP and kickstart your career as a web developer in 2024? Then read on.

Many say that PHP is dead. But the truth is, PHP still powers 75% of online web applications today. This means that if you're looking to get a job as a web developer, or start a lucrative freelance career, you will encounter PHP.

The problem is, many courses focus on an old way of writing PHP, which is becoming outdated in the market. Following these programs will just make you frustrated because the code won't scale and will be difficult to maintain. You won't learn the required practices needed to build big-scale web applications, and therefore will never be able to kickstart a fulfilling career as a PHP developer.

This program aims to change that.

I designed this course to help you master PHP, step by step from beginner to pro, but in a way how it's written nowadays. We'll focus on mastering the concepts that can get you from 0 to building a simple content management system (CMS) with your own framework.

We will start with simple PHP code, but step by step, we'll introduce additional, concepts that turn PHP into a modern, powerful language: Object oriented programming, namespaces, autoloading, PSR-4, inheritance, PDO, MVC framework - just to name a few.

Also, you will learn about best-practices that help you prevent security attacks. You will learn how to prevent cross-site-scripting (XSS) attacks, SQL injections, privilege escalation attacks and even more. Being aware and being able to mitigate those risks is essential if you want to become a sought-after freelancer or an in-demand senior developer that companies can rely on.

And mind you, this course isn't just be theoretical. The chapters are packed with practical examples, engaging quizzes, and real-world scenarios that will make this experience fun and engaging. Plus, at the end of the course, you will also have built several projects you can showcase and use in your portfolio!

Last but not least, you will also learn the 'why' behind PHP - so that you feel confident to go out there and apply this knowledge to real-life projects.

So, after this course you will also be able to master various development styles. This course covers it all:

  • From simple PHP scripts for smaller projects

  • Over object oriented scripts for medium-sized projects

  • Up to MVC-Frameworks for large-scale projects

This allows you to develop professionally and know when you should use which style.

Some things you will learn:

  • PHP basics

  • How to run file uploads

  • How a web server works

  • How to access a database and write a guestbook

  • How to embed PHP in HTML

  • Functions, arrays, strings, if conditions,...

  • Control a database (MySQL / phpmyadmin)

  • How to create simple websites with PHP scripts

  • How to create an image gallery with upload functionality

  • How to write a CMS with object orientation & MVC patterns

  • Cookies & Sessions: Create a login system (and a cookie notice)

  • Learn how to keep track of complex projects with advanced PHP features (namespaces, autoloading, PSR-4, MVC patterns, container patterns, inheritance, ...)

The german version of this course is already the most popular PHP course on the German market here on Udemy. With this enhanced, english version, I'm opening this knowledge to the international market.

Enroll now and get your foot in the exciting world of web development!
Read More Beginner Beginner Level product length iconTime: 45.4h

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Instructor Details

Jannis Seemann

My name is Jannis Seemann, and I'm deeply passionate about programming. My dream is to share this passion with one million other students.

I began crafting my first website at the age of 14. By 18, I landed my first internship at Google in London. Two years later, while pursuing my degree, I secured another internship with Google, this time in Silicon Valley (Mountain View, California).

One of my greatest joys is learning something new, especially with guidance from my mentors. This love for learning inspired me to start teaching during my computer science studies.

I fully understand the challenges and the time it takes to immerse oneself in a new subject, whether it's for a personal project, academic pursuits, or professional work. That's why I pour so much dedication into my courses, offering numerous exercises and real-world examples to make the learning process smoother.

Today, I take immense pride in knowing that over 300,000 students have enrolled in my courses. I hope I've been able to impart to them the same enthusiasm and joy I feel when creating these courses.

Beyond Udemy, with my background in computer science and as an independent entrepreneur, I successfully carry out web projects for clients. I'm also keen on sharing my expertise and experiences through the online courses I offer.


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Reviews

4.6

1,557 ratings on Udemy

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By Beowulf Grendelscave on 8/10/2026

This was a great course for me. Jannis is very thorough and gives you more than enough information to develop in PHP. The quizzes were relevant and the independent projects hone your PHP skills. I am an experienced developer, and as such, I did fine. I would be a little concerned for a beginning developer would might quickly find themselves in over their head with this course. It certainly does start out at the beginner level, but quickly moves on to more advanced concepts, that without prior practical experience, my be a bit overwhelming.

By Francesco Theuma on 4/28/2026

Was overall good. Would have preferred to have quizzes which provided explanations even for the wrong answers, as it's basically a guessing game if you don't know the correct one and without explanations you don't learn from your mistakes.

By Bruce Metoyer on 3/30/2026

This is a great course so far, Im first getting all the course content out of the way then im going back to do the projects. I've been maing notes along the way and have also been coding along to so i can get familar with php

By Biju Gopalakrishnan on 3/20/2026

Excellent course covering all details to become a professional PHP developer. Highly recommend it! Even though it is labelled as beginner level course, programming experience, particularly with an OOPS language, will help you follow the course easily.

By Michael Damilola Kobru on 3/15/2026

Wow! This is one of my best course in PHP. The instructor is very well knowledgeable in PHP. He explains beyond my imagination and I watched till the very end because I enjoy his teaching style. I am super grateful for your effort in putting out this rich course. Thank you so much.

By Natan Tavares Santana on 3/3/2026

This is a really complete course, the teacher has a great teaching method and skill, speaks very well. The one thing that would need to improve is the exercises, I found them very confusing because of the context, and there should be more practical exercises whitin the projects.

By Rajinder Pal on 2/4/2026

I am getting a lot of valuable information from this course, and it has helped me improve my confidence in PHP programming. I appreciate the step-by-step teaching approach and the real-world examples included throughout the lessons. Overall, this is a very good course for anyone who wants to learn PHP from scratch or strengthen their fundamentals. I would definitely recommend it to other students interested in PHP development.

By Ramil Sultanov on 1/13/2026

I purchased this course to update my knowledge of PHP. I would like to express my concern about the reduced number of projects in this course, with the majority of them being of a very simple nature. The majority of the coding exercises are not easily comprehensible, which has led to confusion regarding the correct procedure. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the opportunity to refresh my PHP knowledge, and I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the author for creating this course.

By Tim Hill on 12/30/2025

I appreciate how the instructor approaches the material. Explains the why of things he is doing without taking too much time with deviating from main subject matter. It jives with how my brain processes new knowledge.

By J.C. Coelho on 12/27/2025

I really like this course. Solid code and explanations. I just think the quizzes and coding exercises can be a bit confusing. The fact that Jannis is a non-native speaker of english might have to do with it. I otherwise really like the projects and thorough explanation of the PHP language. Please keep it up.

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Overall Score : 92 / 100

Modern PHP: The Complete Guide - from Beginner to Advanced
Visit course on Udemy Write a review
  • Video Duration: icon 45.4h
  • Price: $89.99
  • Provider: icon Udemy
  • Updated: icon August 2026
  • Level: Beginner Beginner
  • Language: icon English
  • Certificate: icon Yes
  • Lectures:350 in 33 sections
  • Practice:54 quizzes, 30 coding exercises
  • Students:11,400
  • Subtitles:9 languages
  • Udemy badge:Bestseller
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