Junior PHP Developer

Objective: In this task, you are required to build a basic CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) application using PHP and MySQL. The purpose is to demonstrate your proficiency in writing clean, efficient PHP code that interacts with a MySQL database, as well as to structure a simple yet effective front-end interface using HTML and basic JavaScript.

Expected Deliverables: A complete project folder zipped together, including all PHP files, SQL scripts to create the database & tables, and a README file that explains your design choices, setup instructions, and usage guidelines.

Key Steps:

• Plan and design a database schema suited for a CRUD operation.
• Create the necessary MySQL tables using a provided SQL script.
• Develop PHP scripts to handle Create, Read, Update, and Delete functionalities. Use proper error handling and secure database connection practices (PDO or MySQLi with prepared statements).
• Implement a basic user interface with HTML and incorporate minimal JavaScript where necessary for a smoother user experience.
• Ensure your code is well-commented, making it easy for reviewers to follow your design rationale.

Evaluation Criteria: Submissions will be evaluated based on your code quality, clarity and structuring of the project, adherence to security best practices, and the completeness of your documentation. Your project must compile and run without errors and should allow a user to perform all CRUD operations seamlessly. You will also be assessed on how professionally you have documented your design and development process.

This task is designed to require approximately 30 to 35 hours of work, providing you with a comprehensive, practical experience that mirrors real-world PHP development projects.

Objective: This task challenges you to design and implement a dynamic feature within a PHP web application using object-oriented programming (OOP). You are expected to refactor your approach to build modular, reusable code using classes, objects, inheritance, and encapsulation. The feature could range from a session-based shopping cart to a notification system, reflecting a real-life functionality enhancement.

Expected Deliverables: A zipped project directory that includes your PHP files (organized with classes), a demo HTML file to display your feature, and a README file detailing your design decisions, setup instructions, and how to interact with the new feature.

Key Steps:

• Choose a dynamic feature that will add real value to a web application (for instance, a notification system or a shopping cart).
• Design the architecture of your feature, breaking down the code into appropriate classes and methods.
• Implement the feature using object-oriented PHP. Ensure you enforce OOP principles such as encapsulation and inheritance where applicable.
• Create a simple frontend using HTML and minimal JavaScript that interacts with your PHP backend to demonstrate the dynamic aspect.
• Thoroughly document your code with comments and provide a comprehensive README outlining your approach, benefits, and how to test the feature.

Evaluation Criteria: Your work will be evaluated based on the effectiveness and modularity of your OOP implementation, adherence to PHP coding standards, clarity in code documentation, and the usability of your interactive frontend. Demonstrating proper encapsulation, code reuse, and a thoughtful design structure is key.

This assignment is expected to take approximately 30 to 35 hours of work and aims to heighten your skills in building maintainable and scalable PHP applications using object-oriented programming techniques.

Objective: In this task, your goal is to enhance your debugging skills by identifying and fixing issues in an existing PHP web application. You will be tasked with improving suboptimal code, enhancing performance, and incorporating better error handling and logging facilities. The real-world focus is on understanding legacy code, refactoring, and implementing improvements that align with industry best practices.

Expected Deliverables: A zip file containing the enhanced PHP project files, an updated changelog that clearly enumerates all modifications with reasons, and a detailed report describing your debugging process, key adjustments, and any additional optimizations performed.

Key Steps:

• Set up the provided PHP application in your local development environment.
• Systematically review the codebase to identify bugs, inefficiencies, or potential security vulnerabilities.
• Utilize debugging tools and logs to discover hidden issues within the code.
• Refactor the code to implement efficient coding practices, improved error handling, and better security practices like sanitization and proper database handling.
• Maintain a detailed changelog that documents each fix and enhancement you have performed.
• Create a comprehensive report detailing your debugging process, reasoning behind changes, and any lessons learned during the exercise.

Evaluation Criteria: Your project will be evaluated based on the effectiveness and thoroughness of your debugging and enhancements, the clarity of the code refactorization, and the depth of insights provided in your documentation. Emphasis is placed on a systematic approach to debugging, clarity in explanations, and the adoption of best practices in PHP development.

This task is estimated to require approximately 30 to 35 hours of work, providing a realistic scenario of maintaining and improving legacy codebases, a critical skill in professional development environments.

Objective: The aim of this task is to enhance your understanding of common web security vulnerabilities and the application of security best practices in PHP development. You are required to either modify an existing simple PHP project or develop a new mini-application that integrates robust security measures including input sanitization, parameterized (prepared) queries, secure session management, and proper error logging.

Expected Deliverables: A zipped folder containing your secured PHP project, a comprehensive security report that outlines the vulnerabilities identified and the mitigation strategies applied, and a README with clear installation and testing instructions.

Key Steps:

• Either review an existing PHP project or develop a new small-scale PHP application.
• Perform a vulnerability assessment to identify potential security risks such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and session hijacking.
• Implement security measures by applying input validation and sanitization, using prepared statements for all database operations, and enhancing session handling practices.
• Implement error handling to ensure that no sensitive information is exposed to the end user.
• Document all security improvements in a detailed security report, explaining the measures taken and including relevant code snippets.

Evaluation Criteria: Your submission will be evaluated on the thoroughness and effectiveness of the security improvements made, the clarity and detail in your security report, and adherence to modern PHP security practices. Attention to detail in mitigating common vulnerabilities and the strength of your code for handling errors securely are critical factors.

This practical exercise is designed to take approximately 30 to 35 hours of work, bolstering your capabilities in developing secure, robust web applications using PHP.

Objective: For the final week, you will design and integrate an interactive dashboard that combines PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript. The task involves creating a dynamic, real-time interface that fetches data from the backend and displays interactive charts and tables. This assignment is intended to assess your ability to integrate back-end processes with front-end interactivity, showcasing your full-stack development skills.

Expected Deliverables: A zipped project folder containing all source code (PHP, JavaScript, HTML) and SQL scripts required to set up the database, along with a detailed user guide explaining how to deploy and use the dashboard.

Key Steps:

• Design the layout of your dashboard, including areas for dynamic data visualizations and interactive filters.
• Set up a MySQL database to store data and ensure that your PHP scripts can fetch and process real-time data requests.
• Use PHP to serve data to the frontend. Set up JSON endpoints or APIs that the JavaScript code will consume.
• Create interactive charts and tables by utilizing JavaScript libraries such as Chart.js or any other publicly available tools.
• Ensure that the dashboard dynamically updates based on user input, such as filtering data by specific criteria.
• Provide comprehensive documentation in a README file and include inline comments in your code to clarify your logic and choices.

Evaluation Criteria: Your project will be evaluated based on the effectiveness of the integration between PHP and JavaScript, the responsiveness and interactivity of the dashboard, and the overall quality and clarity of both your code and documentation. Functionality, performance optimization, and user experience are key aspects that will be considered.

This comprehensive task is designed to consume approximately 30 to 35 hours, encapsulating both back-end and front-end development skills crucial for a Junior PHP Developer. This final assignment synthesizes your learning and demonstrates your ability to create complete, interactive web applications.