Guest Post

Beat Recession Blues with These PHP Web Development Best Practices

Published

2 days ago

July 9, 2025

Miguel

Beat Recession Blues with These PHP Web Development Best Practices 7

With the recession taking over the majority of economies across the globe, securing your job has become the topmost priority. The scenario is the same across different verticals and for programmers, it is even worse. As the resource pool of PHP developers is expanding, the crunch of right projects and jobs is also deepening. Organizations are paying emphasis on quality rather than quantity. It’s all about the survival of the fittest.

Getting your hands on a handsomely paying project is not just a matter of luck. It also readily depends on the quality of services rendered by you as a developer. A PHP web development project requires you to have in-depth knowledge of the language and deploy industry best practices. As you scan your clientele in hope of grabbing onto the next breakthrough project, here are some coding best practices that can get you through the stringent quality evaluations of even the daintiest clients:

Get Friendly with Single Quoted Strings: Using single quotes over double quotes gives you a marginal performance benefit, especially if you are coding some intricate project. A PHP string that is surrounded in double quotes is misinterpreted as variables and special characters by the PHP interpreter. If you want a single-string output, it is best to use single quotes. It enhances the performance of your PHP application as the string doesn’t get parsed.
Don’t Use Regular Expressions Unnecessarily: Keep a safe distance from ereg and preg function groups as and when possible, especially if you are performing basic string operations. When str_replace and strtr functions are faster than preg_replace, why do you wish to stick with old school functions? Move on and save your application from those crunch cycles.
Short Open Tags are a Big No-No: Are you still torturing your PHP application with short tags? It’s time you show some mercy. <? Is just a bad code form and creates conflict with XML parsers. It will also annoy people who will try modifying your code in PHP directives. So, you won’t find even a single justification for using open tags. Use full tags instead and let your application breathe.
Keep Functions out of Loop Declarations: Using functions inside loops is not a great idea. It is annoying to see how some developers stake the performance of the application to save an extra line of code. If you use a function inside a loop, it will get executed as and when iteration initiates. If you have a bigger loop, this will mean you are increasing the execution time, which is not a bit user-friendly.
Document Your Code: You might have heard it a hundred times, but it by no means depreciates its value. Documenting your code means you value your hard work as well as your client’s investment in the programming phase. Many organizations will hire you just on the basis of your documentation habits.
Variable Initialization is a Must: If you don’t initialize a variable, PHP will create it automatically, but it is best not to rely on this feature. The code becomes sloppy and God forbids if you have to track down the initiating point of the variable, you will have to scan through the entire code. Moreover, incrementing of an uninitialized variable takes more time than that of an initialized variable. So, it’s best to initialize a variable.

PHP web development can be a tricky job, especially when so many others are keeping a watch, waiting to grab any opportunity that comes their way. It is best to follow best practices and adhere to stringent quality standards, to rapidly increase your client base.

Author:- Steve Graham is an expert in PHP Web Development, who has been blogging on the niche for the last 6 years. Currently, he is associated as a freelancer with a PHP development firm that deals in PHP Development Outsourcing.

Guest Post

Guidelines for Choosing the Best WordPress Theme for Your Website

Published

5 hours ago

July 11, 2025

Miguel

Using a WordPress theme for a website comes with plenty of advantages. One great feature that is worth mentioning is the ability to install new WordPress themes at any time. Although, tweaking and customizing a theme each time is required, changing the outlook of a website is not a tedious task. Within fractions of a second new theme can be added to the website. However, the problem here is looking for the best WordPress theme. There are numerous WordPress themes online and it is best advised to stick to a few themes each time.

Choosing the best WordPress theme is highly important as you will have to work with it day in and day out. You will have to look at the same design each day, which might bore you after a certain period of time. Keeping all this in mind, you will have to choose the correct theme. Let us look at some of the factors that will help you in choosing the best WordPress theme.

Niche Theme

It is highly important to choose a WordPress theme that relates to your business type. For example: If your website deals with real estate business, you should look for a WordPress theme designed for real estate business. If you use an e-commerce WordPress theme, you are more than likely to end up having a website that is unpleasing to the eyes of the visitors.

Speed

A website that loads slowly is less desired by search engines and visitors. There are many factors involved in the slowing down of a website like cheap webhosting and loads of other reasons. Well, do you like to add a slow loading WordPress theme to the already long list? Few themes tend to load slowly due to too many features and improper coding. It is advisable to check on the loading reputation of a WordPress theme before installing.

Usage

You need to choose a WordPress theme that is attractive as well as useful. The main purpose of creating a website is to make it easy for the visitors to navigate through the site and to look for information with ease. A WordPress theme with minimum designs and plenty of space for information can be readily chosen. Do not choose a theme that makes the website look cluttered.

Technical Support

You might be a technical person, but still might get stuck somewhere while customizing a theme. Look for WordPress themes that offer excellent technical support. Basically, technical support is offered at its best by paid WordPress themes when compared to free themes.

Layout and Spacing

Few WordPress themes give you the liberty to make changes to the width, spacing and layout of a theme. Other sections in the Control Panel can also be customized. But, majority of the themes do not allow changes unless the code has been tweaked. Hence, think about the additional elements that you wish to add. Customizations give you a better understanding about PHP and CSS.

Paid or Free

There is no doubt that budget plays a major role in deciding whether you like to use a free theme or a paid theme. The main reason experts stress to use paid themes is that they provide support in times of trouble. In some instances, you can also get in touch with the theme creator whereas in free themes you might get less or no support. In most cases, you will not even be able to find or contact the creator of the free theme.

Compatibility

Long gone are the days when websites can be accessed only from PCs and laptops. In today’s world of technology, websites can be accessed from mobile phones, tablets and other gadgets. Taking this into account, it is necessary to look for a WordPress theme that is compatible on all the gadgets. If your website cannot be accessed on any one of the gadgets, you are losing out on a handful of customers.

Conclusion

These are the factors that one has to keep in mind while choosing the best WordPress theme for your website. Since changing the theme with WordPress is pretty simple, you don’t have to worry if a theme does not look good for your site. Just upload a new theme and activate it to view your site with unique looks. Minor adjustments to the settings will set you on the right track. So, what are you waiting for? Start hunting for the right theme now.

This is a guest post by Sharon Thomas of thecornersuite.com, a site that offers savings and current information on getting internet through dish, as well as dish.com services.

Guest Post

Top Six ways to Use QR Codes as a Web Design Tool

Published

7 hours ago

July 11, 2025

Miguel

How can you link QR codes to digital content?

When a QR code is read by the help of smart phones, it can help you to connect to the web content and also aid in activating numerous functions in the phone which also include mails and text messaging service. It can link you to almost anything starting from videos, special offers and discounts etc.

Development in visual design

Though the code looks a bit complex, it can be controlled in various ways. QR codes are designed in such a way that the moment it is placed under scanner, it will be readable. A part of the code can also be redesigned with images and pictures. This has helped he designers to design the codes in their own special ways so that it has an exclusive appeal.

Popularity of the code

QR codes are now being used in advertisements and posters, business cards and billboards as well.

Ways to use QR codes as web design tools.

There are plenty of ways in which one can use QR codes as a web design tool. They have numerous applications when it comes to designing a website online. Let us see how it helps in the same:

It can help in being a link to you website

A QR code can help in being a link to your website. The code can be printed so that people do not have to go through various research processes before finding you website. The code can be a direct link to your website and also as well a great help to prospective clients who will help to earn revenue for your website.

Saving your telephone numbers

You can save your telephone number, contact email address and other details in the form of the QR code instead of saving it as an URL.This will help people to contact you easily. Since QR codes can store huge amount of records you can store as much information as you want here.

Link to videos and social networking sites

A QR code is also a good access to social networking sites such as face book, twitter and orkut. Also the code can be used to directly lead you to any kind of live streaming site through your phone as well like you tube and other videos.

Linking you to the Google map

QR code also helps you to link to the Google map. Instead of searching and typing for the URL the code will automatically guide you to the website where you would like to visit.

Helps to store text as well

A QR code helps to store large amount of plain text if required. It also helps to consume less amount of space in the websites.

Stores SMS message

Last but not the least it helps in storage of messages

These are the varied ways in which the QR code can be used as a website designing tools when used online. Apart from these it can be used for the purpose of business and marketing as well and has gained population in all industrial fields.

About the Author:

The above article is composed and edited by Mrs Peterson. She is associated with many technology and designing communities as their freelance writer and editor. In her free time she writes articles related to web designing, qr code tutorial, Qr Code Design, etc.

Guest Post

Should You Recycle Old Material to WordPress?

Published

19 hours ago

July 10, 2025

Miguel

As a writer, or as a business owner doing some serious blogging, you probably wish to fill up your new WordPress account with as much material as possible. It’s the active site that receives the most attention from the algorithms; whether the search engine is Google, Yahoo, Bing, or any other. You’ve already written a number of blogs on your free BlogSpot, linking them to your Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts, so it seems natural to carry this busy activity into your new website.

Can Reprints Hurt Your Ranking?

This seems like a practical solution, but recycling old material can actually hurt your ratings on the Search Engine Results Page. The new Google Penguin rules stipulate no scraping and no duplicate material for high search engine results. Even if it’s your own work, if you duplicate it at your WordPress website, you’ve diminished your chances of being noticed by the search engines.

Linking your accounts is a good policy. It gives you more visibility to your fans, friends, and followers. These linked sites, however, will not give you search engine ratings, no matter how well you present your topic. All they will do is mention your Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn activity in a search under your own name or your business title.

WordPress websites have a great deal of potential for increasing your ratings for SERP. By allowing Google Search bots to crawl your index, the algorithms will take note of unique and interesting content. High SERP ratings will bring you, readers, outside your circle of Facebook and Twitter friends.

Here’s the Motivation to be Prolific!

This should be strong motivation as an author or as a business site owner. Your personalized accounts are on a level playing field. You will receive no more attention than the degree of activity you put into it for acquiring readers. You will not be sponsored by the search engines if you do not have an active website representing your work. As a business, there is no greater advantage than having a high ranking on the Search Engine Results Page. Most users do not go past the first one or two pages when placing a query for information on a product or service. If your site has a prominent position, the chances are good it will be one of the first places the user will search.

As an author, it probably feels very good to receive those instant responses from Facebook friends and Twitter followers when you direct them to your personal blog. If your blog is on a shared account, however, you run the risk of losing your copyrights to the company sponsoring you. With a hosted WordPress website, you can copyright protect your work.

Authors generally wish to be accredited as writers with published work. Google Penguin now recognizes author names in its algorithms. Authors who have published consistently on their own websites and others have a greater chance of ranking high in a Search Engines Results Page. This will assist you if your goal is to be published traditionally or through electronic books.

Use only new content for your WordPress website and use easy to read premium WordPress themes to ensure your blog also looks nice and professional. Keep it original and interesting. Link your WordPress article with your Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts. This will ensure both an active interest among the friends, followers, and clientele you’ve built up, as well as high ranking in the algorithms. Your goal is to expand your business and your name with the tools the Internet has to offer. These tools are available to anyone who takes the initiative to use them. While it means the playing field is highly competitive, it also means that a good strategy can bring you success.

About author

Olga Ionel is a creative writer at ThemeFuse.com – a top provider of WordPress themes. She is passionate about studying the online marketing industry and sharing informative tips.

WordPress themes. She is passionate about studying online marketing industry and sharing informative tips.