We Built DataSift on PHP

PHP is at the core of DataSift; in fact, it made up the majority of the code base when we first launched. We built this city (DataSift) on PHP! (And maybe a little bit of rock and roll too). Actually, DataSift is a high volume, real-time data processing platform. –by Michael Heap

Domain Modeling with PHP in Polyglot Systems

A DSL is an important technique in a programmer's toolbox. If you think otherwise, try validating proper URL or email addresses without the use of regular expressions This article describes a Domain Specific Language in PHP for test automation that not only wraps an existing automation tool written in Java but also provides a succinct API to empower PHP development teams to use this tool –by Luis Atencio

Test Fixtures Like a Boss

Programming using tests is now a common practice—so common, in fact, that the proliferation of tests may ultimately slow down the development process. Functional tests are cumbersome, and so should be few compared to unit tests. If we develop using multi-layered architecture, it is possible to functionally test the application layer, usually with functional tests that test controllers and other commands. –By Giulio De Donato

Varnish: Just Plain Faster

With Varnish, we can't quite control the user's cache, but we can do the next best thing: we can make all pages, no matter how complex, be served at the speed of static HTML. With a little bit of configuration, we can even massage our object's headers in order to start edging closer to the "nothing" ideal. –By Dan Reif

Community Corner: October 2014

Community Corner is a new column I am writing that will cover insights and trends learned from speakers making the PUG (PHP Usergroup), Meetup & Conference Circuit; tips on speakers and topics you should follow or encourage your local organizer to book; conferences and uncons of note. –by Joe Devon

Education Station: Protect Your Data with ownCloud

When I recently I came across an open-source alternative to Dropbox & GoogleDrive called ownCloud—it's even written in PHP—I had to take a look and share what I found. In this month's column, I'll take you through ownCloud, covering what it is, what it offers, and how to get it running. And even how to start contributing to the project –by Matthew Setter

Laravel Tips: Deploying Applications Part 2: Automation

Whether you are developing in a local virtual machine with Laravel's Homestead or deploying code to AWS, automation is the name of the game. Exploring Laravel's support for SSH, we will learn how to automate the updating and deploying of applications to save time and minimize downtime. –by Dirk Merkel

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finally{}: Types of Open-Source Software Projects

I'd like to talk about five different types of open-source software projects that I see regularly, so that we can all consider each type on its own merits. None of them is better than the other; they simply each have different goals. Oh, and I should say also: These are just five classifications that I made up. –by Eli White

Editorial: Building Blocks

According to the PHP RFCs, we're looking at a new, major version of PHP in one year's time. We've already seen a monumental shift in the way we build applications and websites with PHP—it's pretty rare that you sit down and just start banging out code and test it by refreshing a web page. –by Oscar Merida