Playground workflow

Get the most from each lesson's server editor with a deliberate loop—the same habits that transfer to local PHP, Laravel Sail, or Docker setups.

Recommended workflow

1. Read the concept section before editing code.
2. Click Run to execute PHP on the dev runner.
3. Use echo for readable strings; use print_r() or var_dump() for arrays and types.
4. Change one idea at a time—a variable, a loop condition, one array key.
5. Read parse errors carefully—they often point to a missing semicolon or unmatched brace.
6. Reset the editor if you drift far from the lesson goal.

What the runner can and cannot do

• Can — run pure PHP: variables, functions, classes, file functions on allowed paths, JSON encode/decode
• Simulated — $_GET/$_POST samples in comments or local arrays; session/cookie behavior explained in prose
• Needs local setup — real MySQL/PostgreSQL via PDO, Apache/Nginx routing, sending HTTP headers to a browser

Review HTML forms if GET vs POST feels fuzzy—PHP reads what the browser sends.

Self-check

1. When should you use var_dump instead of echo?
2. Why change one concept at a time while learning?