PHP Tips: Practical Ways to Write Better PHP

Want cleaner, faster PHP without guesswork? Use the latest stable PHP release and enable strict typing to catch bugs early. Declare declare(strict_types=1) at the top of files that need strict checks.

Keep code quality high

Use Composer for dependencies and PSR-4 autoloading to keep namespaces organized. Run a linter, style checker, and static analyzer like PHPStan or Psalm before pushing code. Write unit tests with PHPUnit and add a few integration tests for critical flows.

Security and performance

Never interpolate user input into SQL; always use prepared statements with bound parameters. Hash passwords with password_hash and verify with password_verify to avoid costly mistakes. Sanitize output for HTML, JSON, and shell contexts; sanitize input depending on expected data. Use HTTPS, set secure cookies, and add Content Security Policy headers to reduce risk. Enable OPCache in production and cache heavy queries or rendered fragments to speed responses.

Prefer built-in array functions and optimized loops over manual code for common tasks. Use foreach for arrays, avoid repeated function calls inside loops, and profile hotspots with Xdebug. Measure before you optimize; focus on algorithms and IO not tiny micro-optimizations that cost readability. Use caching layers like Redis or Memcached for session data and computed results.

Keep secrets out of code; use environment variables and a secure secrets manager for keys. Automate deployments with CI pipelines that run tests, static analysis, and deploy only on green builds. Regularly update dependencies and monitor security advisories for libraries you rely on.

Show detailed errors on local, but log exceptions with stack traces in production to troubleshoot issues. Use structured logs and a central logging system so you can search and alert on real problems quickly. Fail fast and return clear error codes for APIs so clients can handle issues predictably.

Keep functions small, name things clearly, and write short docblocks only where they add value. Split large classes into focused services and prefer composition over inheritance for easier testing. Use semantic versioning for your packages and tag releases to make rollbacks simple. Write migration scripts for database changes and keep migrations in version control alongside code.

Read changelogs for new PHP versions and follow RFCs for features you plan to use soon. Lean on community tools, packages, and forums when solving tricky problems—chances are someone solved it before. Practice by refactoring old projects and applying one new tip each week to make steady improvements.

Use code reviews to catch logic errors, share knowledge, and keep code style consistent across the team. Document deployment steps, rollbacks, and common troubleshooting tasks in a runbook that others can follow quickly. Invest a little time in CI, static analysis, and automated tests to save a lot of debugging time later.

Keep an eye on performance metrics and error rates after releases so you spot regressions early and fix them fast. Small consistent improvements trump occasional rewrites—ship often, measure impact, and iterate based on real feedback. These PHP tips work in real projects daily.