PHP remains one of the most widely-used server-side programming languages on the web. With frameworks like Laravel, Symfony, and CodeIgniter continuing to evolve, and with PHP 8+ bringing new features and improvements, the PHP ecosystem is thriving more than ever. Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned PHP developer, keeping up with the latest updates, best practices, and learning resources is essential for staying ahead.
To help you grow your skills and stay updated, here’s a curated list of useful PHP-related websites you should definitely bookmark.
- Nomad PHP
- Laravel News
- PHP Annotated Monthly
- PHP FIG
- PHP Package Development Standards (PDS)
- PHP School
- PHP: The Right Way
- PHP UG
- PHP Watch
- Unit Testing Tips
1. Nomad PHP – Grow your skills and your career
Nomad PHP is an excellent online learning platform tailored specifically for PHP developers. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced programmer, Nomad PHP offers live and recorded webinars, tutorials, and presentations from some of the best minds in the PHP community. The platform aims to bridge the knowledge gap and make quality learning accessible globally. Their career-focused content ensures you’re not just learning, but growing professionally too.
Key Features:
- Regular live PHP sessions
- On-demand videos
- Talks from renowned PHP developers
- Professional development focus
2. Laravel News – The official Laravel blog
Laravel News is the go-to source for everything related to the Laravel framework. It’s an official blog that covers news, packages, tutorials, and community-driven content. If you’re working with Laravel (or planning to), Laravel News keeps you updated with the latest ecosystem developments and best practices.
Why It’s Useful:
- Updates about Laravel framework versions and changes
- Showcase of new Laravel packages
- Tutorials and job listings
3. PHP Annotated Monthly – A monthly digest of PHP news
Published by JetBrains (creators of PhpStorm), PHP Annotated Monthly provides a comprehensive roundup of the most important happenings in the PHP world. Each issue includes curated content on PHP releases, community discussions, performance tips, security patches, and notable blog posts.
What You’ll Find:
- Monthly summaries of PHP news
- New tools and libraries
- Insights from the PHP community
4. PHP FIG – The PHP Framework Interoperability Group
PHP FIG (Framework Interoperability Group) is a collective of PHP framework and library authors working to standardize practices across the PHP ecosystem. They’ve developed widely-used standards like PSR (PHP Standard Recommendations), which guide everything from coding style (PSR-1, PSR-12) to autoloading (PSR-4).
Why It Matters:
- Promotes standardization across frameworks
- Essential for writing modern, interoperable PHP code
- Great resource for understanding PSRs
5. PHP Package Development Standards (PDS) – Package development standards for PHP
While PHP FIG focuses on broad standards, PDS zeroes in on package-level structure. It offers recommendations on how to structure your PHP packages for consistency and maintainability. These standards are helpful whether you’re building private packages for enterprise applications or contributing to open-source.
What to Expect:
- Guidelines for naming conventions
- Directory structure best practices
- Tips for maintaining clean and reusable code
6. PHP School – Open Source Learning for PHP
PHP School offers an interactive, open-source learning environment. It uses a command-line interface to teach various PHP concepts and challenges. Whether you want to learn basics or advanced topics like async programming in PHP, PHP School provides hands-on experience in a developer-friendly format.
Highlights:
- CLI-based learning approach
- Real coding challenges
- Open-source and community-driven
7. PHP: The Right Way – A PHP best practice quick reference guide
PHP: The Right Way is a community-driven guide that outlines modern PHP best practices. It’s regularly updated and covers everything from coding standards to tools, security, and performance. It’s available in multiple languages, making it accessible globally.
Why Developers Love It:
- Updated PHP practices
- Covers design patterns, testing, and security
- Great for beginners and veterans alike
8. PHP UG – Find your local PHP User Group
Community is everything in programming, and PHP UG helps you connect with local PHP user groups around the world. You can discover meetups, conferences, and events happening near you. Engaging with local devs not only enhances learning but also opens up networking and collaboration opportunities.
Features:
- Searchable map of PHP user groups
- Information on upcoming events and meetups
- Community-driven submissions
9. PHP Watch – PHP articles, news, upcoming changes, RFCs and more
PHP Watch is an independent site that keeps an eye on upcoming changes in PHP, including accepted RFCs (Request for Comments), deprecations, new features, and security updates. It’s a valuable resource if you want to stay ahead of the curve and prepare your codebase for upcoming PHP versions.
What Makes It Great:
- Deep insights into PHP core development
- RFC breakdowns and analysis
- Clean and developer-focused interface
10. Unit Testing Tips – Unit testing tips by examples in PHP
Testing is an essential skill in any developer’s toolkit. Unit Testing Tips is a PHP-specific resource that provides concise, practical advice for writing unit tests. The site uses real-world examples to explain testing concepts, making it easier to implement testing in your projects.
Useful For:
- Learning PHPUnit and testing strategies
- Improving code quality
- Developing test-driven applications
Final Thoughts
PHP has grown far beyond being just a simple scripting language for the web. The ecosystem today is robust, well-documented, and community-driven. Whether you’re looking to master Laravel, follow best practices, explore modern PHP standards, or simply stay up to date with news and tips, these websites provide a solid foundation for your PHP journey.
Bookmark these resources, revisit them often, and become an even better PHP developer. The community is active, the tools are mature, and the learning opportunities are endless.
