Build a Robust Blog Engine with PHP OOP & MVC (with PHPUnit & Feature Testing) – 4-Week Beginner Project

Ready to architect a web application with confidence and build it to last? This 4-week project-based course will guide you through creating a simplified yet robust blog engine using the power of PHP Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) and the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern. Crucially, you’ll learn to write both unit tests with PHPUnit to verify individual component logic and feature tests to ensure the entire blog engine functions as expected.

Go beyond basic scripting and learn how to design, build, and test a structured web application over four comprehensive weeks. This project will equip you with essential skills for creating maintainable, scalable, and reliable software using industry-standard practices.

What You’ll Achieve (over 4 weeks):

• Week 1: Object-Oriented Design & Basic MVC Structure: Learn to model blog concepts with PHP classes, understand the core principles of MVC, and implement a basic directory structure and routing mechanism.
• Week 2: Implementing Models & Basic Data Management: Focus on creating Model classes to handle data (using file-based storage or basic MySQL), and learn how to interact with this data from your Controllers.
• Week 3: Building Views & Introducing Templating: Learn to create View classes to handle presentation logic and implement a simple templating system to dynamically display blog content. You’ll also begin writing basic PHPUnit tests for your Model classes.
• Week 4: Controller Logic, Feature Testing & Refining Tests: Implement Controller logic to handle user requests and orchestrate interactions between Models and Views. You’ll learn to write feature tests to verify the end-to-end functionality of your blog engine and refine your unit tests for better coverage.

Throughout the 4 weeks, you will also learn:

• Object-Oriented Design: Model blog concepts (posts, users, categories) using PHP classes and objects.
• Crude MVC Implementation: Understand and implement a simplified version of the Model-View-Controller pattern to separate data, presentation, and application logic.
• Basic Routing: Implement a simple mechanism to map URLs to specific actions within your blog engine.
• Data Management: Learn to store and retrieve blog post data (using file-based storage or a basic MySQL integration).
• Templating Basics: Implement a simple templating system to dynamically display blog content.
• Comprehensive Testing with PHPUnit: Write unit tests to verify the behavior of individual classes and methods, ensuring code correctness and reliability.
• End-to-End Testing with Feature Tests: Write feature tests to simulate user interactions and verify the overall functionality of the blog engine (e.g., creating a post, viewing the homepage).
• Understanding Test-Driven Development (TDD) Concepts: Get an introduction to writing tests before writing the actual code.
• Project Structure & Organisation: Learn best practices for structuring your PHP project for maintainability and testability.

Why Build This Robust Blog Engine Over 4 Weeks?

• Solidify OOP Principles: Apply object-oriented concepts in a practical, larger-scale project with ample time for understanding.
• Understand MVC Architecture: Gain a foundational understanding of a widely used architectural pattern with a dedicated week for implementation.
• Master the Fundamentals of Testing: Dedicate significant time to learning and implementing both unit and feature testing.
• Develop Good Coding Habits: Embrace testing as an integral part of the development process over the entire project duration.
• Build a Portfolio-Worthy Project: Showcase a well-structured and tested web application developed over a more extended period.
• Prepare for Framework Learning: The concepts learned will provide a strong foundation for working with more complex PHP frameworks like Laravel or Symfony.

What to Expect (over 4 weeks):

• Clear guidance on designing the application architecture and implementing features week by week.
• Step-by-step instructions on writing both unit and feature tests throughout the project.
• Emphasis on understanding the benefits and methodologies of testing integrated into the development process.
• A functional, albeit simplified, blog engine with comprehensive test coverage built over a structured four-week timeframe.

This project is perfect for:

• Beginners who have a solid grasp of PHP OOP and want to explore application architecture and testing in a more extended format.
• Those looking to learn the fundamentals of software testing with PHPUnit and feature tests with a dedicated focus over four weeks.
• Anyone wanting to build a more robust and reliable web application with a structured learning path.

Build with confidence over four weeks! Learn PHP OOP, MVC, and the power of testing by creating your own robust blog engine.