Week09 Reading Week Overview

Week of November 4th

.NET

Route 01. Csharp Certification

This option focuses entirely on mastering C# before diving into broader .NET concepts. The goal is for you to gain a strong command of the language and become comfortable with its infrastructure. By Week 10, you’ll be able to apply what you’ve learned to a hands-on project.

To start, please register on both FreeCodeCamp and Microsoft Learn. You’ll access the learning modules via FreeCodeCamp links, which will track your progress and give you the opportunity to sit for a Microsoft Certification exam upon completion.

CSharp certification - 6 modules

The next course is not part of the certification, but it is a great short example of minimal API.

Create web apps and services with ASP.NET Core, minimal API, and .NET - 1hr 35min

Route 02. Blended C# and Infrastructure Approach

In this route, you’ll combine learning C# with workshops focused on infrastructure essentials. This approach balances language fundamentals with practical infrastructure skills to give you a well-rounded foundation.

You can complete the first three C# lessons independently or through FreeCodeCamp. If you choose the FreeCodeCamp route, you’ll have the option to continue with the remaining lessons later and eventually take the Microsoft Certification exam.

PHP. 5-Day PHP Learning Plan

Setup Required

Install XAMPP: https://www.apachefriends.org/download.html
VSCode PHP Extension: PHP Intelephense

Day 1: PHP Basics

Main Resource: Laracasts - PHP for Beginners 2023

Episodes 1-7
- Variables and Basic PHP Syntax
- PHP Configuration
- Arrays and Functions
- Page Links

Reference: W3Schools PHP

Practice Project: Build a Temperature Converter Tutorial: https://www.w3schools.com/php/php_form_complete.asp

Convert Celsius to Fahrenheit and vice versa
Form handling
Basic calculations
Simple styling

Day 2: Database & PDO

Main Resource: Laracasts Episodes 8-14

Database Connections
PDO Basics
SQL Injection Prevention
Basic Forms

Reference: PHP PDO Documentation

Practice Project: Build a Contact List Tutorial: https://www.tutorialrepublic.com/php-tutorial/php-mysql-crud-application.php

Store names and phone numbers
View all contacts
Simple database operations
Basic error handling

Day 3: Authentication

Main Resource: Laracasts Episodes 15-20

Sessions
Authentication
Registration
Form Validation

Reference: PHP Session Documentation

Practice Project: User Authentication System Tutorial: https://www.tutorialrepublic.com/php-tutorial/php-mysql-login-system.php

Login form
User registration
Password hashing
Session management

Day 4: Structure & Organization

Main Resource: Laracasts Episodes 21-25

Refactoring
Router Implementation
Controllers
API Basics

Reference: PHP Best Practices

Practice Project: Simple Note Taking App Tutorial: https://www.sourcecodester.com/php/15434/simple-notes-app-using-php-and-mysql-source-code.html

CRUD operations
User-specific notes
Basic organization
Simple API endpoint

Day 5: Final Project - Task Management System

Build a complete task management system combining all concepts learned.

Tutorial Guide: https://codeshack.io/crud-application-php-pdo-mysql/

Project Requirements:

User System
- Login/Register
- Password hashing
- Session handling
Task Features
- Add/Edit/Delete tasks
- Mark as complete
- Due dates
- Priority levels
Database
- Users table
- Tasks table
- Basic relationships

Daily Schedule

2 hours: Watch Laracasts
1 hour: Code along with episodes
2 hours: Work on daily project

Getting Unstuck

Check Laracasts comments
PHP Manual: https://www.php.net/manual/en/
Stack Overflow
PHP Discord: https://discord.gg/php

Next Steps

Laravel Framework: https://laravel.com/docs/
More complex projects
PHP Security practices