What should a PHP/MySQL web developer know about servers?

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+5 Q:

What should a PHP/MySQL web developer know about servers?

I develop websites using PHP and MySQL. What resources would a seasoned web developer recommend that would cover server-specific information relevant to the job of a developer.

If it helps, I work specifically with an Apache server (through my hosting company).

+2 A:

Rule #1: Get your development environment as close as possible to the server environment. (I.e. use Apache on both, use the same versions of PHP and MySQL on both, ideally use the same operating system on both.)

christian studer 2010-05-13 08:45:44

+6 A:

You say: seasoned web developer ... so:

So you should know as much as any respectable sys admin. This allows you to pick the right technologies for the business case/constraints.

You should also know about:

Database servers / DBA
Network architecture, bottleneck prevention, resource allocation
Network and system security
Protocols, firewalls, routing
Various application stack configurations (beyond LAMP or .NET)
Distributed systems, scalability
Technology evaluation (MoEs, MoPs and all that)

And tons of other stuff. Being a web developer is a specialization of 'developer' for a given environment ... as such you should know everything about that environment and everything that emerges out of, develops from or impacts on it.

Aiden Bell 2010-05-13 08:47:34

+1 - especially a seasoned developer should make a normal admin ashamed with technical knowledge (not so much with procedures, like how to organize backups best). He should also know how to rate / plan servers for performance (especially database wise - IOPS etc.)

TomTom 2010-05-13 08:49:27

@Aiden Bell: Not sure what you're first line is aiming at. I am asking people who might call themselves "seasoned web developers" for advice. I am not labeling myself as one. Perhaps you misread?

letseatfood 2010-05-13 09:00:34

@Aiden Bell: In response to the last portion of your answer, I am attempting to learn as much as possible about my environment, it's why I asked the question in the first place.

letseatfood 2010-05-13 09:01:47

@Mike - I don't think you labeled yourself seasoned, I am stating what a seasoned web developer should know. Otherwise the first line would read "You say *you're a*: seasoned web developer"

Aiden Bell 2010-05-13 10:11:01

@Mike I don't think Aiden was attacking you in any way, you may have misread his first statement.

Pekka 2010-05-13 10:13:32

@Aiden Bell: I apologize, I definitely misread your answer. Thank-you for responding, especially with what seems to be a very thorough answer!! Bottleneck prevention, application stack configurations, and technology evaluation are all new terms to me. Thanks!!

letseatfood 2010-05-13 11:06:50

@Mike - No worries. Good luck with it, keep an open mind to things outside the web too. They sometimes end up there anyway (Erlang for one)

Aiden Bell 2010-05-13 11:15:19

I have found the resources for the Building Dynamic Websites course through the Harvard University Extension to be useful for learning/refreshing fundamental concepts, and also as a source for pointing me in the right direction when I need more specific information pertaining to the various technologies.

There are useful examples, cheatsheets, links to documentation, and, of course, audio/video lectures you can watch and/or listen to.

ecounysis 2010-09-05 19:07:46

ansaurus

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What should a PHP/MySQL web developer know about servers?

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