Comprehensive Guide to Yii2: Building Modern PHP Applications from Scratch

1. Introduction to Yii2

2. Setting Up Yii2

3. Basic Application Structure in Yii2

  • Understanding Yii2 Directory Structure
    • basic/ vs advanced/ application template
    • Key directories (e.g., controllers/, models/, views/, config/)
  • Configuration Files
    • Configuring Yii2 in web/index.php
    • Environment configuration (dev, prod, etc.)
    • Using config/web.php for application settings

4. Building a Simple Yii2 Application

  • Creating Models
    • Defining models with ActiveRecord
    • Connecting models to database tables
    • Model validation and rules
  • Creating Controllers
    • Setting up basic controllers
    • Using actions to handle requests
    • Passing data from controller to view
  • Creating Views
    • Basics of Yii2 view files (.php)
    • Using Yii2’s Html and ActiveForm helpers
    • Rendering views and layouts
  • Routing and URL Management
    • Configuring routes in urlManager
    • URL rules and pretty URLs

5. Advanced Yii2 Concepts

  • Working with Databases
    • Advanced queries with QueryBuilder and ActiveQuery
    • Database migrations in Yii2
    • Handling relations (one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-many)
  • Form Handling and Validation
    • Creating forms using ActiveForm
    • Server-side validation and custom validation rules
  • Authentication and Authorization
    • Implementing user authentication (using User and IdentityInterface)
    • Role-based access control (RBAC)
  • Using Gii for Code Generation
    • Introduction to Yii2 Gii (code generator)
    • Creating CRUD operations with Gii
    • Customizing generated code

6. Yii2 RESTful API Development

  • Setting Up RESTful API in Yii2
    • Configuring the application for REST API development
    • Creating API controllers
  • Handling JSON Data
    • Working with JSON requests and responses
    • Configuring behaviors for CORS and content negotiation
  • CRUD Operations via API
    • Implementing CRUD operations in RESTful API
    • Handling input validation in API controllers
  • Securing the API
    • Using JWT (JSON Web Tokens) for API authentication
    • Securing API routes and endpoints

7. Testing in Yii2

  • Unit Testing in Yii2
    • Introduction to PHPUnit and Yii2’s testing framework
    • Writing tests for controllers, models, and database operations
  • Functional Testing
    • Simulating browser requests and testing user flows
  • Mocking and Data Fixtures
    • Using Yii2’s Codeception for end-to-end testing
    • Setting up mock data and fixtures for testing

8. Deploying Yii2 Applications

  • Preparing for Production
    • Optimizing Yii2 application for production (e.g., caching, asset compression)
    • Handling migrations in production
    • Setting up error logging and monitoring
  • Deploying to a Server
    • Deploying Yii2 on Apache or Nginx
    • Configuring PHP-FPM and optimizing server performance
  • Handling Database Backups and Maintenance
    • Setting up cron jobs for backups
    • Using yii migrate for database migrations in production

9. Yii2 Extensions and Modules

  • Using Yii2 Extensions
    • Introduction to the Yii2 extension library
    • Installing and configuring Yii2 extensions via Composer
  • Creating Custom Modules
    • Overview of Yii2 modules and how to create them
    • Organizing code within modules for larger applications

10. Conclusion

  • Recap of Key Learnings
    • Summary of topics covered (basic structure, advanced concepts, API, etc.)
  • Next Steps
    • Recommended next tutorials or books for further learning
    • Best practices for Yii2 development and community resources