This PHP primer, a work in progress,
— is a quiet space to explore how PHP 'thinks' —
and a small seed meant to help us work confidently with AI‑generated code.
'PHP Primer for the Ai Era' is a thought in motion —
an approach to judgment, rather than rules.
A simple framework for shaping our own way of thinking about PHP
at a time when keeping our agency matters..
Modern tools can write PHP for us,
but only humans can look at code, using contextual intention
to recognize the structure,
and decide whether
that code belongs in a project.
This primer proposes the mental model needed for an architect to
A mental model is the internal picture we carry of how something works —not the details, but the shape of the system. It’s a lens that lets us see what belongs, what doesn’t, and when code is moving with or against the grain of the language.
This primer is written for developers who already know PHP but want to refresh their understanding in a calm, structured way — and for anyone who wants to collaborate with AI without surrendering judgment or losing their agency. It's designed for multiple visits — a place you can return to at your own pace.
While AI→ can write code,
Humans→ design systems.
This primer focuses on the parts that → only humans can do well.
Like:
AI can remember the details.
We provide the judgment.
This primer helps us stay in that role—with
clarity and confidence.
Dealing with modern AI coding
is less about prompting
and more about
context engineering
— shaping the environment
in which the model reasons.
This wiki is not “how to use AI,”
it’s more like how to be with AI
— how to think,
how to guide,
how to stay grounded while the machine drafts around us,
while we experiment with possibilities.
A Zen like posture:
This wiki is part of an ongoing effort to document a modern approach to PHP development in the age of AI‑assisted coding.
Written and maintained by
Tony de Araujo
—New York | Lisbon