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Chapter 1: Understanding Design Patterns

Why Use Design Patterns in PHP?

PHP has a very easy beginner ’ s learning curve with the backing of an enterprise - ready engine. Chances

are that you ventured into PHP by inserting a few lines of code into an existing HTML document. Simply

change the extension from

.html to .php , add your quick snippet of code, deploy it to a PHP server, and

you ’ re a bona - fide PHP programmer. Up until the advent of the Zend Certified Engineer (ZCE)

certification, there was no real measurement of a PHP programmer ’ s prowess. Even after becoming a

ZCE, programmers can still lack some of the essentials for developing enterprise - ready, architecturally

sound application software.

As if the example in the beginning of the chapter weren ’ t enough encouragement, more business - class

players are coming on board with PHP. PHP ’ s humble roots have left it somewhat devoid of the

limelight of major enterprise - level programming languages. However, the hard work of Zend as well as

the adoption of PHP by large Internet companies (such as Yahoo! and Amazon) has shown that PHP is

enterprise ready. With the introduction of enterprise - level software requirements, enterprise - level

methodology is to follow.

PHP now has support for a lot of the building blocks behind the concepts you ’ re going to study. Perhaps

during the era of PHP3 or PHP/FI, applying these styles of patterns may have been more difficult if not

impossible. Don ’ t get me wrong; there are always patterns in language; it ’ s just that this book and its

examples wouldn ’ t have been nearly as useful!

Summary

This chapter discussed the prevalence of patterns in your normal programming by using an everyday

programming example. By extending your understanding of patterns, you can make correlations to

actual Design Patterns. Examining the realm that Design Patterns encompass, and what they do not,

provided a more concise definition. Finally, the case was made for using Design Patterns in PHP by

pointing out PHP ’ s support for building base Design Patterns as well as mentioning PHP ’ s position

among some of the greater enterprise partners.

Now that you have an understanding of what Design Patterns are, let ’ s move on to discovering what

PHP already has available to help you out.

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