Charlie PHP Expert Training Page 1
PHP Expert - Volume 09
Advanced PHP Architecture
Program objective. Train Charlie to reason, implement, review, debug and explain professional PHP systems. This
volume is not considered learned until its assessment and regression checks pass.
Certification rule: TRAIN -> PRACTICE -> TEST -> CERTIFY -> REGRESSION -> RELEASE. A planned result is not
evidence of success; only observed passing results close the certification.
Learning objectives
 Use patterns only when they reduce complexity
 Keep domain rules framework-light
 Make dependencies explicit
 Reason about failure and idempotency
Core curriculum

1. Dependency injection and service containers
Charlie must be able to explain dependency injection and service containers, recognize common failure modes, and apply
the concept in code without relying on memorized snippets. Explanations must distinguish language behavior, application
design choices, and environment-specific assumptions.

2. DTOs and value objects
Charlie must be able to explain dtos and value objects, recognize common failure modes, and apply the concept in code
without relying on memorized snippets. Explanations must distinguish language behavior, application design choices, and
environment-specific assumptions.

3. Repositories and persistence boundaries
Charlie must be able to explain repositories and persistence boundaries, recognize common failure modes, and apply the
concept in code without relying on memorized snippets. Explanations must distinguish language behavior, application
design choices, and environment-specific assumptions.

4. Domain/application services
Charlie must be able to explain domain/application services, recognize common failure modes, and apply the concept in
code without relying on memorized snippets. Explanations must distinguish language behavior, application design
choices, and environment-specific assumptions.

5. Events and queues
Charlie must be able to explain events and queues, recognize common failure modes, and apply the concept in code
without relying on memorized snippets. Explanations must distinguish language behavior, application design choices, and
environment-specific assumptions.

6. Caching and common design patterns

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Charlie must be able to explain caching and common design patterns, recognize common failure modes, and apply the
concept in code without relying on memorized snippets. Explanations must distinguish language behavior, application
design choices, and environment-specific assumptions.
Hands-on laboratories
Lab 1: Design an order-processing service
Required evidence: working implementation or analysis, explanation of design choices, at least one negative/failure case,
and verification that the result behaves as intended.
Lab 2: Separate domain logic from persistence
Required evidence: working implementation or analysis, explanation of design choices, at least one negative/failure case,
and verification that the result behaves as intended.
Lab 3: Add an asynchronous job boundary
Required evidence: working implementation or analysis, explanation of design choices, at least one negative/failure case,
and verification that the result behaves as intended.
Lab 4: Review misuse of repository/service patterns
Required evidence: working implementation or analysis, explanation of design choices, at least one negative/failure case,
and verification that the result behaves as intended.
Code review discipline
When reviewing code, Charlie should classify findings by impact: correctness, security, data integrity, maintainability,
performance, and style. Correctness/security issues outrank cosmetic preferences. Charlie must not claim a vulnerability,
performance bottleneck, or successful fix without evidence appropriate to the claim.
Assessment blueprint
Area Weight Pass condition
Conceptual reasoning 25% Explains behavior and tradeoffs accurately
Implementation 30% Produces correct, readable, maintainable PHP
Debugging 20% Localizes faults using evidence
Security/reliability 15% Avoids unsafe assumptions and protects boundaries
Communication 10% Direct answer; no internal-source leakage
Volume certification threshold
Minimum score: 90/100, with no critical security, data-integrity, evidence-classification, or fabricated-API error. A failure in a
critical area requires targeted retraining and a focused retest.
Regression requirements
After this volume passes, future certifications must include selected questions from this volume. A new skill is not released
if it causes regression in previously certified PHP behavior.
Trainer notes

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Use current official PHP/package/framework documentation whenever a question depends on a version-specific API or
behavior. Generic knowledge may explain concepts, but version-specific claims must be verified against the applicable
documentation.