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Phar is to PHP as jar is to Java. A phar—a PHp ARchive—is a single file that contains multiple files, each of which can be accessed as if it were a regular file using filesystem functions within PHP, such as ''fopen()''. In this article, lead developer Gregory Beaver explores the range of possibility that lies within a phar archive.
The inclusion of full support for the object oriented paradigm in PHP has revolutionized the way we solve problems when using the language. That said, the increased usage of objects in PHP applications poses a tough problem: database management systems can only store scalar data. Doctrine offers some clever solutions.
Who needs yet another IMAP webmail application written in PHP? Take a closer look at RoundCube; you may find that you do.
Looping is something that most programmers have learned to take for granted. Everybody knows how to do it, and no one thinks about the process in much detail. In this article, Paul examines what it takes to replace for(;;) with iterator-powered counted loops and gives some examples of the potential benefits of this approach.
Contract work can be very rewarding (both personally and financially), but comes with a lot of strings and risks that not all developers fully realize. Hunter gives you the scoop.
In this month's column, Jeff Moore takes a look at networks of dependencies and the methods that can be used to organize them into layers.
Sean reminisces on how writing code has evolved over the years—from the days when he did it for fun to when he became a pro.