Official PHP Documentation Tutorial

11/22/2025

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Official PHP Documentation Tutorial: How to Use php.net Effectively

The official PHP documentation (php.net) is one of the most powerful learning resources for PHP developers. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced programmer, knowing how to navigate and use PHP documentation correctly saves time and helps you write better, safer code.

This tutorial will guide you step-by-step on how to use the official PHP manual, find examples, understand function signatures, explore extensions, and read community notes.

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🔹 1. What Is PHP Official Documentation?

The official PHP documentation is available at:

https://www.php.net/

It contains:

  • Function references

  • Language concepts

  • OOP features

  • Extensions

  • FAQs

  • Examples and community notes

  • Version-specific changes

It is the most accurate source for learning PHP.

🔸 2. Using the Search Feature

At the top of php.net, you can directly search for:

  • Functions (e.g., strlen)

  • Classes (e.g., PDO)

  • Extensions (e.g., mysqli)

  • Topics (e.g., sessions, cookies)

Example: Searching for array_merge

You will find:

  • Function description

  • Parameters

  • Return values

  • Warnings & errors

  • Examples

  • Related functions

🔸 3. Understanding Function Pages

Let’s take the example of strpos().

A typical PHP function page includes:

✔ Function Signature

Shows parameter types & return type.

strpos(string $haystack, string $needle): int|false

✔ Description

Explains what the function does.

✔ Parameters Section

Lists all arguments with details.

✔ Return Values

Shows possible return types.

✔ Examples

Working code you can test directly.

✔ Notes & Warnings

Important usage notes.

✔ Related Functions

Links to alternatives (e.g., strstr, preg_match).

🔸 4. PHP Documentation for Language Basics

The documentation also explains PHP fundamentals:

  • Variables

  • Data types

  • Arrays

  • Loops

  • strings

  • Functions

  • OOP

  • Traits & interfaces

  • Exceptions

Each concept includes examples and syntax diagrams.

🔸 5. PHP OOP Documentation

PHP provides full OOP guides:

  • Classes & objects

  • Inheritance

  • Interfaces

  • Traits

  • Namespaces

  • Magic methods (__construct, __get, __set)

Each concept contains detailed information and examples.

🔸 6. PHP Extensions Documentation

The official documentation contains reference material for extensions such as:

  • PDO

  • mysqli

  • curl

  • json

  • mbstring

  • openssl

  • intl

You can browse them under the Extensions category.

🔸 7. PHP Version-Specific Information

php.net shows version-specific changes:

✔ Deprecated features

Example: mysql_* functions were removed in PHP 7.

✔ New features

Example: union types in PHP 8.

✔ Migration guides

Such as:

  • Migration from PHP 7.3 → 7.4

  • Migration from PHP 7 → 8

Helpful for upgrading your application.

🔸 8. Reading Community Notes

At the bottom of most documentation pages, developers contribute notes.

These may include:

  • Tips

  • Security warnings

  • Alternative solutions

  • Common mistakes

  • Optimizations

While not official, community notes provide practical insights.

🔸 9. Examples for Beginners

Most pages contain copy-ready code.

Example from explode():

<?php
$str = "Hello world!";
print_r(explode(" ", $str));
?>

This encourages hands-on learning.

🔸 10. Source Code Reference

PHP documentation links to the

  • C source code of extensions

  • Internal engine documentation

Useful for advanced developers.

🔸 11. User-Friendly Quick Reference

PHP also offers a quick function lookup page:

https://www.php.net/quickref.php

You can quickly browse:

  • Array functions

  • String functions

  • Date/time functions

  • Math functions

🔸 12. Offline Documentation (Optional)

PHP allows downloading the entire manual:

  • HTML format

  • CHM format

  • EPUB

Useful if you work without internet.

🔸 13. Tips for Using PHP Docs Effectively

  • Always check the PHP version for each example

  • Look at community notes for pitfalls

  • Compare related functions to pick the right one

  • Follow migration guides before upgrading PHP versions

  • Bookmark commonly used documentation pages

⭐ Real-World Example: Understanding password_hash() from PHP Docs

Documentation shows:

  • Secure default hashing

  • Example usage

  • Related functions (password_verify, password_needs_rehash)

You can copy and use verified examples directly.

✅ Summary

The official PHP documentation is the best place to:

  • Learn PHP functions and syntax

  • Explore OOP and extensions

  • Check version changes

  • Find examples and usage notes

  • Understand error messages

Learning to navigate php.net makes you a more professional PHP developer.

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Learn how to use the official PHP documentation effectively. Understand php.net navigation, function pages, examples, extensions, and version changes.

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php documentation tutorial, official php.net guide, learn php docs, php manual tutorial, php function reference

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