PHP Primer for the AI Era - mental_modelA PHP Guide for Humans
https://icontemp.com/wiki/phpprimer/
2026-08-08T08:14:50+00:00PHP Primer for the AI Era
https://icontemp.com/wiki/phpprimer/
https://icontemp.com/wiki/phpprimer/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=wiki:dokuwiki.svgtext/html2026-04-05T23:31:17+00:00Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com)6. Classes & Autoloading — How Modern PHP Organizes Code
https://icontemp.com/wiki/phpprimer/doku.php?id=mental_model:classes_and_autoloading&rev=1775431877&do=diff
6. Classes & Autoloading — How Modern PHP Organizes Code
Why this matters
Modern PHP relies on:
* classes, namespaces, autoloading, predictable file structure
AI often generates code that looks object‑oriented but violates these conventions.text/html2026-04-05T23:30:39+00:00Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com)7. Error Handling — Exceptions, Types, and Failure Modes
https://icontemp.com/wiki/phpprimer/doku.php?id=mental_model:error_handling&rev=1775431839&do=diff
7. Error Handling — Exceptions, Types, and Failure Modes
Why this matters
Error handling is where PHP reveals its maturity.
Modern PHP expects:
* typed arguments
rejecting invalid input early
* typed returns
guaranteeing what comes back
*text/html2026-04-05T23:34:16+00:00Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com)2. Execution Flow — How PHP Processes a File
https://icontemp.com/wiki/phpprimer/doku.php?id=mental_model:execution_flow&rev=1775432056&do=diff
2. Execution Flow — How PHP Processes a File
Why execution flow matters
When you review AI‑generated PHP, one of the fastest ways to spot problems is to understand how PHP actually runs a file.
PHP is not a long‑running application.
It does not preload your code.text/html2026-04-05T23:31:55+00:00Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com)5. Functions & Closures — How PHP Captures Context
https://icontemp.com/wiki/phpprimer/doku.php?id=mental_model:functions_and_closures&rev=1775431915&do=diff
5. Functions & Closures — How PHP Captures Context
Why this matters
Functions are where PHP does most of its thinking.
Closures are where PHP borrows context — but only when you explicitly allow it.
AI often generates code that assumes JavaScript‑style automatic capture or Python‑style scoping.text/html2026-04-05T23:35:02+00:00Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com)1. Understanding how PHP "thinks": Overview
https://icontemp.com/wiki/phpprimer/doku.php?id=mental_model:overview&rev=1775432102&do=diff
1. Understanding how PHP "thinks": Overview
Before you can evaluate AI‑generated PHP,
you need a clear sense of
how PHP behaves at runtime.
Not the syntax.
Not the functions.
but the model.
PHP is simple on the surface, but its execution model shapes everything:text/html2026-04-05T23:29:47+00:00Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com)8. Putting It All Together — How PHP Actually Thinks
https://icontemp.com/wiki/phpprimer/doku.php?id=mental_model:putting_it_all_together&rev=1775431787&do=diff
8. Putting It All Together — How PHP Actually Thinks
Why this matters
You’ve seen the pieces so far:
* execution flow
how PHP processes a file from top to bottom
* request lifecycle
the short‑lived world PHP creates for each request
* scope and lifetimetext/html2026-04-05T23:33:23+00:00Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com)3. Request Lifecycle — What Happens During a Request
https://icontemp.com/wiki/phpprimer/doku.php?id=mental_model:request_lifecycle&rev=1775432003&do=diff
3. Request Lifecycle — What Happens During a Request
Why the request lifecycle matters
To understand PHP, you must understand its rhythm.
Every PHP script lives inside a request, and that request defines:
* when code starts
* when it stops
*text/html2026-04-05T23:32:51+00:00Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com)4. Scope & Lifetime — Where Variables Live
https://icontemp.com/wiki/phpprimer/doku.php?id=mental_model:scope_and_lifetime&rev=1775431971&do=diff
4. Scope & Lifetime — Where Variables Live
Why scope matters
Scope is one of PHP’s simplest ideas
— and one of its most misunderstood.
AI often generates code that assumes JavaScript‑style closures or Python‑style global state.
PHP is much simpler:text/html2026-04-03T18:47:38+00:00Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com)The PHP Mental Model
https://icontemp.com/wiki/phpprimer/doku.php?id=mental_model:start&rev=1775242058&do=diff
The PHP Mental Model
The deeper ideas behind modern PHP — how the language thinks, and how to reason
about its behavior. These pages explore the mental models that guide clear,
predictable architecture.
Please sort A-Z for intended reading sequence.